RWD Mercedes-Benz B55

The regular Mercedes-Benz B-Class wasn’t exactly created with the motoring enthusiast’s needs in mind, but this one-off B55 special is another story. Trainees of Mercedes-Benzs Rastatt plant in Germany turned a B200 CDI diesel model into a full-blown sports car by planting in a 388 hp 5.5-liter V8 and transferring the drive from the front axle to the rear.

The idea of the project came from plant manager, Peter Wesp, while the execution fell on the shoulders of foremen Andreas Würz and Matt Rieger and a team of twelve second and third-year trainees specializing in production mechanics and automotive mechatronics.

The team aimed to fulfill several goals, drawn up in a book of specifications. According to the plan, the spatial concept as well as the body of the B-Class were to remain unchanged. The interior, however, was to be upgraded to reflect the newly acquired qualities and the overall goal was to create a vehicle suitable for everyday driving.

While fitting the powerplant into the rather small engine bay wasn’t the hardest part of the build – the team was able to use the original engine mounts, installing other parts proved to be more difficult than anticipated. That was the case with the engine control unit, which had to be reprogrammed only to process signals from the rear axle, and the steering as well. Fortunately, by combining various replacement parts and doing a fair share of modifications, engineers were able to solve all problems.

The rear axle was sourced from a W210 E-Class and suitable brakes were found in the C32 AMG replacement parts catalogue. The B55 rides on 18-inch AMG alloys, shod in 235/50 front and 255/35 rear tires. The final performance upgrade is comprised of a K&W-sourced coil-over suspension.

Fellow trainees from the Sindelfingen plant helped modifying the interior, which was upgraded with sport seats and steering wheel, Alcantara linings and other, more luxurious materials.

The end result is a low-key, but definitely high-performance B-Class, which only weighs 180 kg (397 lbs) more than the stock model. With 530 Nm (391 lb-ft) on tap, the B55 accelerates like no other B-Class before it and can also do some pretty sweet burnouts.

“We have not made any measurements yet, but we should manage a sprint to 100 km/h in under six seconds”, said Andreas Würz.

The B55 may notr see the mass-production line, but the project's officials didn’t rule out the possibility of other similar conversions.

Mercedes Benz B Class Like Archetypal From BAIC or Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Corp

Yesterday, we brought you photos and capacity about a fresh and actual Mercedes-Benz B-Class-like archetypal from BAIC or Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Corp. Today, we accept added account on the Chinese automaker as a media address citation an bearding controlling from the aggregation claims that BAIC is alive with Italian engineering and architecture specialist Pininfarina on a fresh agent based on the basement of a antecedent bearing Saab model.

Last year, BAIC purchased the bookish rights for Saab's earlier 9-5 and assertive 9-3 models from General Motors, which again still endemic the Swedish firm.

"I aloof came aback from Italy aftermost anniversary and accept announced with the abstruse agents at Pininfarina about the architecture angle of the Saab models," the BAIC controlling said. "Pininfarina is the best acknowledged across car architecture aggregation in China. BAIC has been accommodating with it on development of models based on the Saab technology and will affectation an all-new abstraction car with the Saab genes at abutting year's Shanghai auto show, while Pininfarina will be amenable for the curve architecture of the car."

We'll admonish you that BAIC's accessory BAW (Beijing Auto Work), showed a Saab 9-3-based archetypal alleged the C60 forth with a beyond auto based on the 9-5 called C71 (pictured here), at the Beijing Auto Appearance this accomplished April.

The bearding BAIC exec additionally accepted letters from Italian media about the company's absorption in demography over Pininfarina S.p.A.

"BAIC has submitted the bid for the Italian close for several months," he said. "The acknowledged accretion of Pininfarina will be actual favorable for BAIC’s development of approaching models. But BAIC does not accept to win the bid, afterwards all, the two abandon are still beneath the cooperation."

Other companies said to be absorbed in the money-losing Italian architecture abode accommodate Canadian-Austrian genitalia supplier Magna International and India's Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

BAIC Is One of Mercedes-Benz's Ally in China

Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Corp. Frequently accepted by the acronym BAIC, is one of Mercedes-Benz's ally in China. However, that didn't stop the Chinese automaker, which has acquired the bookish rights for Saab's earlier 9-5 and assertive 9-3 models, to rip off the architecture of Mercedes' B-Class for its fresh BC301Z five-door auto and to a bottom extent, the BC302Z sedan.

The administration similarities are not alone concentrated on the alfresco with the contour line, V-shaped grille, headlamp and bonanza designs, but are connected central with the dashboard.

Fortunately for Mercedes, that's not the case with the drivetrain as the 4.038mm continued BC301Z auto will be offered in China with a best of two Mitsubishi-sourced gasoline engines, a 1.3-liter assemblage affiliated to a five-speed chiral and a 1.5-liter powerplant absorbed up to a CVT. The five-door archetypal will be followed abutting year by a four-door auto (BC302Z) and base wagon (BC303Z) variant.