Mercedes B 55 with V8 Engine and 388 HP Presented [Gallery]

A team of trainees at Mercedes-Benz in Rastatt have managed to come up with a one-off example of the B-Klasse series, namely a B 55 model with a V8 engine and rear-wheel drive, the German car brand revealed today. According to Daimler, the idea came from the Rastatt plant manager himself, Peter Wesp.

Andreas Wurz, a foreman in the technical vocational training department, and Matthias Rieger assembled a team of twelve second-year and third-year trainees specialising in production mechanics and automotive mechatronics, while deciding to take a B 200 CDI model as subject to this conversion.

The car received a 5.5-litre V8 unit developing 388 horsepower and 530 Nm (390 lb.ft.) of torque, coupled with a seven-speed automatic transmission and fitted with an ECU. In addition to that, the rear axle of an older W 210 series E-Klasse was also transplanted into the car.

Other highlights of this one-off project includes C32 AMG brakes, a coil-over suspension by K&W, and AMG sports wheels in a five-spoke design.

Inside the car, the team chose Alcantara linings for the A, B and C-pillars as well as a roof liner in the same material. The seats in a leather/Alcantara combination were provided by the specialists at Johnson Controls. The B 55 is finished in a white body color with dark-painted radiator louvres and smoked headlamp lenses.

When finished, the car tipped the scales at 1,620 kg (3,572 lbs), which makes it only around 180 kg (397 lbs) heavier than that of the original car.

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