If we had an award for the highest number of tips sent to us by a single reader, its undisputed recipient would without question be our good friend Shiv. He's sent us so many reviews over the past two weeks we've had to split them up into two segments - one for the 2009 Mercedes SL-Class, and one for everything else. So, to our friend Shiv: as always, thanks for the hard work my friend; we sincerely appreciate it. To everyone else - especially those of you considering the new Mercedes SL-Class - enjoy the first of two Review Roundups, which features a total of eight articles dedicated to the Mercedes' new roadster.
As usual, you can find links to each review along with brief descriptions of each immediately after the jump...
We're a little late in bringing you this story, but in case you haven't heard, Mercedes Head of Design Professor Peter Pfeiffer has announced that he'll be retiring later this year at the age of 65. For Peter, the declaration marks the end of a 40 year career with the company, the last nine of which he's headed the globally active design division of Mercedes-Benz since April 1999. In this capacity, he's been responsible for the design of both the passenger and commercial vehicles that fall under the brand, including the Maybach limousine and the smart fortwo...
Catching up on a little NCAA action last night, I beheld an ad for the Mercedes C63 AMG that is the unequivocal, unapologetic depiction of automotive erotica. In it, the new model is depicted in its rawest form, without any unnecessary flattery or unneeded rhapsody, and it's this purity that ultimately equates to thirty seconds of pure visual enchantment.
To view the ad in all its unadulterated glory, hit play above, sit back and enjoy. And a special thanks to our friend Eric of Gear Patrol, who also took the time to tip us off to the new commercial as well.
If you've lost track of how many new-generation Mercedes models have celebrated their premier as of late, don't sweat it - we stopped counting somewhere around five. But that hasn't prevented the illustrious automaker from announcing that yet another model will be the beneficiary of a redesign, this time, the lovable little A-Class.
Slated to debut at the Auto Mobil International (AMI) motor show in Leipzig from April 5th - 13th, the new A-Class aims to be be "younger, more attractive and more environmentally friendly than ever before." To make this vision a reality, designers began by updating the model's styling, with notable changes including new-look headlamps and tail lights, a redesigned radiator grille, larger exterior mirror housings and redesigned front and rear bumpers. Inside, design changes are more subtle, with a larger storage compartment in the center console, a new-look cup holder between the seats and a number of new fabric and trim elements all differentiating the new model from the old...
Sustainability is the central theme of Mercedes-Benz at the Techno Classica 2008 – the leading classic car show worldwide – held this year from March 26 – 30 in Essen. Exhibits spanning seven decades document the on-going developments of engine technology, from the earliest years of the four-cylinder to the Mercedes-Benz F 700 research car, whose DIESOTTO drive system delivers high output coupled with low consumption and low emissions – signaling the way ahead for the future of the internal combustion engine.
What do four-valve technology, supercharging, common rail technology and CGI direct gasoline injection have in common? Answer: They all celebrated their Mercedes-Benz premieres in four-cylinder engines. Throughout the history of the brand from Stuttgart, this seemingly unspectacular engine type has always been at the cutting edge of outstanding innovation. Even the DIESOTTO technology, which was premiered in the F 700 research car at the 2007 International Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA), was first introduced by Mercedes-Benz in a four-cylinder engine.
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes drivers Heikki Kovalainen and Lewis Hamilton finished the Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang Circuit in third and fifth positions respectively. After 56 laps (310.408 kms), Heikki came home 38.4sec behind winner Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari) whilst Lewis was fifth, 46.5sec behind. After the second of 18 Grands Prix, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes maintained the lead in the Constructors’ Championship with 24 points ahead of BMW Sauber with 19 points and Ferrari with 11 points. Lewis leads the drivers’ ranking with 14 points ahead of Räikkönen and Heidfeld (tied on 11 points) and Heikki who is fourth with 10 points...
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, after taking an extended Easter vacation and catching up on some much, much, much needed rest, we are indeed back and ready to bring you your daily dose of Mercedes-flavored goodness. We've fallen a little behind in our press release coverage, so we'll do our best to get you caught up on those first, and after doing so, we'll then attend to the sea of emails flooding our inbox.
But before we delve into the press releases, I thought it best to start the day off with a little tuning action from the fine gentlemen of Wald. Titled the Wald Black Bison Sports Line, the newest offering the Japanese tuning firm was developed specifically for the W221 Mercedes S-Class, and aims to give an "aggressive atmosphere" to the car. Highlights of the package include a new front and rear apron, sports fender ducts, side skirts and a few new spoilers, while a set of Portofino forged wheels painted in black complete the package...
Mercedes-Benz is continuing to build on its world-leading position in the field of clean diesel technology. The Stuttgart-based manufacturer has become the world's first car producer to receive a certificate for licensing BlueTEC SUVs in all 50 US states.
Mercedes-Benz will shortly be launching three BlueTEC SUVs – the ML 320 BlueTEC, the R 320 BlueTEC and the GL 320 BlueTEC – featuring the technology for the world's cleanest diesels. The vehicles, which will first be available in the US, comply with the extremely strict requirements of the American Bin 5 and ULEV emission standards, making Mercedes-Benz the first manufacturer to be able to license diesel SUVs in all 50 US states. Following the successful market launch of the "clean diesel pioneer" – E 320 BlueTEC – in October 2006, this new step – which coincides with the 150th anniversary of Rudolf Diesel’s birth – is another extremely important milestone in the diesel initiative launched by Mercedes-Benz...
The most desirable of all Mercedes-Benz models appear like jewels before a spectacular mountain landscape: the new generations of the SL, SLK, and CLS. Mercedes-Benz is presenting three dream cars together for the first time, in a brand campaign conceived to make the premium automotive brand even more desirable than ever before.
“With this campaign we are for the first time displaying our new strategic approach, which we sum up with the motto ‘The Culture of Driving’. The aim is to further sharpen the profile of the Mercedes-Benz brand,” says Dr. Olaf Göttgens, Vice President Brand Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars. This is why the campaign’s focus is not on a single vehicle type, but on the brand itself. “Presenting the three dream cars together conveys the fascination of the Mercedes-Benz brand, so it should also generate spillover effects for all of our models,” adds Göttgens...
The Mercedes-Benz B-Class with fuel-cell drive has passed its winter testing in northern Sweden with flying colours. At double-digit, below-zero temperatures, the zero-emission drive showed what it could do in the comprehensive test programmes. For example, cold start behaviour was subjected to thorough scrutiny. Although Daimler Research had already found a technical solution to the fuel cell’s start capability at -25 degrees Celsius, the engineers’ focus here was on the interaction between the different components under real-life winter conditions. A further focus of the winter tests was on roadholding. This meant adapting the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) to the special requirements of a fuel-cell vehicle. A special feature in this context is that an electric motor exhibits different speed governing behaviour to that of standard combustion engines...
Enjoying sporty driving with coaching by experts and experiencing unforgettable events with fellow driving enthusiasts - that’s what the AMG Driving Academy stands for. The new calendar of events features a wide array of offerings, where serious sports car lovers can improve their driving skills in line with their individual needs and further boost their active driving safety...
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, the first race of the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship. After turbulent 58 laps (307.574 kms) with three Safety Car periods, Lewis won with 5.4sec ahead of Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber) and Nico Rosberg (Williams Toyota). Lewis’ new team mate Heikki Kovalainen, who led for eight laps and ran second for 21 laps came home fifth. It was the fifth victory for Lewis, just one year after his first ever Grand Prix. The McLaren Mercedes Partnership took their 53rd victory in their 222nd Formula 1 race. After the first of 18 Grands Prix, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes leads the Constructors’ Championship with 14 points ahead of BMW Sauber and Williams Toyota with 8 points each. Lewis took the lead in the drivers’ ranking with 10 points ahead of Heidfeld (8) and Rosberg (6)...
After three successful years, Mercedes-Benz has overhauled the design and engineering of the B-Class. The facelift programme focused on environmental compatibility, economic efficiency and comfort, with further advances being made in each of these areas. Thanks to a series of detailed improvements, the four-cylinder engines now burn up to seven percent less fuel than previously, and distinguish themselves with remarkably low exhaust emissions that undercut the current EU limits by as much as 90 percent. Mercedes-Benz has developed a new ECO start/stop function for the high-volume B 150 and B 170 models.
This switches off the engine when stopped at traffic lights, for example, producing a fuel saving of up to nine percent in practical use. Additional new developments include the bi-fuel petrol/natural-gas drive in the B 170 NGT BlueEFFICIENCY, along with active parking assist which helps drivers to both find a suitable parking spot, and then manoeuvre into it...
Mercedes-Benz is continuing its diesel initiative in the USA with three new SUVs equipped with the world’s latest and cleanest diesel engine. The new models R 320 BlueTEC, ML 320 BlueTEC and GL 320 BlueTEC will initially be available exclusively in America. They are powered by an up-to-date V6 engine featuring the environmentally friendly Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC technology, with whose help the diesel cars produced by the Stuttgart manufacturer already count as the world’s cleanest. The new models are equipped with AdBlue injection, which has already been demonstrating its exemplary effectiveness and economy in Mercedes-Benz trucks and buses for a number of years. As a result the three new SUVs achieve even lower emissions, are able to better the stringent Bin 5 limits applicable in the USA, and also have the potential to meet the coming EU6 standards. All three of these new SUVs have also been significantly upgraded with much more extensive standard equipment, and now offer even more comfort together with unique safety features. With these diesel vehicles Mercedes-Benz is once again underlining its status as the technological leader. The new models will be available in the USA from autumn 2008...
