The Strati, a crowd-sourced design chosen from several hundred submissions, serves as a manufacturing technology demonstration rather than a production vehicle. The thousands of parts in a road-going car have been reduced to just 40 components, printed in one piece using direct digital manufacturing (DDM) processes.

The upscaled 3D printer, known as a Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) machine, takes 44 hours to complete the process. It deposits carbon-reinforced ABS plastic at a rate of 40 pounds per hour.

The prototype is powered by an electric motor and batteries, though the powertrain and suspension bits are sourced from third-party suppliers. Many are said to be shared with Renault’s Twizy line of electric city cars.

“This brand-new process disrupts the manufacturing status quo, changes the consumer experience and proves that a car can be born in an entirely different way,” said Local Motors CEO John B. Rogers, Jr.

Several industries are beginning to experiment with additive manufacturing as a potential alternative to traditional machining or injection molding. The technology is currently used mostly for rapid prototyping, however, rather than volume production.

The Strati makes its debut this week at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago.

Notably, the inquiry was initiated in reaction to a petition filed by one of several Dodge Grand Caravan owners who submitted submitted complaints.

The agency has received at least eight reports claiming the minivan engines are prone to stalling, without warning, after the fuel tanks have been filled.

“My wife (with kids in car) stalled on the highway,” wrote the owner who filed the petition. “The danger was that she was on a turn and the steering wheel became impossible for her to turn it. This is a major safety issue, and my hope is that Chrysler makes good on a defective part.”

Another complaint notes that a service technician blamed the problem on a “non-serviceable” check valve that malfunctions and allows liquid fuel into the evaporative line after reaching a certain level. The deal charged the owner over $750 to replace the entire fuel tank.

The NHTSA is now taking a closer look at the complaints to determine if the issue is widespread and deserving of a formal recall. If so, it could affect over 150,000 vehicles.

The GT’s front end pays a discreet homage to the iconic 300 SLR that raced in the 1950s with styling cues such as elongated headlights, slightly raised wheel arches and an oval single-slat radiator grille, while the rear end is fitted with thin horizontal tail lamps similar to the ones found on the recently-introduced S-Class Coupe. Overall, the GT adopts softer lines than the outgoing SLS and it boasts a silhouette that is more fastback than traditional coupe.

The GT rides on a shortened version of the SLS AMG’s proven platform, although the latter car’s signature gullwing doors have been replaced with conventional units to improve structural rigidity and reduce mass. Crafted largely out of lightweight materials like aluminum, the GT weighs in at about 3,400 pounds in its lightest configuration.

Mercedes has revealed a convertible version of the GT is ready to hit showrooms but will likely remain at the concept stage because executives are afraid the roadster will steal sales from the SL-Class.

Life Aboard
The GT’s interior stands out with a wide dash, four throw-back air vents and an instrument cluster made up of analog gauges. Mercedes says the slanted center stack was designed to resemble a NACA duct, and it has also cleverly arranged the controls for the car’s AMG Drive Unit to mimic the cylinder layout of a V8 engine.

An innovative smartphone-like touch pad located on the center console lets the passengers control the optional COMAND Online infotainment system with simple finger gestures. Occupants can also use the touchpad to enter an address in the navigation system or to add a contact to the phone book. Alternatively, COMAND Online can be navigated via a controller knob located under the touch pad, voice commands or buttons on the center stack.

Under the Hood

The company suggests a small batch of rear-axle longitudinal and transverse control arms do not meet required specifications. The connecting links are said to be prone to failure, potentially causing control problems and increasing the risk of a crash.

The problem was first spotted during extreme durability testing on Porsche’s race track and testing facility in Nardo, Italy, where one of the control arms failed in a test vehicle.

The problem parts are said to be limited to just five vehicles built from May 7 through June 18, 2014.

Owners will be contacted to bring in their $845,000 hybrid supercar to a service center inspection and a new set of rear control arms.

The upgraded self-driving system will control the steering, acceleration and braking, without requiring any physical input from the driver, Audi CFO Axel Strotbek said at the Frankfurt School of Finance, according to a Bloomberg report. Over 60 kmh (37 mph), the system will require the driver to take over.

Notably, the comments suggest Audi’s upcoming self-driving tech will be only a slight evolution over its current assistance systems. In contrast, GM yesterday promised that an upcoming Cadillac model will feature true hands-off operation at highway speeds and in stop-and-go traffic.

Both announcements represent the latest push towards semi-autonomous driving, allowing the vehicle to completely take over in certain situations. Mercedes-Benz was among the first to allow drivers to completely remove their hands from the wheel, but at speeds of less than 6 mph, while other companies offer lane-holding capabilities that require drivers to keep their hands on the wheel at all times regardless of speed.

Audi has not fully detailed its stop-and-go driving technology, though Strotbek promises it will arrive on the market ‘very soon.’