Welcome to 2013!  We’ve swapped out our 2012 calendars for our 2013 ones and we are ready to move forward and start a new year.  But, before we do that, we wanted to take one last look at what 2012 had to offer.  We’ve compiled a list of some of the top stories of the year and posted them below with links to the complete articles and photo galleries for your enjoyment.

Happy New Year!

2013 Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake Official Release: With the new CLS Shooting Brake, Mercedes-Benz is once again setting an example when it comes to creativity of design, and as such highlighting its leading role in this area: in terms of its proportions, the new CLS is quite clearly a coupé, but with five doors and a roof which continues through to the rear, it promises some remarkable new possibilities. The idea of the four-door coupé – successfully introduced in 2004 with the first CLS and long imitated in the meantime – has now been taken to new heights and to innovative effect. The result is automotive independence at its most beautiful. Click Here.

Vorsteiner Mercedes CLS63 AMG Photos Revealed: Vorsteiner’s Mercedes CLS63 AMG will feature an all-new lightweight pre-preg carbon fiber aero package coupled with forged wheels and a cat back exhaust system. In the photos you can see the new front apron, redesigned side skirts, modified rear diffuser and the boot lid spoiler. All these parts feature all-new lightweight pre-preg carbon fiber. Click Here.

FAB Design Mercedes SLS Gullstream: Quite possibly the most radically built Mercedes SLS  to date, FAB Design’s widebody SLS tuning program, dubbed the Gullstream, remains at the top of our list. Originally revealed more than a year ago, I recently saw one of these beauties while on a family vacation at our hotel and had to give you a second look. Even better looking in person, the FAB Design SLS Gullstream is a widebody kit that features an all new front bumper, fenders, side skirts, rear quarter panels, rear bumper and rear diffuser. A lip spoiler made of carbon fiber is probably the most subtle of all the upgrades while the roof receives a non-functional air scoop. Click Here.

Helly Hansen Flow Down Parka: At the heart of the Flow Down Parka is… you guessed it… down.  Down, as you probably already know, is easily one of warmest, most insulating materials on the face of the earth.  But the problem with most down outerwear is that it’s overly bulky.  Down is stitched inside baffles, and the result is an overly puffy coat that makes you look the Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters – not exactly an endearing style trait.  Click Here.

Mercedes-Benz S600 Becomes a Luxurious Guardian by Topcar: Whether you’re a Russian businessmen or an unloved policy-maker, chances are you are not cruising the streets in a standard S-Class.  Instead you’re likely opting for something with a little, no a lot, more protection that still offers all the luxuries you’re used to.  According to Topcar, secrecy is one of the relevant aspects of security, which is why, externally armored vehicles look like everyone else’s run-of-the-mill luxury car. Click Here.

Mercedes-Benz G-Class Gets the Gold Treatment from Dartz iTempter: We were first introduced to the Latvian car manufacturer when they unveiled their Prombron, one of the most unique armored cars in the world.  For those of you unfamiliar with Dartz, they are a Latvian-based corporation, that designs, manufactures, and sells high performance armored vehicles. Today, they have unveiled their iTempter, based on the Mercedes-Benz G-Class.  The Dartz iTempter G-Class comes complete with upgraded wood and leather, iPads and gold accents.  A lot of gold accents. Click Here.

Brabus Unveils Their Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake: The new Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake has arrived, and like the first CLS that created a market for four-door coupes, the new five-door model redefines the sporty-elegant wagon. Taking the Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake to the next level is a sophisticated refinement program is now available from BRABUS. The extensive product lineup starts with sporty-elegant aerodynamic-enhancement components for all Shooting Brake models with or without AMG sport package, and features custom-tailored BRABUS wheels with diameters of up to 20 inches. Also part of the BRABUS portfolio are exclusive interior options and engine tuning that delivers up to 455 kW / 619 hp (610 bhp) of power, 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft) of torque and a top speed of 320 km/h (200 mph). Click Here.

Mercedes-Benz CLS Utility Coupe Rendered: What if there was a luxury ute segment. Imagine for a minute what looks like an El Camino but with shiny new paint, aluminum loading rails with a wooden load compartment floor all while being surrounded by alcantara leather and wood trim. Well, here’s what that would look like if the Mercedes-Benz CLS Coupe became a ute! Click Here.

Brooklyn Decker in GQ and Sports Illustrated: Brooklyn Decker was born April 12, 1987.  She’s a model, part-time actress, and an avid Tar Heels fan.  She’s worked for Victoria’s Secret, she’s been featured numerous years in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (including gracing the cover in 2010), and she’s made appearances on several television shows (such as NBC’s Chuck and USA Network’s Royal Pains).  And she’s married to Andy Roddick, who we hear plays tennis or something. Click Here.

GAD Tuned CLS63 AMG: The Mercedes CLS63 AMG is one of the most popular cars for tuners – the main reason its 5.5 liter bi-turbo V8 engine that can be tuned to output massive power as well as its exterior beauty.  In the recent past, we’ve seen CLS63 AMG by Kicherer, Vorsteiner,  SR Auto Group, Vitt, Mansory and Waldto name a few. The latest tuner to jump on the CLS63 AMG bandwagon is GAD with their 803hp monster. Click Here.

Official 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class World Premiere: The 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been officially unveiled and we have nearly 70 photos covering all angles of the interior and exterior of both the E-Class Sedan and Wagon along with engine and technical information.  If you can barely contain your excitement, skip straight to the photo gallery below or head directly to the quick reference guide by CLICKING HERE.  Otherwise, continue on for an in-depth look at the all new 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Click Here.

Pope Benedict XVI Takes Delivery of New Popemobile: Daimler announced today that it has delivered Pope Benedict XVI his new popemobile.  The Pope’s new custom ride is a one-of-a-kind Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV with quite a few special security features.  Daimler said the new car was delivered Friday to the Vatican and people should be able to see the pope riding in it Saturday in Rome during a celebration at the Spanish Steps Click Here.

Mercedes C63 AMG Black Series by TIKT: TIKT, a German tuner and performance-parts specialist, has reworked the already exceptionally powerful Mercedes C63 AMG Black Series Coupe, transforming it into the Black Barron for the 2012 Essen Motor Show. Over the years the company has made a name for itself as a top tuner with its spectacular and technically expert individual conversions based solely on the top range Corvette (including diverse lap records with the TIKT Corvette ZR 1 Triple X). Click Here.

Helly Hansen H2 Flow Jacket: In everyone’s life, there’s a moment when you try something and you think to yourself, “This is brilliant… why didn’t I think of it?”  In the world of outerwear, Helly Hansen has just launched a product that falls precisely into the aforementioned category , solving the dilemma of how to precisely blend optimal amounts of heating and cooling. Click Here.

Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe Photo Gallery: The last time we took a look at the Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe, it was drifting the Corkscrew at Laguna Seca. Today, we have photos of the AMG Coupe touring the streets of Germany from Germany’s finest photogs at Wötzel Photography.  Head to the gallery and click through to enlarge the photos to view the Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe in all its glory. Click Here.

Mercedes-Benz Super Bowl Ad: The total cost to debut the new models:  roughly $6 million, thanks to the Super Bowl’s impressive ad rate of $3 million per 30 seconds.  And while we could wait two days and simply watch to see the models make their $6 million Super Bowl debut, the truth is, I hate waiting, so I’ll do you one better.  I’ll give you a sneak peak of the models making their debut, not Sunday, but right now Click Here.

Quite possibly the most radically built Mercedes SLS  to date, FAB Design’s widebody SLS tuning program, dubbed the Gullstream, remains at the top of our list. Originally revealed more than a year ago, I recently saw one of these beauties while on a family vacation at our hotel and had to give you a second look.

Even better looking in person, the FAB Design SLS Gullstream is a widebody kit that features an all new front bumper, fenders, side skirts, rear quarter panels, rear bumper and rear diffuser. A lip spoiler made of carbon fiber is probably the most subtle of all the upgrades while the roof receives a non-functional air scoop.

For wheels, the SLS AMG runs a staggered 10-inch and 12-inch wide setup of three-piece Evolution wheels that feature a concave design. Suspension duties are handled with Koni’s coilovers that can also be found on the SLS GT3 race car, giving the car that ‘stance’ look. FAB has also designed their own quad-tipped exhaust system for the SLS AMG.

Overall power gains goes from 563-hp to 607-hp.

Details & Pricing for FAB Design SLS Gullstream from Westcoast Motorsport

FAB Design SLS Widebody Kit:

• Frontbumper widebody with airintakes, including carbon lower wing
• LED Day light system
• Left and right widebody Front Fender
• Left and right doors modification
• Left and right sideskirts
• Left and right rearfenders
• Rear widebody bumper with carbon lower diffusor
• Double round end exhaust systems
• Forged front rims Evoline 10×20″
• Forged rear rims Evoline 12×20″
• Airbox in carbon

Carbon Fiber (Large) Trunk Wing, full carbon with brackets and holding system – MSRP $9500 $8500 (optional, not included in widebody kit)

FAB Design SLS Conversion includes all body parts and wheels. Tires not included.

The complete “widebody” kit is approximately $65,000 (depending upon exchange rate at time or order). Air Freight, Insurance, Paint, and Installation are an additional charge.

If WestCoast Motrosport is doing the installation, on a new or pre-owned SLS, figure around $76,000 (paint, installation, lowering module installed, alignment, mount & balance) on top of the price of the car. They will locate the car for you, take delivery, install everything, and send the complete car to your home or office.

If you don’t want the widebody FAB Design SLS Gullstream, but still want a unique look, consider the non-Widebody version from FAB.

FAB Design SLS Body Kit (non-widebody):

• Frontbumper incl. Carbon lip
• Rearbumper
• Carbon-Diffusor for Rearbumper
• Set LED
• Set Sideskirts Carbon
• Endpipes, 4pcs
• Roof hood carbon

The complete “standard” kit is approximately $30,000 (depending upon exchange rate)

Swiss Tuner, FAB Design, is known for their elaborate tuning packages as seen in their versions of the SLR McLaren Desire or more recently on the SLS AMG Gullstream. Their recent work on the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet however is far more subdued, keeping only FAB Designs trademark wide body styling and large air vents in the fenders.

The FAB Design package for the Mercedes convertible includes a new front skirt with matching daylight running lights, widened front wings, rear apron, a diffuser and a spoiler. A variety of the wide body parts are made from high quality carbon fiber.

The wheels are three-part, concave alloys measuring 9 and 10×20 inch wide. On top of this, FAB Design fit a compatible sports suspension set and custom FAB stainless steel sports exhaust with two oval end-pipes. The exhaust system can be equipped with sound control for either loud or quiet settings.

FAB Design showed off their version of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG last month at the Geneva Motor. At the show, Fab Design had the SLS AMG covered in light-blue, after which the SLS tuner was spotted in a showroom in Dubai.

Today, the distinctly tuned SLS AMG released the official details on the car, dubbing it the SLS AMG Gullstream.

The Swiss tuner from Hunzenschwill installed a body kit that consists of a front bumper with vertically positioned daylight running lights, widened fenders that flow seamlessly into the sides skirts and then back up into the widened quarter panels. The rear bumper now comes with larger vents and has a diffuser that supports lip spoiler made of carbon fiber. Fab Design developed a stainless steel sports exhaust system with an integrated valve control and four classic round pipes, a pair on each side. On the roof there’s a non-functional air scoop.

Power output has also been raised from the SLS AMG’s standard 563 bhp to 607 bhp together with 690 Nm at 4600 rpm. The new SLS AMG Gullstream does a sprint from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in a mere 3.6 seconds and manges a topspeed of 202 mph (325 km/h).

The Swiss tuner FAB-Design has taken on the new AMG Mercedes SLS to make it that much more individual.

True to the company’s philosophy of creating something even more individual from a noble factory vehicle, a more accentuated version of the wing-door car has been produced. Especially the aerodynamics benefited from the high class fine tuning. To do this the developers from Mellingen developed and mounted a sporty front spoiler lip with vertically mounted daylight driving lights along with a rear apron with integrated diffuser in a similar design to the front element.

An equally output boosting rear spoiler that was specially constructed to perfectly harmonise with the factory mounted extendable counterpart crowns it all.

The optical and aerodynamic cherry on the SLS cake are the side skirts made of visible carbon fiber.

A further highlight on the retro-sportscar are the 3-part 20 inch “Evoline” complete wheels. The classic hole-design thus harmonises perfectly with the equally classic sportscar silhouette of the FAB SLS.

In addition a fitting sports suspension set was mounted that equally satisfies the requirement for both comfort and sport.

At the rear of the vehicle a FAB stainless steel sports exhaust with four oval endpipes lets the exhaust gases go sonorously free. Integrated valve steering gives the driver the possibility – according to the occasion – of choosing between a sonorous and a discrete sound.

The FAB developers also worked on the improving the performance and thereby achieved an every day capability of 611 PS – instead of the normal 571 PS of factory vehicles.

While its true Mercedes’ partnership with McLaren in regards to producing the SLR has ended, that hasn’t stopped FAB DESIGN from taking aim at tuning the model. FAB has finally released details of a model that made its debut in Geneva – one that they’re calling the SLR “Desire.”

From a design standpoint, it’s clear FAB’s SLR is anything but an ordinary SLR McLaren. A vastly different front and rear apron are present, as are additional widened body panels in both the front and back. New side skirts have also been added, while a rear spoiler completes the exterior enhancements.

As for power, FAB DESIGN boosted total output to 740 horsepower with a maximum torque of 1080 Nm, enough to propel the model from 0-62 mph in 3.6 seconds before reaching its top speed of an electronically limited 192 mph.

Unfortunately, if you’re interested in procuring a FAB DESIGN SLR Desire, you’re out of luck (for now, at least). Production has been limited to 15 units, all of which are already sold out. I have a feeling, however, that if you’re patient, you’ll see at least one hitting the second-hand market in the not-too-distant future.