October 2017: Mercedes-Benz USA

[William Maley]

Mercedes-Benz USA Reports October Sales of 28,995, Up 1.0%

Nov 1, 2017 – ATLANTA

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported October sales of 28,955 units, an increase of 1.0% from the 28,659 vehicles sold during the same period last year. Mercedes-Benz Vans reported October sales with 2,446 units and smart reported 140 units, bringing the MBUSA grand total to 31,541 vehicles for the month. On a year-to-date basis, Mercedes-Benz retails totaled 271,205 units.

"We are on track for a solid close to 2017 as we continue into the fourth quarter," said Dietmar Exler, president and CEO of MBUSA. "Momentum is growing with our newly launched S-Class Sedan, AMG models and the strong demand for our SUV lineup."

Mercedes-Benz volume leaders in October included the C-Class, GLE and E-Class (including the CLS) model lines. The C-Class took the lead at 5,996, followed by GLE sales of 4,817. The E-Class rounded out the top three with 4,681 units sold.

Mercedes-AMG high-performance models sold 3,256 units in October, with a total 26,822 sold year-to-date (up 52.9%).

[G. David Felt]

I see MB continuation of being a German version of Toyota or GM or Ford or FCA is on track. A 3 pointed star in everyone's garage is the focus equal to your income level. How noble of them.

[smk4565]

They are on pace for 30,000 AMG’s sold this year which is tremendous I think. In a world of dumbed down cookie cutter front drive crossovers and 147 hp compact cars, it is good that some one is still pushing performance.

[balthazar]

This car outperforms all of the 37 AMG models except just one.
Too bad the company that builds it 'doesn't push performance'.

[A Horse With No Name]

7 hours ago, balthazar said:

This car outperforms all of the 37 AMG models except just one.
Too bad the company that builds it 'doesn't push performance'.

...its better looking too!

[surreal1272]

17 hours ago, smk4565 said:

They are on pace for 30,000 AMG’s sold this year which is tremendous I think. In a world of dumbed down cookie cutter front drive crossovers and 147 hp compact cars, it is good that some one is still pushing performance.

I am assuming you are including Benz in the FWD crossover and compact car category right?

 

And AMGs? LMAO! That used to mean something before they slapped that on every other car they make, regardless of whether they had any real performance cred.

[surreal1272]

Oh and how in the hell is Smart still in business here?

[smk4565]

10 hours ago, balthazar said:

This car outperforms all of the 37 AMG models except just one.
Too bad the company that builds it 'doesn't push performance'.

GM makes 4 performance cars: Camaro, Corvette, ATS-V and CTS-V.  Zero performance SUVs, which is the #1 selling body style.   I'll still take 37 performance models over 7-8 if you want to split down trim levels of the Camaro/Corvette.  And that is still more than Ford/Lincoln, Acura/Honda, Nissan/Infiniti, they hardly have anything, 2 performance cars each.

The ZL1 is quite the achievement though, it is faster than a Z06 Corvette at less money, plus you get a back seat, so it is a tremendous performance value.  Not a luxury car though, but a great track performer, one of the best at any price.

[ccap41]

11 hours ago, balthazar said:

This car outperforms all of the 37 AMG models except just one.
Too bad the company that builds it 'doesn't push performance'.

I believe they have a second vehicle that will best all but 1 AMG. 

 

[surreal1272]

15 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

GM makes 4 performance cars: Camaro, Corvette, ATS-V and CTS-V.  Zero performance SUVs, which is the #1 selling body style.   I'll still take 37 performance models over 7-8 if you want to split down trim levels of the Camaro/Corvette.  And that is still more than Ford/Lincoln, Acura/Honda, Nissan/Infiniti, they hardly have anything, 2 performance cars each.

The ZL1 is quite the achievement though, it is faster than a Z06 Corvette at less money, plus you get a back seat, so it is a tremendous performance value.  Not a luxury car though, but a great track performer, one of the best at any price.

And moving the bar again while ignoring the fundamental problem with your statement. Ever heard the phrase “quality over quantity”?

 

And “performance SUVs”? Talk about an oxymoron with little justification for its existence other than to satisfy 1,000 people a year. Yeah, that’s a great use of R&D money (sarcasm wholly intended here). 

[ccap41]

3 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

...its better looking too!

Ehhh the 1LE version is a little much, imo... Regular ZL1 for me! 

[surreal1272]

1 minute ago, ccap41 said:

I believe they have a second vehicle that will best all but 1 AMG. 

 

But Benz has 36 lesser AMGs to choose from which is all that matters, according to at least one person here! Didn’t you know this?

[ccap41]

1 hour ago, surreal1272 said:

That used to mean something before they slapped that on every other car they make, regardless of whether they had any real performance cred.

It's sad because it's true.. now that they have the equivalent to M Sport at BMW with the fake-ass C43 and E43 crap...I hate it. I love me some real AMG but the watered down-ness SUCKS. 

21 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

And that is still more than Ford/Lincoln, Acura/Honda, Nissan/Infiniti, they hardly have anything, 2 performance cars each.

Ford/Lincoln have more than 2 performance cars each.

Fiesta ST

Focus ST

GT350/R (I won't count the Mustang GT as it's reptitive, just the top line Shelby)

Raptor

GT 

I wouldn't put them in the same class but theirs an Edge Sport, Explorer Sport, and Taurus SHO(I hate the Taurus!) but they're more performance than every other mainstream brands have. 

[ccap41]

26 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

It's sad because it's true.. now that they have the equivalent to M Sport at BMW with the fake-ass C43 and E43 crap...I hate it. I love me some real AMG but the watered down-ness SUCKS. 

Ford/Lincoln have more than 2 performance cars each.

Fiesta ST

Focus ST

GT350/R (I won't count the Mustang GT as it's reptitive, just the top line Shelby)

Raptor

GT 

I wouldn't put them in the same class but there's*** an Edge Sport, Explorer Sport, and Taurus SHO(I hate the Taurus!) but they're more performance than every other mainstream brands have. 

I fixed a typo that bothered me. lol

[Drew Dowdell]

21 hours ago, smk4565 said:

They are on pace for 30,000 AMG’s sold this year which is tremendous I think. In a world of dumbed down cookie cutter front drive crossovers and 147 hp compact cars, it is good that some one is still pushing performance.

Why are all of those AMG models all up to 100 horsepower and 100 lb-ft of torque behind any class competition from Cadillac?

[smk4565]

2 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

And moving the bar again while ignoring the fundamental problem with your statement. Ever heard the phrase “quality over quantity”?

 

And “performance SUVs”? Talk about an oxymoron with little justification for its existence other than to satisfy 1,000 people a year. Yeah, that’s a great use of R&D money (sarcasm wholly intended here). 

If you are going on "quality" the AMG GT R can beat anything GM has ever made, there is a more hardcore version of that car coming too, probably an AMG Black Series.

But line up the cars, the E63 is faster than a CTS-V (or any Japanese sedan or any Audi or Alfa Romeo) the C63 is faster than the ATS-V.  Saying the Corvette Z06 beats an E63 on a race track is sort of a pointless comparison when one is a mid-size sedan once is a sports car.

And I don't think performance SUVs is to satisfy 1,000 people a year.  20 years ago, there was the M3, M5 and C36, E55, and that was it.  Now there are probably 20+ performance sedans out there, because people wanted sedans and not coupes.  Today's sedan is the 90s coupe, and it is getting replaces with the SUV.  By 2025 there will be more GLE63 SUVs sold than M5's or E63's I bet.  Porsche sells more SUVs than they do cars.  

[surreal1272]

9 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

If you are going on "quality" the AMG GT R can beat anything GM has ever made, there is a more hardcore version of that car coming too, probably an AMG Black Series.

But line up the cars, the E63 is faster than a CTS-V (or any Japanese sedan or any Audi or Alfa Romeo) the C63 is faster than the ATS-V.  Saying the Corvette Z06 beats an E63 on a race track is sort of a pointless comparison when one is a mid-size sedan once is a sports car.

And I don't think performance SUVs is to satisfy 1,000 people a year.  20 years ago, there was the M3, M5 and C36, E55, and that was it.  Now there are probably 20+ performance sedans out there, because people wanted sedans and not coupes.  Today's sedan is the 90s coupe, and it is getting replaces with the SUV.  By 2025 there will be more GLE63 SUVs sold than M5's or E63's I bet.  Porsche sells more SUVs than they do cars.  

So the only comparison you make out the 37 AMGs is by using one the most expensive examples? Yeah, real convincing there. I am referring to the fact that there are 37 AMGs and they are not the exclusiveness they once were. 

[smk4565]

2 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Why are all of the AMG models all up to 100 horsepower and 100 lb-ft of torque behind any class competition from Cadillac?

How so?  The C63 has 503 hp vs 465 hp in an ATS-V, the E63 has 603 hp vs 640 in the CTS-V, and the E63 is still a faster accelerating car due to AWD and better low end torque.

The GLE63 has 267 hp more than an XT5, the GLS63 has 157 hp more than an Escalade.  The G65 has 201 hp more than an Escalade.

Yes they have a 362 hp C43 and 396 hp E43, both of which do 0-60 as fast as a Ford Mustang GT and quicker than a CTS V-sport.  The C43 is the ATS 3.6 V6 competitor., one is just vastly quicker than the other.

And we haven't even touched on the fact that Mercedes-AMG will be taking their hyper car to the Nurburgring next year and the record will be shattered.  And I still say Mercedes needs to build more of them, they have around 1,000 people on the waiting list, but are only making 300, dumb move.  Even it if takes 5 years, they should build 1000 of them.

[surreal1272]

15 years ago, the AMG meant something because you only had one or three models (top tier models at that). Now they slap it on Damn near everything. It is just like when Chevy ruined the SS designation by slapping on FWD cars. Point being it has deluded the brand by slapping on everything, hence my quality of quantity remark. 

Edited November 2, 2017 by surreal1272

[Drew Dowdell]

9 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

How so?  The C63 has 503 hp vs 465 hp in an ATS-V, the E63 has 603 hp vs 640 in the CTS-V, and the E63 is still a faster accelerating car due to AWD and better low end torque.

The GLE63 has 267 hp more than an XT5, the GLS63 has 157 hp more than an Escalade.  The G65 has 201 hp more than an Escalade.

Yes they have a 362 hp C43 and 396 hp E43, both of which do 0-60 as fast as a Ford Mustang GT and quicker than a CTS V-sport.  The C43 is the ATS 3.6 V6 competitor., one is just vastly quicker than the other.

And we haven't even touched on the fact that Mercedes-AMG will be taking their hyper car to the Nurburgring next year and the record will be shattered.  And I still say Mercedes needs to build more of them, they have around 1,000 people on the waiting list, but are only making 300, dumb move.  Even it if takes 5 years, they should build 1000 of them.

What do you mean "How so?"

You show it yourself. Every Cadillac engine has more power than the Benz version. 

 

N/A V6 - Benz doesn't even make one and has you make due with a Turbo-4 instead. Cadillac's can go to 335hp. But just for good measure, Cadillac's 4-cylinder also beats the standard issue Benz 4-cylinder too. Sure you can get the CLA AMG43, but unlocking more power from the Cadillac LTG is just a stage kit away. 

Turbo V6 - Benz tops out at 396. Cadillac has a 3.0TT which isn't even a "V" engine that does more than that, the 3.6TT makes up to 460. 

V8 - Benz makes 383 horsepower to Cadillac's 420. 

Force-fed V8 - Again, Benz comes up short. 

[ccap41]

1 hour ago, smk4565 said:

But line up the cars, the E63 is faster than a CTS-V (or any Japanese sedan or any Audi or Alfa Romeo) the C63 is faster than the ATS-V.  Saying the Corvette Z06 beats an E63 on a race track is sort of a pointless comparison when one is a mid-size sedan once is a sports car.

The ZL1 1LE and Z06 beat everything except the AMG GT R. Period. Mercedes has AMG Coupes like the C63 Coupe, E63 Coupe, SLC43(fake AMG), and SL63 so we're not comparing the sporty coupes of GM to sedans at Mercedes. 

Edited November 2, 2017 by ccap41

[ccap41]

25 minutes ago, surreal1272 said:

15 years ago, the AMG meant something because you only had one or three models (top tier models at that).

Sh!t, only 5 years ago it was good still. They just started whoring it out in the last couple of years. 

[Drew Dowdell]

Well these days I can buy an AMG poser appearance package for my base model 4-cylinder e-class. 

[G. David Felt]

@smk4565 MB has turned the AMG badge into a whore as it allows an AMG appearance package to be sold on just about every model they build. As such, like Chevy did to the SS badge by destroying it's street cred, MB has done to AMG destroying it special status and street cred.

On top of this is what Balthazar posted about the crazy insane

[smk4565]

2 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

What do you mean "How so?"

You show it yourself. Every Cadillac engine has more power than the Benz version. 

 

N/A V6 - Benz doesn't even make one and has you make due with a Turbo-4 instead. Cadillac's can go to 335hp. But just for good measure, Cadillac's 4-cylinder also beats the standard issue Benz 4-cylinder too. Sure you can get the CLA AMG43, but unlocking more power from the Cadillac LTG is just a stage kit away. 

Turbo V6 - Benz tops out at 396. Cadillac has a 3.0TT which isn't even a "V" engine that does more than that, the 3.6TT makes up to 460. 

V8 - Benz makes 383 horsepower to Cadillac's 420. 

Force-fed V8 - Again, Benz comes up short. 

Model by model though, the CTS-V outpowers the E63, the C63 outpowers the ATS-V.  S560 outpowers any CT6, GLS550 outpowers Escalade, don't even need AMG engines for those.

If you just want to compare 4 cylinder to 4 cylinder, MB will fix that in 2018 with the 308 hp 48 volt turbo 4, there is an E400 with 329 hp, 354 lb-ft that is way more torque than a Cadillac 3.6 V6.  They have 3 body styles of E400, sedan joining soon.

Cadillac has 2 models with a V8, Mercedes has 20-some, I wouldn't call Cadillac the superior performance brand.

[Drew Dowdell]

7 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Model by model though, the CTS-V outpowers the E63, the C63 outpowers the ATS-V.  S560 outpowers any CT6, GLS550 outpowers Escalade, don't even need AMG engines for those.

If you just want to compare 4 cylinder to 4 cylinder, MB will fix that in 2018 with the 308 hp 48 volt turbo 4, there is an E400 with 329 hp, 354 lb-ft that is way more torque than a Cadillac 3.6 V6.  They have 3 body styles of E400, sedan joining soon.

Cadillac has 2 models with a V8, Mercedes has 20-some, I wouldn't call Cadillac the superior performance brand.

Mercedes does not have 20 models with a V8. They don't even have 20 models total. (No, the E-Sedan, E-Wagon, E-Coupe, E63 Sedan, E63 Wagon, etc are not all different models.)

I'd be happy to compare some vaporware future Mercedes 4-cylinder with only 308hp to Cadillac.  Cadillac's is 335hp.

 

[smk4565]

2 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Mercedes does not have 20 models with a V8. They don't even have 20 models total. (No, the E-Sedan, E-Wagon, E-Coupe, E63 Sedan, E63 Wagon, etc are not all different models.)

I'd be happy to compare some vaporware future Mercedes 4-cylinder with only 308hp to Cadillac.  Cadillac's is 335hp.

 

So on model lines with a V8, GLC (coming soon), C-class, E-class/CLS, S-class, GLE, GLS, G, SL, AMG GT.  So 9 model lines, most of which have multiple body styles though.

The Mercedes 308 hp turbo 4 is not a plug-in hybrid, it will be their standard 4 to compete against other 2 liter 4's from BMW, Volvo, Cadillac, Audi, etc.  

They do have a plug-in hybrid C-class 275 hp 443 lb-ft, 0-60 in 5.8 seconds, gas mileage is TBD, but the 2017 was 51 mpg-e.  The CT6 powertrain is better.  The new S560e has a 31 mile EV range and a 362 hp V6 with a 121 hp electric motor, 0-60 in 4.9 seconds.  I think you can get it in Europe in 2018, 2019 model here.

[Drew Dowdell]

You don't simply add the horsepower of the gas motor and electric motor together to get total system output. 

If the Benz 4 is not going to be a plug-in, then it is already beaten by Volvo's 4-cylinder hybrid which has 400 hp and is plug-in. 

You keep throwing confetti around about the Benz 48-volt system.... it's nothing but a modern version of eAssist. Buick and Chevy have that now.  Benz is a decade late to the game. 

[smk4565]

42 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

You don't simply add the horsepower of the gas motor and electric motor together to get total system output. 

If the Benz 4 is not going to be a plug-in, then it is already beaten by Volvo's 4-cylinder hybrid which has 400 hp and is plug-in. 

You keep throwing confetti around about the Benz 48-volt system.... it's nothing but a modern version of eAssist. Buick and Chevy have that now.  Benz is a decade late to the game. 

Only the 2019 Audi A8 has 48 volt, can't find any fuel economy numbers for it yet though.

I know you don't just add 2 peak numbers.  The current Benz plug-in hybrid V6 in the GLE and 2014-15 S-class is 436 hp and 479 lb-ft.   They say this new one has a boost to the gas and electric motors, I think it is rated at 449 hp in England, but it isn't on sale here so they haven't announced output for it yet.

[Drew Dowdell]

The system voltage is largely irrelevant as long as it is within a certain range.  The Chevy Volt's battery runs at 360 volts. The old eAssist Malibu ran at 36 volts. A first gen Prius battery is 200 volts. The original Civic Hybrid IMA battery is 180 volts. I couldn't find the battery voltage for the XC90 and XC60, but as both of them produce more total system power than the Benz, I feel the actual voltage of their system is completely irrelevant. 

Can you please stop thinking that the 48 volt system from Benz is anything special?  It's just eAssist a decade late. 

[balthazar]

16 hours ago, smk4565 said:

They do have a plug-in hybrid C-class 275 hp 443 lb-ft, 0-60 in 5.8 seconds, gas mileage is TBD, but the 2017 was 51 mpg-e.  

Mercedes only found 49 buyers for it last month. Didn't sell a single unit in June, only 3 in April. It's completely dead in the water.

Shouldn't this be "selling 10,000 per month"?? Perhaps if mercedes gave it better styling....

[smk4565]

19 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

The system voltage is largely irrelevant as long as it is within a certain range.  The Chevy Volt's battery runs at 360 volts. The old eAssist Malibu ran at 36 volts. A first gen Prius battery is 200 volts. The original Civic Hybrid IMA battery is 180 volts. I couldn't find the battery voltage for the XC90 and XC60, but as both of them produce more total system power than the Benz, I feel the actual voltage of their system is completely irrelevant. 

Can you please stop thinking that the 48 volt system from Benz is anything special?  It's just eAssist a decade late. 

On the Audi A8 they have electric boosted suspension that reacts faster than the S-class magic body control.   It is what you can do with it that makes it special.  

[smk4565]

5 hours ago, balthazar said:

Mercedes only found 49 buyers for it last month. Didn't sell a single unit in June, only 3 in April. It's completely dead in the water.

Shouldn't this be "selling 10,000 per month"?? Perhaps if mercedes gave it better styling....

It isn't an electric car, nor is it priced like a Bolt.  When Mercedes gets their electric cars out they will sell. I feel like they should hit the accelerator on them because Tesla is taking forever with the Model 3, Mercedes might be able to steal a lot of that thunder.   Mercedes is currently building 3 battery factories (Germany, Alabama, China) at $1 billion each and expanding the assembly lines, by 2020 they should be cranking out cars.

[balthazar]

And it won't be priced like a Bolt when it comes out- the 2017 is 10 grand higher already. It starts in price where the Model 3 is supposed to 'end' as they're (going) to be built. Next gen will be another $5K more at least.

It's problem is it's horribly overpriced for 11 miles of EV- why bother? It's half-assed, that's about the worst EV range of any car available! MB is shooting itself in the EV foot.

[smk4565]

2 hours ago, balthazar said:

And it won't be priced like a Bolt when it comes out- the 2017 is 10 grand higher already. It starts in price where the Model 3 is supposed to 'end' as they're (going) to be built. Next gen will be another $5K more at least.

It's problem is it's horribly overpriced for 11 miles of EV- why bother? It's half-assed, that's about the worst EV range of any car available! MB is shooting itself in the EV foot.

California air resources board compliance and CAFE compliance.   A plug-in C-class is a bandaid for the short term.   And the price isn't that crazy, it is $7k more than a base C-class, but $6k cheaper than a V6 C-class.  And it isn't meant to be priced like a Bolt, it is a Mercedes.

When the real EV's come, the rumor is $45k base for an A-class size sedan, $50k base for a GLC size crossover, I think if they can pull that off they are on to something because then an electric E-class is like $65k, they can sell that all day long.

 Daimler has invested in a company in Europe that is working on a battery that can get 300 miles of charge in 5 minutes.  All this comes down to battery tech, if they can get the batteries the EV sales will explode.  Mercedes is going into Formula E to help learn about electric cars, and to beat Jaguar, BMW and Audi, because they are too scared to come to Formula 1, so Mercedes will come to them.

 

[balthazar]

But mercedes is uncompetitive and well behind the curve when it comes to PHEVs, they need to undercut the segment leader in price & appeal. Because "why buy a copy when you can buy an original?"

MB is not only not leading edge here, they're  not even remotely competitive. They had an electric van in the early '70s, but killed it off. That had up to a 62 mile electric range, vs. the C350e's 11 miles.

[Drew Dowdell]

3 hours ago, smk4565 said:

On the Audi A8 they have electric boosted suspension that reacts faster than the S-class magic body control.   It is what you can do with it that makes it special.  

That's the very definition of moving the goal posts. 

[smk4565]

16 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

That's the very definition of moving the goal posts. 

No, you said it isn't special because hybrids and BAS systems have been around for 10 years.  But Mercedes and Audi aren't just using it for MPG gain, they are using to make stop-start more seamless, it can run the steering and suspension, and make for a better driving car.  So in 2019 when the A8, S-class and Cadillac CT6/CT8, Jaguar and Lexus LS get in a comparison, the Germans will be praised for refinement, ride comfort, handling, and the others will be ripped for NVH and rough ride, etc.

[Drew Dowdell]

21 hours ago, smk4565 said:

No, you said it isn't special because hybrids and BAS systems have been around for 10 years.  But Mercedes and Audi aren't just using it for MPG gain, they are using to make stop-start more seamless, it can run the steering and suspension, and make for a better driving car.  So in 2019 when the A8, S-class and Cadillac CT6/CT8, Jaguar and Lexus LS get in a comparison, the Germans will be praised for refinement, ride comfort, handling, and the others will be ripped for NVH and rough ride, etc.

GM already uses electric power steering, electric oil and water pumps, electric A/C for the Volt and CT6 PHEV, and they've had the fastest reacting electronic suspension for more than 25 years.  The germans are playing catch up here. 

[smk4565]

5 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

GM already uses electric power steering, electric oil and water pumps, electric A/C for the Volt and CT6 PHEV, and they've had the fastest reacting electronic suspension for more than 25 years.  The germans are playing catch up here. 

Reacting suspension, not predictive suspension.   The S-class's suspension adjusts before it hits a bump, it doesn't react after.  

[balthazar]

Neither reacts before or after- they react during.

[Drew Dowdell]

19 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

Reacting suspension, not predictive suspension.   The S-class's suspension adjusts before it hits a bump, it doesn't react after.  

Again trying to move the goal posts. Mercedes Pre-scan Active body control has been available since 2013, which means it clearly does not require 48 volt electronics in order to run.

But if you insist on not taking my word for it that Benz is just a decade late to GM's eAssist party. Read Jalopnik https://jalopnik.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-upcoming-48-volt-1790364465

[smk4565]

3 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Again trying to move the goal posts. Mercedes Pre-scan Active body control has been available since 2013, which means it clearly does not require 48 volt electronics in order to run.

But if you insist on not taking my word for it that Benz is just a decade late to GM's eAssist party. Read Jalopnik https://jalopnik.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-upcoming-48-volt-1790364465

I know pre-scan doesn’t need 48 volt, The A8’s does but the S-class and SL use hydraulic suspension which I imagine something electric powered will be quicker and less drain. 

Good article and I thought the GM BAS system was a good idea but they gave up on it, and they also only had it on a 2.4 liter 4.  The advantage that Mercedes and Audi are going for is E-turbos so you can have zero turbo lag.  And every Mercedes and Audi should have it.

[Drew Dowdell]

GM didn't give up on it. They make a Lacrosse eAssist, Impala eAssist, Silverado eAssist (only for CA) still today.  The CT6 PHEV has the most advanced hybrid system on the market today. 

The fact remains is that the 48 volt system that the Germans are going for is still them catching up to GM. It may enable other technology in the future, but GM still got there a decade before them.