NEWS
Hands off our underpinnings!
Benz's new rear-wheel drive platform will spawn many models, but not shared with other brandsAny car company eying Mercedes-Benz’s vital new MRA architecture as a short-cut to a quality rear-wheel drive model is set to be disappointed.
While Benz is prepared to share its MFA front and a-wheel drive architecture with Nissan’s luxury brand Infiniti, it’s hands-off MRA, which will eventually be used to underpin “much more” than 10 new models including some we aren’t even aware of yet.
Between them, MFA and MRA will eventually account for 90 per cent of Benz output, enabling a vast improvement in production efficiency and economies of scale
The first MRA-based Benz is the W205 C-class that goes on-sale in Europe in March and reaches Australia around July-August.
The ‘no touching’ message and the model count estimate for MRA both come from Mercedes-Benz global board member for group research and car development, Dr Thomas Weber.
“There is no discussion centred on the MRA platform because MRA is Mercedes hard core,” Weber told Australian journalists at last week’s launch of the GLA compact cross-over in Spain.
Benz has a technical co-operation deal with Renault to share Smart and Twingo mini-car development, Nissan/Infiniti on engines and the use of the MFA architecture under the forthcoming Q30 compact hatch and its QX30 cross-over spin-off. It has recently inked a deal for Aston Martin to use AMG engines and electrical systems.
“Very often my answer is [as] an engineer you should never say no,” Weber added. “But today it is a clear decision that we should limit, so please don’t speculate. It is a clear decision that we limit the operation on the fields we are in at the moment.”
Weber’s enthusiasm for MRA is huge because of its flexibility, scalability and aluminium-intensive light weight. It will enable Benz to draw the vast majority of its rear and all-wheel drive models including sedans, estates, coupes, SUVs and sports cars together onto variations of this one architecture from a hodge-podge of underpinnings.
“With this architecture we are able to do much more than 10 different vehicles,” Weber declared.
“The main strategy you see when we discuss the MFA architecture is one architecture with only one vehicle wheelbase, five completely different vehicles are possible. The new MRA platform is even more flexible because also more wheelbases are possible, more the width of the vehicle can be differentiated, so it is a completely modular approach.
“We can combine the different components of the vehicle based on the common architecture strategy and then we can do SUVs, we can do coupes, we can do limousines and so on and we can do vehicles you don’t even know about at the moment.
“The question is how important is the niche and in which sequence we are creating these new niches.”
Among those possible new niches is a GLC ‘coupe’ version of the second generation GLK SUV to take on BMW’s forthcoming X4. A five door C-Class in the style of the A5 Sportback has also been speculated upon.
Importantly, and as per MFA, the requirements of high performance division AMG were baked into MRA from the beginning, Weber said.
“We have an intensive exchange, especially on the engineering side, between AMG and Mercedes-Benz that helps us to integrate AMG completely in the modular strategy... but also to keep them as separated as possible so that they can do AMG.
“So we have clear rules in place about what is coming and what has to be different because AMG has to be different, faster more powerful and so on. That is part of our overall strategy that is clear. Economies of scale they use, and what has to be different they do different. Very often the engine is completely different.”
Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...
Don't forget to register to comment on this article.
Share this article
Written byBruce Newton
See all articlesOur team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Related articles
Disclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
If the price does not contain the notation that it is "Drive Away", the price may not include additional costs, such as stamp duty and other government charges.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
If the price does not contain the notation that it is "Drive Away", the price may not include additional costs, such as stamp duty and other government charges.
Contact
Local marketplaces
International marketplaces
Download the carsales app
