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Following in the footsteps of their announcement yesterday that they'd be adding three new BlueEFFICIENCY models to the C-Class lineup, Mercedes today has unveiled yet another study aimed at demonstrating the company's commitment to produce the world's most efficient and clean drive systems - the Vision GLK BLUETEC HYBRID.

Powered by a BLUETEC four-cylinder diesel engine along with a hybrid module, combined output and torque for the new Vision GLK weigh in at 165 kW/224 hp and 530 Nm, respectively, enough to propel the SUV from 0-100 km in 7.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 215 km/h.  Despite the strong performance, the new model consumes only 5.9 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers (about 40 mpg), while also achieving the world's lowest CO2 emissions in the SUV segment:  157 grams per 100 kilometers...

Keep Reading "Geneva Motor Show Preview:  The Mercedes-Benz Vision GLK BLUETEC HYBRID"

Mercedes has announced that starting in spring 2008 they'll be introducing three new models to C-Class lineup, all of which aim to improve fuel efficiency while retaining the exemplary levels of comfort and safety already found in the range.  Titled BlueEFFICIENCY models, the new C-Class' come in your choice of three engine variants - the C 180 Kompressor, C 200 CDI and C 350 CGI - along with an impressive amount of weight and aerodynamic drag reducing properties...

Keep Reading "Mercedes To Add Three Extra-Economical BlueEFFICIENCY Models To The C-Class Range"

Those of you who are fans of Mercedes' Mixed Tape service will be delighted to hear that the service is expanding, broadening its scope to include a monthly music show on Mercedes-Benz TV.  The half-hour Mixed Tape Music show will feature videos, album reviews and profiles of newcomers and established artists, with each episodes spotlighting a new theme...

Keep Reading "Mercedes-Benz TV Launches New Mixed Tape Music Magazine"

As you may remember, back in November Maybach unveiled their open-top landaulet study - a concept that channeled the landaulet designs of yesteryear by boasting a retractable rear roof (while allowing the chauffeur's compartment to remain fully enclosed).  Today, Maybach has announced the landaulet will be made officially available for production, making it the fifth model in the consummate brand's lineup...

Keep Reading "The World's Most Exclusive Open-Top Luxury Saloon:  Maybach Adds Landaulet To Its Consummate Lineup"

Starting this month, the Museum of Modern Arts (MoMA) in New York will be featuring an exhibition titled "Design and the Elastic Mind."  Aimed at highlighting the dramatic changes in aspects of human life witnessed in recent decades, the exhibit will showcase the rapid pace of development – in mobility and communications, for example – with the focus on innovative design solutions that take into account life's quickly changing requirements.

It makes perfect sense then that one of the solutions on display at the exhibit will be Mercedes' bionic car concept - a vehicle which boasts nearly-perfect aerodynamics and an exceptionally economical, environmentally-friendly BLUETEC engine.  With fuel consumption of approximately 70 mpg (combined), the bionic car uses 30 percent less fuel than a standard-production car.  Even more impressive, however, is that when driving at a constant speed of 55 mph, the Mercedes' can travel a staggering 84 miles on a single gallon of gas...

Keep Reading "Mercedes-Benz Bionic Car To Appear As Part Of A New York's Museum Of Modern Art Exhibition"

Mercedes announced yesterday that after 11 years of competing for the Formula 1 World Championship, Ralf Schumacher will race in this year's DTM season driving the Trilux AMG Mercedes C-Class.  His debut will take at the DTM season opener in Hockenheim on April 13th.

Schumacher has already spent a good deal of time behind the wheel of his AMG C-Class, completing roughly 490 laps over a four and a half test days in Estoril, Portugal.  It was his first outing in an AMG Mercedes since July 20th, 1997, during he which he was a guest driver in a race of the FIA GT Championship in Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium inside a AMG Mercedes CLK-GTR...

Keep Reading "Ralf Schumacher To Drive The Trilux AMG Mercedes C-Class In The 2008 DTM Race Season"

If you've been eagerly anticipating the arrival of another collection of insightful Mercedes reviews, you're in luck my friends, because today comes yet another installment of our always-famous "Review Roundup."  In today's episode, models tested include the 2009 Mercedes SLK-Class, the C220 CDI, the E280 CDI, the ML500, the Unimog BRABUS Black Edition and the SLR Roadster, among others.  I've thrown in three video reviews as well, meaning even the videophiles among you will have something to rejoice over.

As always, you can find links to each review along with brief descriptions of each immediately after the jump...

Keep Reading "Mega Review Roundup:  New Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class, C220 CDI, E280 CDI, ML500, Unimog, Vito And SLR Roadster All Tested"

Daimler yesterday unveiled to the world their preliminary, unaudited figures for the 2007 financial year, with the company achieving EBIT of EUR 8,710 million in 2007.  This figure surpasses Daimler's 2006 EBIT of EUR 4,992 million by an impressive margin, and also improves on the EUR 8.5 billion target set earlier in the year. A primary factor which contributed to the gain was the strong performance from the company's Mercedes-Benz Cars division, which posted EBIT of EUR 4.753 million (2006: EUR 1,783 million), while a negative impact was felt as a result of a number of special items, including expenses relating to the Chrysler transaction...

Keep Reading "Daimler Posts Group EBIT Of €8.7 Billion In 2007 (2006: €5.0 billion)"

Constantly improving fuel injection, combustion and exhaust gas aftertreatment in engine development: the researchers at Daimler AG are pursuing this objective with sophisticated simulation technology. Their aim is to reduce fuel consumption even further, while at the same time complying with increasingly stringent emission limits for nitrogen oxides and particulates. By means of model calculations in combination with real-life tests, a higher degree of development maturity can be reached at an earlier stage. For example, the environment-friendly BLUETEC diesel technology – after the positive experience gained on the U.S. market – is also available in Europe...

Keep Reading "A Clean Bill Of Health - Reducing Emissions With Simulation Technology"

After an exceptionally hectic weekend - one that involved a quick flight to the frigid Midwest, followed by a round of inclement weather, followed by our return flight then being cancelled - we have finally arrived back in the office, ready to bring you your daily dose of Mercedes-flavored goodness.

Unfortunately, during our icy captivity we fell a little behind in our press release coverage, so to get you up to speed quickly I'm going to publish that which we missed without commenting.  Regular posting will commence, however, immediately after we've caught up on our press release backlog, which hopefully will be by the day's end.

So hang in there; we're doing our best to get the stories out as quickly as possible; and as always, thanks to each and every one of you for reading eMercedesBenz. 

Now, on with the stories...

Keep Reading "The Future Of The Internal Combustion Engine: 'Environment Grand Prize' For The Innovative DIESOTTO Engine Concept By Mercedes-Benz"

After details and a number of photos emerged last week detailing Mercedes' forthcoming SL63 AMG and SL65 AMG, the company today has officially taken the wraps off both models, finally issuing a complete press release and numerous high resolution photos of each.

Rather than restate the models' technical specs again, something we've already discussed on a few occasions, I'll instead let you get straight into the in-depth coverage.  It is worth noting, however, that if even if you have already familiarized with prior SL63 AMG coverage, it's the first time the model's all-new AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission has been discussed at length, something which in and of itself makes the press release a must read...

Keep Reading "Officially Official: The New Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG And SL65 AMG"

Daimler is reporting today that worldwide sales of its Mercedes-Benz, Maybach and smart brands have gotten off to a tremendous smart in January, increasing 16.4 percent to a record 90,400 new units (compared to 77,700 in January 2007).  Individually, sales of Mercedes-Benz vehicles also achieved a record level, jumping 12.1 percent to 82,300 new units (compared to 73,500 in January 2007); while the smart fortwo continued its positive sales momentum, jumping 91.2 percent to 8,100 new units (compared to 4,200 in January 2006).

As for the models contributing to last month's success (aside from the aforementioned smart fortwo), the Mercedes-Benz C-Class was particularly noteworthy, with sales of the new sedan lineup doubling to 26,800 new units when compared to January 2007 (13,400 units). The A-Class and B-Class also developed positively, with sales of both totaling 17,000 units - up 3 percent over the same time last year (16,500 new units)...

Keep Reading "Mercedes-Benz Cars Worldwide Sales Jump 16 Percent In January"

In a quick follow up to our last post, Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH has released a collection of accessories which again aim to complement the new SLK roadster.  This time, however, as opposed to accessories which actually are equipped on your SLK, this collection is geared towards the fashion-savvy among you, ensuring that your personal style and your new vehicle's style form a cohesive blend of casual elegance and subtle "sportiness..."

Keep Reading "More Accessories Aimed At Complementing The New-Generation Mercedes-Benz SLK"

Mercedes yesterday unveiled to the world their new 2008 Accessory range for the new-generation SLK, perfect for those of you looking to add even more functionality and personality to an already extremely capable and dynamic model. 

While in my modest-yet-sagacious opinion some of the optional equipment should already have been included with the new models (namely the Bluetooth telephone module and iPod interface kit), other available accessories include incenio designer wheels; chrome accents on the exterior mirrors, bumper and radiator cross fins; Alustyle carrier bars which compliment a ski and snowboard rack, bike rack or roof boxes; and a "limited edition" draught-stop, of which only 1,171 will be produced.

Keep Reading "Mercedes Unveils 2008 SLK Accessory Range For The New-Generation Roadster"