Yahoo Autos Mercedes Wants Buyers to Subscribe for More Horsepower
It's no secret that automakers are looking to subscription revenue to boost profits. From paid features to onboard streaming services, automakers are tempting users into more and more monthly bills. Mercedes is offering something others haven't: More horsepower, for a monthly fee.
The company is selling an over-the-air update to owners of the EQE350 SUV, EQE350 Sedan, EQS450 SUV, and EQS450 Sedan that unlocks additional performance. EQE350 SUVs and Sedans get a boost of 60 hp, to 348 hp. EQS450s gain 80 hp, bringing total output to 435 hp.
The 0-60 time for the EQE350 SUV and Sedan drop to 5.2 and 5.1 seconds, respectively, both down roughly a second from their initial figures of 6.2 and 6.0 seconds. For the EQS450 SUV, 0-60 sprint time drops from 5.8 to 4.9 seconds. The sedan now does the deed in 4.5 seconds, down from 5.3 seconds.
EQE owners can subscribe to this extra power for $60 a month or $600 a year. Owners of the spendier EQS models will be charged $90 a month or $900 a year for the extra performance. But if the new-world experience of a performance subscription doesn't appeal, you can also buy a lifetime version of the performance upgrade. That stickers for $1950 for EQE models and $2950 for EQS models. You can purchase them directly from Mercedes, here, if you own an EQE350 or EQS450. If customers prove willing to do so, we wouldn't be surprised to see this trend spread.
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