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Filed under: Etc., Europe, Videos, Hatchback, Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz B55 burnout

Mercedes-Benz B55 – Click above to watch video after the jump

When Mercedes-Benz first dropped word that a team of enterprising individuals had wedged a kicking Silver Arrow V8 under the hood of the company’s diminutive B-Class hatch, we immediately began searching around for a video of the machine in action. Now the German automaker has been so kind as to supply just such a clip. While we’d love to see the little five-door lift a leg around a proper road course (Nürburgring?), for now we’ll have to settle for a shot of the steroid-riddled commuter lighting up its rear tires in grand fashion.

As you may recall, the B55 was created by trainees at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Rastatt. With 385 horsepower borrowed from an E-Class and about as much weight as a box of tissues, this creation ought to go like stink. Hit the jump to check out the action for yourself. Now we just have to wait and see whose palms we have to grease to be able to plop ourselves behind the wheel for a spell.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz B55

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Mercedes-Benz B55 does the burnout we’ve been waiting for

Video: Mercedes-Benz B55 does the burnout we’ve been waiting for originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Etc., Europe, Hatchback, Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz B55

Mercedes-Benz B55 – Click above for high-res image gallery

After the nuclear apocalypse wipes out all of civilization, there will still be cockroaches wedging huge engines into tiny cars. You just can’t kill the oldest recipe in hot rodding history, and for good reason. As a handful of trainees at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Rastatt just found out, the big engine, small car combo is the easiest way to mint cheap speed. Plant manager Peter Wesp got the idea to squeeze a 5.5-liter 385 horsepower V8 from the likes of the big E550 into the Silver Arrow’s trim B-Class.

After finding a B200 CDI that had been sacrificed to training, Wesp and his team set about the mechanical contortions necessary to pull off the swap. Surprisingly enough, the workers were able to use the original engine mounts, and with a little parts-bin raiding, everything was sitting pretty under the hood. The team snugged in a rear axle from a W 2010 E-Class, front brakes lifted from a C32 AMG and bolted on snazzy 18-inch wheels from AMG as well. How’s that for perfection? Hit the jump for the full press blast.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz B55

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Mercedes students create B55 using big V8 and little B-Class

Mercedes students create B55 using big V8 and little B-Class originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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