You are currently viewing eMercedesBenz' past articles published in February, 2007.  Our latest stories can be found here.

Going through our inbox this afternoon an astute reader by the name of Tazio informed us that on a recent trip the beach, he happened to stumble upon the Mercedes-Benz Ocean Drive Concept.  And while that in-and-of itself is impressive, even better is the fact that when he did so, he happened to have a camera on hand, taking pictures of the S-Class convertible from every angle and thus allowing you to partake in the rarity which he himself discovered.

So, ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that I bring to you the following Mercedes-Benz Ocean Drive photos, all of which enlarge when you click them...

Keep Reading "Reader Submitted Photos Of The Mercedes-Benz Ocean Drive Concept"

According to a recent poll conducted by market research firm TNS Infratest, residents of Germany consider Mercedes-Benz to be the single most covetable auto brand.

When asked what vehicle they would choose if money was not a factor, 16.2 percent of those questioned selected a Mercedes, followed by 13.2 percent selecting an Audi and 12.2 percent choosing a BMW. A mere 5.7 percent selected Porsche as their object of affection, while 5.2 percent went the modest route and selected an Opel.  This marks the sixth consectuive time Mercedes has been chosen as Germany's most desirable brand...

Keep Reading "Mercedes-Benz Remains The Premium Luxury Auto Brand For Residents Of Germany"

To those of you looking to add an additional touch of "sportiness" to the already covetable SL-Class, you, my good friends, are in luck.  Mercedes has announced today in an effort to "inject a new and thrilling sense of flair" into the historic model, an optional new sports package consisting of several design enhancements is now available.

As for the additions which come as a result of opting for the sport package?  Inside, upgrades include silver-colored stitching designed to contrast perfectly with the SL's black, perforated leather interior; aluminum trim throughout; and steering wheel shift paddles mated to Mercedes' 7G-TRONIC Sport transmission. Outside, 19-inch five-spoke wheels are the most striking visual difference, while closer inspection reveals silver-painted brake calipers as well as dark-tinted tail lights.

Keep Reading "Now With More Sportiness:  Mercedes Introduces New Optional Sports Package For The SL-Class"

If the Mercedes Vision C 220's 43 miles per gallon isn't enough to appease your eco-centric lifestyle, how does infinite miles to the gallon and the ability to meet EURO emission requirements until the end of eternity sound? Thanks to the 2007 Mercedes-Benz Bike Collection, this remarkable ultra-environmentally-friendly vision is now a reality.

Unveiled today, the 2007 Mercedes Bike Collection offers the aforementioned polar ice cap saving features in three distinct flavors:  "Fitness," "Trekking," or "Racing."   For the fitness line, select features include two versions ('Sport' for gents and 'Comfort' for ladies), an aluminum frame, a magnesium fork with a 80mm stroke, an adjustable handlebar, disk brakes and 24 gears with Shimano Alivio equipment...

Keep Reading "Infinite Miles To The Gallon:  The 2007 Mercedes-Benz Bike Collection"

In addition to the previously showcased smart fortwo BRABUS and the smart fortwo BRABUS Xclusive, Mercedes announced yesterday that another new model will be making its world premier at the Geneva Motor Show:  the Vision C 220 BLUETEC.

Based on the recently-introduced 2008 C-Class, the C 220 BLUETEC aims to demonstrate the incredible diesel technology held by the Mercedes Car Group. To do so, Mercedes engineers implemented a consumption-optimized four-cylinder engine paired with the company's BLUETEC clean diesel technology, resulting in a 125kW (170hp) C-Class that consumes just 5.5 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers (for my American readers, that's just under 43 miles per gallon).  As if that wasn't enough, the Vision C 220 BLUETEC is among the cleanest diesels ever produced, meeting stringent EURO 6 emission requirements more than eight years before the new standards go into effect...

Keep Reading "Geneva World Premier Preview:  The Mercedes-Benz Vision C 220 BLUETEC"

For those of you who still haven't had your fill of Mercedes E320 BLUETEC or CL-Class reviews lately, several publications have taken a moment to share their thoughts on the aforementioned models, detailing yet again what to expect from two of Mercedes' newest products.

As with all our "Review Roundups," you can find the complete list of reviews along with a quick summary of each immediately after the jump...

Keep Reading "Review Roundup:  Multiple Looks At The Mercedes-Benz E320 BLUETEC And The CL-Class"

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen; I hope you all had a marvelous weekend (or for those of you in the Midwest, I hope you had a marvelous time shoveling and building snowmen).

To kick things off this morning, our good friends over at Autoblog.nl tipped us off to confirmation of a new S-Class variant that up until now hasn't been announced - a variant that likely won't be taking a trip to the U.S. anytime soon.  The variant is the S280, and if our assumption that the luxury sedan will share the same powerplant as the one found on the E280, the new S will feature a 231 hp 3.0 liter V6 outputting 300 Nm of torque (at 2,500-5,000 rpm). As for how that compares to the single petrol V6-powered S-Class currently available in the S lineup, the S350 - the 3.5 liter model boasts a power output of 272 horsepower and torque of 350 Nm (at 2,400-5,000 rpm), an increase of roughly 40 horsepower and 50 Nm of torque...

Keep Reading "Revealed For The First Time:  Autoblog.nl Uncovers The First Details Of A New S-Class 280 Variant"

What happens when you take a number of reviews detailing the 2007 Mercedes E-Class, the 2007 Mercedes R63 AMG, the 2007 Mercedes M-Class, the 2007 smart fortwo, and the 1987 Mercedes 190 E 2.3-16; bunch them together; and cram them all into a single, easy-to-read article?

You get a Friday installment of what I'm calling a "Mega Review Roundup," a super-sized collection of MB reviews all available in one convenient location...

Keep Reading "Mega Review Roundup: 2007 Mercedes E-Class, R63 AMG And M-Class; The New Smart ForTwo; And A 1987 Mercedes 190 E 2.3-16 All Put To The Test"

Coveted by political diplomats and drug lords the world over, Mercedes has announced today a new S600 Guard Pullman limousine is currently under development, scheduled to make its debut sometime in late 2008.

As for what the aforementioned individuals can expect from the armored limousine, as I'm sure you can already guess, the model is based on the flagship Mercedes S600 L Guard, with power coming by way of a twelve-cylinder, 380kW/517 hp powerplant. New however are both the chassis and body, with each being designed specifically to increase vehicle stability while at the same time providing a solid basis for the special-protection components.  And while we're on the topic of special-protection components: run-flat tires, a self-sealing fuel tank, fire-extinguishing system, and protective elements in the doors, rear wall, side panels and roof lining - these are just some of the elements utilized to help the S600 Guard Pullman achieve not only a B6/B7 protection rating, but also help the luxury model withstand both military-standard small-arms projectiles as well as fragments from grenades and other explosives...

Keep Reading "In Development:  Mercedes To Build New S600 Guard Pullman State Limousine"

In awards news, readers of the magazine Off Road have voted the Mercedes-Benz Unimog 2007 cross-country vehicle of the year in the "Special Vehicles" category, making it the third time the off-roader has won the accolade.  The award was given after the results from a survey published in the October issue of Off Road were tallied, during which it was discovered that in the field of special vehicles (vehicles used for transporting loads and cargo in remote areas or vehicles that serve as a basis for special bodies used by fire-fighters, expeditions, military, etc.), 59% percent of the roughly 56,000 readers that took part in the questionnaire named the Mercedes best in its class...

Keep Reading "Off Road Magazine Names The Mercedes-Benz Unimog 2007 Cross-Country Vehicle Of The Year"

When the Geneva Motor Show kicks off next month, fans of the new smart fortwo will have two additional models to lust after:  the smart fortwo BRABUS and the smart fortwo BRABUS Xclusive.  As I'm sure you can already guess, both models feature a host of performance and cosmetic upgrades, all of which aim to increase the mini-car's sporty appeal while still maintaining its excellent fuel consumption.

First up is the smart fortwo BRABUS. Featuring a three-cylinder, 72kW (98 bhp) petrol engine, the smart fortwo is a sprightly little beast, capable of accelerating from 0-62 mph in just under 10 seconds and achieving an electronically limited top speed of 96 mph.  Cosmetically, changes over its non-Brabus counterpart include BRABUS Monoblock VI alloy wheels, wider wheel arches and various BRABUS-branded interior components; while further upgrades include a sport exhaust system and lowered, firmer suspension...

Keep Reading "Geneva World Premier Preview: The Smart ForTwo BRABUS And BRABUS Xclusive"

Residents of California (and the four other states that adopted the same emission requirements) may not be able to purchase the Mercedes E320 BLUETEC, but that hasn't stopped L.A. Times automotive reviewer Dan Neil from spending some time with the diesel model.  As our friend Daniel pointed out (the fine individual responsible for directing us to the review), the article is surprisingly non-"treehuggerish," with Neil providing a detailed look at both the E320 as well as BLUETEC in general...

Keep Reading "So Clean You Can Eat It:  The L.A. Times Spends Some Time With The Mercedes E320 BLUETEC"

It's been some time since we've had the pleasure of reporting about Mercedes' upcoming small SUV, the GLK-Class; but today, Car magazine has unearthed the latest round of spy photos depicting the new model.

As with the previous GLK spy shots, the sport-ute is still under heavy disguise, a fact which does little to hide its resemblance to the current GL.  This of course further validates the GLK's early billing as a mini-GL, an assumption that it appears will end up coming to fruition...

Keep Reading "Car Magazine Unearths New Spy Photos Of The Upcoming Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class"

Another article we missed yesterday was a terrific review sent to us by our good friend Shiv, one which provides an in-depth comparison review of the new Mercedes E500, the BMW 550i and the Holden Calais V V8.

Originally published by Wheels magazine, the review provides Australians (and anyone else considering the three aforementioned models) with a well-written look at how each of the three perform while undergoing various testing rounds, with the reviewer eventually giving praise to both the Mercedes and the Holden.  A small excerpt from the review...

Keep Reading "Wheels Magazine Comparison Review:  Mercedes-Benz E500 Vs. BMW 550i Vs. Holden Calais V V8"

Before I begin this morning let me first apologize for the uncharacteristic lack of updates yesterday.  A personal emergency arose which prevented me from making any updates to the site; but have no fear - I'm back - and I'll do my best to cover anything I missed, starting with your tips.

First up comes a story sent to us our good friend Henry that that Forbes published a few days ago - one which ranks the top ten most extreme luxury sedans.  Not surprisingly, Mercedes and their impeccable lineup of performance sedans dominated the list, with the CLS63 AMG, the S65 AMG and the E63 AMG holding the fourth, third and first spots, respectively.  While it's true the cars were ranked only according to their power-to-weight ratio with no testing involved, few will argue MB's superiority in the high-horsepowered luxury sedan category...

Keep Reading "Forbes Ranks The Top Ten Most Extreme Luxury Sedans Of 2007"