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Posted August 8, 2008 At 8:35 AM CST by T. Philips
Highlighting the diversity of their commercial vehicle range, Mercedes today has taken a moment to showcase two unique Mercedes-Benz Econic semi-trailer equipped with tanker bodies that have just entered service at the London Farnborough Airport. The trucks are based on the 18-ton Econic 1824LL chassis, and both have been fitted with Jost fifth wheel couplings and converted into 4x2 semi-trailer trucks to aid in their duties of transporting hazardous goods (namely, fuel).
But that's merely the tip of the iceberg, ladies and gentlemen. In order to comply with strict ADR regulations, an extensive series of modifications were also necessary. A few highlights include interlocking systems that prevent the trucks from moving during refueling, speed limiters that restrict the vehicles' top speed to 20 mph, and hydraulic fuel pumps that make use of the Econics' PTO's. In the end after all necessary changes, the Econic semi-trailer holds a total of 36,000 liters of jet fuel...
Posted August 7, 2008 At 4:35 PM CST by C. Danielson
In time for the summer of 1955, production of the four-cylinder-engined 190 SL sports car was begun at the Sindelfingen plant. Designed as a sporty, elegant two-seater for touring, the car, internally designated W 121, rapidly acquired great popularity, also and especially among the ladies. Initially, only a roadster with soft-top was available (price in 1955: DM 16,500). It was joined in the fall by a coupe with removable hardtop, available with or without a soft-top (prices in September 1955: DM 17,650 / DM 17,100). By the time production was discontinued in February 1963, 25,881 units had been built, and most of these had been shipped to the USA. The 190 SL initiated the post-war tradition of small roadsters from Mercedes-Benz – a tradition which is continued most successfully today by the second-generation SLK roadster...
Posted August 7, 2008 At 12:25 PM CST by T. Philips
Spy photos of the forthcoming 2010 Mercedes E-Class continue to emerge, with Auto Bild today publishing a fresh look at the 2010 Mercedes E63 AMG. Like prior spy shots, both the headlights and taillights of the next E-Class remain heavily disguised, while the side contours are again relatively distinguishable despite the heavier camouflage over both the front and rear wheel arches.
As for the technical details of the 2010 Mercedes E63 AMG, power is expected to be supplied courtesy of the 6.2-Liter AMG V8 featured in the current variant, while 0-62 mph time should remain consistent with the outgoing model (4.5 seconds). Completing the package will most likely be the usual array of AMG-tuned goodness, including a high performance braking system, sport suspension system, etc...
Posted August 6, 2008 At 6:45 PM CST by C. Danielson
The automotive legend of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class is a never-ending story is. Whereas the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing” introduced in 1954 was able to enjoy direct benefits from the success of the 300 SL racing sports car, things were not quite so easy for the new Type 230 SL of the 113 series. After all it had to replace two highly successful models from the current sales range – the 300 SL and the 190 SL.
The eagerly awaited successor appeared in spring 1963 at the Geneva Motor Show and early reactions to this new breed of sports car, which seemed to have nothing at all in common with its lively predecessors, ranged from unconcealed rejection to muted approbation...
Posted August 6, 2008 At 10:45 AM CST by T. Philips
Although up until now we've yet to mention them here at eMercedesBenz, in the UK, Mercedes-Benz has a fantastic series of television commercials under the motto "I am Mercedes-Benz." Distinctly film-like, the ads each center around a single theme, such as "Presence" and "Attraction," with the third and final ad unveiled earlier this week focusing on the subject of "Ambition."
While I won't give
too many details of the ad away, as I recommend instead simply viewing it for yourself, I can tell you that the commercial was shot in Romania and Suffolk and features actor David Leon (who'll be appearing in Guy Ritchie's forthcoming RocknRolla), while the soundtrack is Nick Cave's "Queenie's Suite" from The Proposition soundtrack. ..
Posted August 6, 2008 At 8:00 AM CST by T. Philips
Daimler AG is reporting today that worldwide sales at its Mercedes-Benz Cars division have risen slightly to 105,100 new units in July, a 1.4 percent increase when compared to the prior year (July 2007: 103,700 units). As a result, sales of the Mercedes-Benz, Maybach and smart brands now total 773,200 new units through the first seven months of the year, a 7.2 percent increase over 2007's seven month year-to-date total (January - July 2007: 721,400 units).
Individually, sales of Mercedes-Benz vehicles noted a small drop in July, with the luxury car division delivering 92,700 new units worldwide (down 1.1 percent from the prior year). As for smart, the compact brand continued its impressive sales momentum, with deliveries of the new fortwo model jumping to 12,400 new units (up 25.5 percent over last July)...
Posted August 5, 2008 At 6:00 PM CST by C. Danielson
Early motor racing in Mercedes cars is closely associated with the name Ralph de Palma. One of the highlights in his career was February 26, 1914. At the wheel of a Mercedes racing car named "Gray Ghost", the American of Italian origin competed for the Vanderbilt Cup staged in Santa Monica, California/USA in that year – a thrilling race which he won, as he had done already in 1912, in a 140 hp Mercedes Grand Prix racing car. This, however, had not been foreseeable after the start.
The trade journal "Automobile Quarterly" reported that Ralph de Palma was not to be discovered among the leading cars in the early stages of the race – much in contrast to his main competitor, Barney Oldfield, who really put his foot down, at the expense of his tires. Even in those days, driving skill was not everything that counted; the tactical approach to fuel quantities, tires and pit stops also played a role – and this was one of Ralph de Palma's strengths. Unlike the others, he didn’t drive recklessly but nevertheless moved closer to the leading pack bit by bit. When Oldfield turned off into the pits for a change of tires on the thirteenth lap, de Palma had pushed his 37/95 hp Mercedes into second position. Five laps later, he was out in the lead. Oldfield, running on fresh tires, caught up with de Palma quickly and overtook him. All other competitors had long since fallen behind – this had become a duel among two cars...
Posted August 5, 2008 At 8:55 AM CST by T. Philips
For those of you wishing to expand your in-car channel surfing horizons well beyond the relatively limited scope of channels available to you via analog radio, Mercedes-Benz USA has announced that they will be offering HD Radio technology on several model year 2009 vehicles. The free digital AM/FM radio service is part of Mercedes' completely new generation of entertainment systems developed for the M-, R-, GL- and G-Class SUV's as well as the E-Class model lineup.
According to Rasheq Zarif, Assistant Product Manager - Technology Planning at Mercedes-Benz USA: "HD Radio technology serves to enhance our digital information and entertainment system today and has the potential to significantly expand the options available to consumers in the future. Mercedes-Benz is committed to providing our customers with the latest, next-generation in-vehicle entertainment technology..."
Posted August 4, 2008 At 4:30 PM CST by C. Danielson
Eternal youth is a miracle bestowed on only a small number of cars, and the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL coupe is one of this elite group. The Stuttgart-based brand unveiled its new sports car in February 1954 at the International Motor Sports Show in New York, and in so doing lit the fuse for an icon of the automotive world. With its flat, graceful body, the 300 SL had lost nothing of its freshness even as the millennium drew to a close and was voted “Sports car of the Century” in 1999. “Gullwing” doors provided that essential touch of inspiration, opening up towards the sky to reveal a tightly sculptured interior. The history of the 300 SL is inextricably linked with the life of an influential admirer. American importer Maximilian E. Hoffman it was who urged Mercedes-Benz to build a road car in the image of its racing coupe, the start of production in 1954 providing a sweet fruit for his endeavors. The assembly lines may have waved goodbye to the last of the only 1,400 units of the 300 SL coupe ever made in 1957, but the spirit of this extraordinary car most certainly lives on...
Posted August 4, 2008 At 8:40 AM CST by T. Philips
Welcome back ladies and gentlemen; I hope you all took advantage of the tropical temperatures blanketing much of the country and had an absolutely fantastic Saturday and Sunday. It was a race weekend, so to kick things off this morning we have a recap of how the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team fared at the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest. As usual, if you have the race TIVO'd and plan on catching it later, then read no further; otherwise, keep scrolling for the full details of what transpired at the event...
Mercedes-Benz USA Notes 11.6 Percent Increase In July Sales
Posted August 1, 2008 At 2:20 PM CST by C. Danielson
Mercedes-Benz USA is reporting today that for the month of July, sales of new Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles totaled 20,733 units - an impressive 11.6 percent jump over last July (July 2007: 18,586 new units). This figure brings MBUSA's year-to-date sales to 140,012 new units, a total that both surpasses 2007's seven-month ytd sales by 2.3 percent and marks a new ytd sales record for the company.
As for the models helping MBUSA achieve such impressive gains, leading the way is the highly publicized E-Class, with the sedan range noting a 53.0 percent increase in sales with 4,938 units sold (July 2007: 3,227 new units). The volume-leading C-Class also continued its positive momentum, with sales of the model jumping 45.4 percent to 6,241 units (July 2007: 4,291 new units). And last but not least, the final two Mercedes models that bear mention for their July performance begin with the letter G, with the GL-Class and G-Class increasing sales 28.1 percent (1,989 new units) and 25.5 percent (64 new units), respectively...
Posted August 1, 2008 At 1:10 PM CST by C. Danielson
After its official sales launch on June 30th the new Mercedes GLK has already received a tremendous response from customers, with a total of 10,000 orders being placed for the new SUV in Western Europe alone. One particular variant of the GLK that's been especially popular with those purchasing the model is the exclusive GLK "Edition 1," with Mercedes already receiving 1,000 orders for the special SUV.
Commenting on the Mercedes GLK's successful sales launch, Dr. Klaus Maier, head of Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-Benz Cars, had this to say: "Apparently the GLK-Class perfectly meets the current trends. The GLK is a compact SUV that has everything that is typical for a Mercedes-Benz: an expressive design, extensive safety features, and the typical Mercedes-Benz driving comfort. Moreover, it impresses customers with its outstanding performance in both on and off-road applications..."
Posted August 1, 2008 At 11:55 AM CST by T. Philips
After capturing spy shots of the 2010 Mercedes E-Class testing in the California desert last week, spy photographer extraordinaire Rich Truesdell is back, this time bringing you a new look at the 2010 Mercedes CLK. The model is still heavily disguised, wearing about the same amount of camouflage it was a year ago, but the shots still provide a fresh look at how development of the model is coming.
As for when we can expect to see the next CLK's official unveiling, the next generation of the coupe is expected to be unveiled
this fall at the Paris Motor Show, with deliveries rumored to be commencing in Europe at the end of the year (or early 2009 for those of you residing in the U.S.). Power is expected to follow in the footsteps of its predecessor, which includes your choice of either a 3.5-Liter V6 (CLK350), 5.5-Liter V8 (CLK550) or the AMG built 6.3-Liter V8 (CLK63 AMG)...
Posted August 1, 2008 At 8:45 AM CST by T. Philips
Kelley Blue Book has officially announced their choices for this year's best environmentally friendly vehicles, naming the Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTEC one of their "Top 10 Green Cars" of 2008. Although the majority of other vehicles making the list were of the hybrid variant, the E320 BlueTEC is a clear testament to the fact that Mercedes' clean diesel technology is a viable alternative to traditional gasoline powerplants, with the luxury sedan boasting fuel consumption of 23 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway (as well as a cruising range of up to 675 miles)...
