As my title has already alluded to, it was a difficult month for Mercedes-Benz USA, with the U.S. division noting a drastic 13.9% decrease in sales.  In total, sales at MBUSA for July amounted to 18,586 new vehicles, compared to 21,591 new units in July 2006.  This figure brings Mercedes-Benz USA's year-to-date total to 136,826 new units, an increase over 2006's seven month ytd total of 0.2%...

Keep Reading "Mercedes-Benz USA Notes A July Decrease In Sales Of 13.9 Percent"

As you may remember, back in June spy shots depicting what was being called a test mule for a forthcoming Mercedes SLC surfaced, along with a vague description of what to expect from the forthcoming sports car.  Going through our inbox, a reader by the name of Brian tipped us off to a Road & Track article which attempts to shed some additional light on the model, in addition to providing the attractive rendering pictured before you...

Keep Reading "Road & Track Rendering Of A Potential Mercedes-Benz SLC"

In addition to the numerous press releases we missed during our week-long hiatus, another area of MB news experiencing a slight backlog is the always-popular collection of Mercedes reviews you've come to know and love.  Thankfully, an action-packed, filled-to-the-brim "Review Roundup" is about to change that, with a total of six different Mercedes being put their paces.  The Mercedes SLR McLaren Roadster, the CLK63 AMG Black Series, the 2008 Mercedes C-Class, the 2008 C280, the Mercedes S500 (or S550 here in the States), and the ML280 - these are the chosen ones.  In total, there's eleven different articles, so if you've been experiencing symptoms of review withdrawal the past week, there's plenty to keep you occupied...

Keep Reading "Review Roundup:  Mercedes SLR Roadster, CLK63 AMG Black Series, C350 Sport, C280, S500 And ML280 All Put To The Test"

Gearing up for its August retail launch, Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is taking its long-awaited, new-generation C-Class sedan on the road to allow some 30,000 potential buyers to get an advance preview of the new vehicle and put it through its paces. The ride-and-drive event, called The C Drive, goes well beyond the traditional driving event by literally bringing the vehicle to the streets where buyers live. The C Drive is the hands-on element of a multi-faceted integrated marketing initiative – the largest in the company’s history – which has been underway for several months now in anticipation of the debut of the newest generation of its best-selling model line, the C-Class...

Keep Reading "Mercedes-Benz Revs Up For All-New 2008 C-Class Launch:  The C Drive Tour to Hit the Road with Exciting New Sedan"

The E-Class station wagon, which received an extensive upgrade in mid-2006, is enjoying tremendous popularity with Mercedes-Benz customers. Deliveries of the upper-range station wagon have increased by 14 percent to 16,700 units since the beginning of this year.

Approximately 185,000 customers have opted for the E-Class station wagon since the model's market launch in March 2003. The primary selling points of the E-Class station wagon are its elegance, comfort, and cargo volume of up to 1,950 liters. Moreover, it offers innovative safety technologies such as PRE-SAFE® and the optional Intelligent Light System. Around three quarters of all E-Class station wagon customers drive one of the four diesel variants. The most popular engine version for the upper-range Mercedes-Benz station wagon is the E 220 CDI, which is chosen by approximately 30 percent of customers...

Keep Reading "E-Class Station Wagon Posts 14 Percent Sales Growth in First Half of 2007"

As part of the Olympic Solidarity program, DaimlerChrysler handed over a Mercedes Benz Sprinter to the National Olympic Committee of Vietnam. The vehicle was jointly presented by Wilfried Porth, Director of the Van Business Unit at DaimlerChrysler and Ser Miang Ng, member of the IOC, to the Vietnam Olympic Committee, represented by its president, Nguyen Danh Thai. It is the one-hundredth minibus that DaimlerChrysler has provided to a National Olympic Committee. With the most recent donation, the NOC of Vietnam is the only National Olympic Committee which has received a second vehicle. Just like the first van which was handed over exactly 10 years ago, the new vehicle will also be used to carry young Vietnamese athletes to training sessions and competitions...

Keep Reading "100th vehicle donation to promote Olympic sports worldwide"

DaimlerChrysler (stock-exchange abbreviation DCX) today published key figures for its Mercedes Car Group and Truck Group divisions and for its Van, Bus, Other segment for the second quarter of 2007 on a preliminary basis. Results for the DaimlerChrysler Group, the Financial Services division and the discontinued activities of the Chrysler Group and Chrysler Financial (NAFTA) will be published together with the complete interim report for the second quarter of 2007 on August 29, 2007, as announced at the beginning of July 2007...

Keep Reading "Key figures for the Mercedes Car Group and Truck Group divisions and the Van, Bus, Other segment in Q2 2007"

The two millionth vehicle has just rolled off the assembly line at the DaimlerChrysler plant in Rastatt, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. The milestone vehicle, a comet-gray A 160 CDI, is destined for the Italian market. The Mercedes-Benz A-Class has been manufactured at the Rastatt plant in Baden-Württemberg ever since it was launched ten years ago. Before the start of A-Class production, E-Class vehicles were produced at the plant. Since 2005, the B-Class is also being produced in Rastatt...

Keep Reading "Two millionth vehicle produced at DaimlerChrysler plant in Rastatt"

During our weeklong hiatus, a number of press releases emerged which we of course didn't publish. To get you up to speed in the quickest manner possible, I'm going to publish these press releases without commenting; regular posting, however, will resume as soon as I'm caught up on the backlog, which will probably end up being sometime tomorrow.

So without further ado, the first of several press releases we missed...

Keep Reading "Mercedes-Benz presents the future of the gasoline engine: DiesOtto – Gasoline engine with diesel genes"

As you undoubtedly noticed, the past week or so there's been an eerie quietness permeating through eMercedesBenz, with a grand total of exactly zero stories being published the last eleven days.  The reason?  An unexpected trip with my significant other took me up north to spend time with the family; an event which, when paired with no internet connection, equated to no updates.

But don't worry ladies and gentlemen - I'm back; I'm rejuvenated; I'm ready to rock. To those of you who sent tips: I sincerely appreciate it, and I'm going to do my best to cover all of them.  To everyone else, thanks for reading; you're fantastic; and I love each and every one of you.

Now, on with the stories...

Keep Reading "2008 Mercedes SUV Lineup Unveiled On MBUSA.com"

Motor sports fans will be pleased to hear that Mercedes drivers Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Mika Häkkinen recently starred in a new television commercial, set to air next week in conjunction with the Formula 1 races.  For those of you who can't wait, you can also catch the new tv spot starting tomorrow (July 20th) on the recently-launched mercedes-benz.tv...

Keep Reading "Mercedes Drivers Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton And Mika Hakkinen Star In New TV Commercial"

As you may or not be aware, last month BMW took the wraps off their new 1 Series Coupe, a new, sportier version of their entry-level 1 Series hatchback. To combat the new model, rumor has it Mercedes is prepping a new entry level coupe as well - a coupe which is said to be titled the "BLK."

Although the only info I was able to find on Auto Bild (the source of the rumor) was the photo above, I would assume by their choice of moninkers the German publication is speculating the BLK would be built on the B-Class platform...

Keep Reading "Is Mercedes Preparing A Potential BMW 1 Series Coupe Fighter?"

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen; I hope you all had fantastic weekends.  To kick things off this morning, I'm going to do something that I should have done last week, but due to an increasingly hectic schedule I wasn't quite able to accomplish. The task I'm referring to is bringing you the newest collection of Mercedes reviews - reviews which look at the Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG, C350 Sport, C350 CGI and the C63 AMG. What sets this Review Roundup apart, however, is the inclusion of a non-Mercedes review - one which looks at the 2008 Lexus LS 600H L.  As for why I'm including the review, as our friend Martin pointed out, the Lexus is a vehicle that's been billed as a "green" S600-killer, a claim which the New York Times clearly refutes.

As with all our Review Roundup segments, you can find links to each review, along with brief descriptions of each, immediately below...

Keep Reading "Review Roundup:  Mercedes CL65 AMG, C350 Sport, CLS350 CGI, C63 AMG And Lexus LS 600H L Put To The Test"

For those of you wishing to take your infatuation with Mercedes to the next level and allow the three-pointed star to lovingly-embrace your temples on a daily basis, MB has unveiled their newest designer eyewear collection at its own Fashion Week Berlin.

A joint collaboration with Italian eyewear maker Allison SpA, the collection features over 40 new sunglasses and spectacle frames, all of which combine "timeless design and the latest styling elements with highest quality and top-class workmanship..."

Keep Reading "Mercedes Presents New Eyewear Collection At Fashion Week Berlin"

Yesterday we told you that to celebrate their Tuscaloosa plant's 10-year production anniversary, Mercedes would be releasing a special Mercedes M-Class - one titled the "Edition 10" - to commemorate the event.  Details were uncharacteristically scarce however, with not more than a paragraph given to detail the limited-edition model.

Getting their act together, however, today Mercedes has published a more comprehensive look at the model - one which details exactly what features it contains...

Keep Reading "More Details Of The New Limited-Production Mercedes M-Class 'Edition 10'"