Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental.

A monster retires: BMW is ending production of the M6 and, simultaneously, the last units of the 5.0-liter V-10 and the “SMG” automated sequential manual transmission are built. The M6, despite its great performance, was never one of my favorites. I didn’t consider the shockingly thirsty V-10 to be much of an improvement over the 4.9-liter V-8 of E39 M5 and Z8 fame, and the jerky seven-speed SMG did nothing to endear me to this sports coupe, either. Let’s hope the next-generation 6-series is closer in spirit to the original E24 model. As far as the M6 goes, the next one will be equipped with a twin-turbocharged V-8 and a double-clutch transmission.

Rupert Stadler’s Take

Audi is getting ready to launch the S1 (with less than 200 hp) at the Paris auto show—and the next A6, says CEO Rupert Stadler, will be unveiled before the end of the year. I sat down with him at the A7 launch on Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda early this week, and he emphasized the importance of the U.S. market, which is likely to get the full portfolio of Audi models in the future. U.S. production of an Audi model is still an option, but no final decisions have been made.

Conversation turned to electrics, and while Stadler’s engineers are working on several projects, he is skeptical of the merits of Shai Agassi’s Better Place. The placement of batteries in a car, says Stadler, is an important differentiator, and Audi is not trying to accommodate the battery-swapping stations that Better Place is planning to install. Stadler points out the safety risks in changing batteries: “They are not trivial.” How can Stadler be sure that the enthusiasm for electric cars is not a passing fad altogether? “If somebody finds enough oil fields to make sure we have fuel for another 200 years, the discussion is over.” But he adds that there is no evidence of such a development right now . . .

Mercedes’ Magic Options (and Engines)

Mercedes is launching the next-generation S-class with the impressive Magic Body Control suspension, which relies on a stereo camera to scan the road ahead, sending data to all four corners to help iron out uneven surfaces. Another “magic” extra will be available before that: Magic Sky Control, a roof available on the next-generation SLK, which can switch from a see-through mode to a mode which blocks the view. (A similar option has been available on the Maybach for a while.)

With the next-generation, entry-level six-cylinder engine for the S-class, Mercedes unintentionally offers proof that efficiency does not rely on hybrid technology. The current, 268-hp S350—not available in the U.S.—gets 24 mpg in the European cycle, while the S400 Hybrid, which is based on the S350 and offers total system power of 295 hp, gets 30 mpg. Now Mercedes is announcing next year’s S350, complete with direct-injection technology and a multi-spark ignition system, a power rating of 302 hp—and a hybrid-topping mileage rating of 31 mpg. That’s without downsizing or turbocharging the engine. Mercedes will keep the S400 Hybrid in the portfolio “to satisfy those customers for whom hybrid technology is important,” according to spokesman Wolfgang Zanker.

At a premium of over €10,000 and with lower (European) fuel economy, how important would the hybrid be to you? For a super-efficient S-class, we’ll very soon see a variation with the ubiquitous 2.1-liter, four-cylinder turbo-diesel. This model may be called S250 CDI or S300 CDI, and it will get around 40 mpg. Without the added weight and complexity of an electric motor and batteries.

Volvo’s Nod to Heritage

I haven’t driven the not-for-the-U.S. Volvo V60 yet, but colleagues that attended last week’s international driving launch report on a glaring lack of refinement, especially when it comes to the 177-hp, turbocharged T4 engine. Perhaps it’s just a respectful bow to the brand’s heritage and the proven ways of engineering. When I was a boy, my father joked that our Volvo 244 DL converted fuel into noise, not propulsion.

Autobahn Tested: Lexus IS250C

I do like the small Lexus, and in fact have owned an early, manual-transmission IS250, but the affair is coming to a close with the IS250C test car sitting in my driveway. As far as the sedan goes, I never cared for the slightly gimmicky facelift; and the deletion of the manual-transmission option in the European market was a huge letdown. With the slushbox, performance drops off the cliff, and Lexus offers no 3.5-liter engine here to make up for it. The even heavier, folding-roof IS250C is one of the laziest cars I’ve driven in this class—or any class, actually. There is no excuse for a 130-mph top speed that takes forever to reach when a similarly powered BMW 3-series convertible can do 152. It’s not even comfortable. And at the gas pump, this big-butt convertible guzzles for two.

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Nissan’s stand at the upcoming Paris auto show will feature the Townpod, an all-electric concept car. Nissan says the Townpod is “more than just a car” and “more than just a van,” without offering any further explanation. It’s said to be stylish, practical, and flexible—adjectives attached to nearly every new concept car. Above is a close-up picture of a headlight, so we know it will have at least one of those. Given that Nissan already has a production-ready electric vehicle—the Leaf—this Townpod concept could possibly use that car’s EV drivetrain. Or not. We’ll have to wait and see.

Related posts:

1. European-Spec Mitsubishi i-MiEV Electric Car to Debut in Paris
2. Lamborghini Supercar Teased, Will Debut at Paris Auto Show
3. 2012 Honda Fit Hybrid to Debut in Paris – Auto Shows

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