Articles tagged with "Mercedes"
Limited edition SL 63 AMG Edition IWC
May 13, 2008 Mercedes' high-performance division AMG has developed a new limited edition version of the SL 63 roadster. WIth only 200 destined to see the light of day, the SL 63 AMG Edition IWC combines its specially tuned, naturally aspirated, 386 kW/525 hp 6.3-litre V8 engine with a designo magno Kashmir white finish, an exterior carbon package and a a range of handling and performance enhancements in a vehicle that can hit 100 kmh 4.6 seconds from a standing start and has an electronically limited top speed of 300 kmh. Aside from the luxury timepiece that comes with the car, the "IWC" refers to the design collaboration between Mercedes-AMG and Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen, a relationship which began in 2004 with the CLS 55 AMG “IWC Engineer". (read more...)
Mercedes-Benz debuts GLK-Class at Auto China 2008
The keenly anticipated world premiere of the Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class at Auto China fair in Beijing saw Chinese superstar Zhang Ziyi (think “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”) champion the product. The compact SUV employs Mercedes' Agility Control suspension, the aim being to offer outstanding performance and handling AND ride comfort. (read more...)
BRABUS SLR McLaren roadster gets a smart tender
So the traffic's a little heavy and you don't feel like taking the SLR McLaren roadster BRABUS to the shops. The solution: take the high-performance smart fortwo "tender". The yachting term has made its way into the automotive world via the latest offering from German performance specialist BRABUS. On World debut at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, the BRABUS “tender to the SLR” package consists of two identically painted and equipped vehicles - an aerodynamically enhanced, finely tuned, 211mph SLR McLaren Roadster BRABUS (the yacht) and the BRABUS ULTIMATE 112, a drop-top two-seater based on the latest smart fortwo Cabrio that puts out 112 hp and achieves 0-62mph in under ten seconds (the tender). (read more...)
Mercedes-Benz bionic car: automotive design meets modern art
February 25, 2008 One of the stand-out automotive design concepts from back in 2005 has re-emerged in the guise of modern art. With a highly-aerodynamic design based on what at first seems an unlikely candidate - the tropical sea-dwelling boxfish - the Mercedes-Benz bionic concept car is appearing as part of the "Design and the Elastic Mind" exhibition at New York's Museum of Modern Art. (read more...)
Mercedes SL 63 AMG: coming in April, with new 7-speed Speedshift transmission
Mercedes' high performance tuning subsidiary AMG has announced the April release of its sportiest-ever SL class Benz. The SL 63 AMG's 6.3-litre engine's now tuned for 525 horses and 660Nm, and even the most ham-footed driver can hit 100kmh in 4.6 seconds thanks to the AMG Race Start launch control package. Chilly temperatures don't have to put you off driving with the top down, as the AMG features a new "Airscarf" neck-level heating system, and the electronically adjustable suspension lets you strike the right balance between racetrack grip and touring comfort on the road. The transmission's a beauty - a four mode manual auto with superfast 100ms shifting and auto-double declutching on downshifts. And if this baby's not fast enough for you, there's always the SL 65 AMG biturbo V12. (read more...)
Radar car collision prevention systems put to the test
February 15, 2008 British Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre Thatcham has put three of the car industry’s most hyped collision prevention technologies to the test – and they’ve emerged with flying colors. The Volvo City Safety, Mercedes Distronic Plus, and Honda CMBS use radar systems to mitigate and prevent low speed collisions – which, as a category, make up 75% of all motor accidents. (read more...)
Mercedes E-Class and smart fortwo demonstrate fuel efficiency on the road to Detroit
January 17, 2008 - Talk about making an entrance – the smart fortwo and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class travelled 4400 kilometres over seven days from Los Angeles to the Detroit Auto Show. In the trip, which aimed to measure fuel economy in real world conditions, the smart fortwo mhd recorded an average fuel consumption of 4.8 litres per hundred kilometres, the two smart fortwo cdis recorded 3.9 L/100 km, and the business saloon E 320 BLUETEC recorded 5.8 L/100 km. (read more...)
Jaguar XK 120 C – brand new – US$133,000
If you’ve ever lusted after a Mercedes 300 SLR, Jaguar XK 120 C or Aston Martin DB3S, no doubt your enthusiasm waned when you checked out the cost. The XK 120 C (C-Type) sold new for US$6000, twice the price of an XK120. A genuine, healthy C-Type will now set you back more than a million, and the 1953 Le Mans winner would be valued in excess of US$4 million if it was for sale (it’s not). Replicas are available from a variety of sources but few come with the heritage of Proteus which has been producing all aluminum bodied sports cars for two decades. Under new management, the company is now in expansion mode and is seeking international distribution for its thoroughly authentic US$133,000 replica. Even better news is the plan to extend the range to include SS100, XKSS, and D-Type Jaguars, Aston Martin DB3S and Mercedes Benz 300SLR. (read more...)
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23 Formula 1 car unveiled
January 9, 2008 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has presented the team’s 2008 Formula 1 car at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. The MP4-23 was completed just in time for the event where drivers Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen were joined on stage by Pedro de la Rosa and fellow test driver Gary Paffett to unveil the car. (read more...)
2008 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class Roadster
December 31, 2008 Mercedes-Benz has released details of its new SLK roadster models ahead of an April 2008 release. With around 650 newly developed parts in all, the latest line-up is marked by new-look front and rear sections - the redesigned front bumper with a modified air-dam arrangement enhances the two-seater's distinctive arrow shape while at the rear, a diffuser-style lower section, trapezoidal exhaust tailpipes and the AMG-inspired darkened tail lights have been added. Interior modifications include a new instrument cluster, three-spoke sports steering wheel and improved audio and telematics systems while under the hood the supercharged four-cylinder and V6 engine options have been boosted in terms of output and fuel economy with the 265 kW/360 hp, 5.5-litre V8 powerplant retained for the SLK 55 AMG . (read more...)
New Mercedes-Benz system warns sleepy drivers
Alcohol and speed are rightfully targeted as major causes of road accidents, but another deadly factor - falling asleep at the wheel - is not always given the profile it deserves in developing strategies to combat the road toll. In an effort to make driving safer for both the occupants of the vehicle and their fellow road users, Mercedes-Benz is working on a system that recognizes tiredness-related changes in personal driving style and warns the driver when it's time to take a break. Now entering the final stages of development and expected to go into series production in 2009, the Attention Assist system constantly monitors typical driving patterns to establish an individual profile and makes a decision on whether the driver is becoming tired when there is deviation from this saved data. (read more...)
Shape-changing vision of the future: Mercedes-Benz Silverflow
November 20, 2007 More from Mercedes-Benz on the Silverflow - one of the standout designs we recently encountered as part of our coverage of the Los Angeles Design Challenge, a conceptual showcase of “blue-sky” designs from eight studios entitled "Robocar 2057" that's currently being held as part of the 2007 L.A. Auto Show. With a brief to explore the possibilities of transport in 50 years time, Mercedes-Benz has presented a vision of a sleek, shape-changing vehicle that could adapt to the users needs in various scenarios, transforming from highway cruiser to compact city car or economical two-seater at the push of a button. (read more...)
Major companies reveal their visions for the cars of 2057
As part of the LA Auto Show Design Challenge, several major manufacturers have submitted blue-sky design concepts showing where they feel automotive design will go in the next 50 years. From Nissan's friendly family assistant to Mercedes’ liquid-metal convertible and Toyota's pollution-chewing roller/strider, the submissions are an exciting and thought-provoking look at where the next half a century will take us in personal and family mobility. (read more...)
Mercedes Benz researchers investigate driving moods
September 13, 2007 The next time a TV commercial tells you that a car enhances your driving pleasure it may not just be a matter of purely subjective opinion. Mercedes Benz are working on a system that measures emotion while driving in an endeavor to bring some scientific analysis to the issue. In an attempt to understand what makes for an enjoyable driving experience experts from the Fraunhofer Institute in Rostock, Munich Technical University and Mercedes Customer Research have collaborated in a unique pilot study which involved testing various methods for measuring drivers' emotions. (read more...)
F 700 with DIESOTTO leads Mercedes-Benz clean fuel showcase
September 7, 2007 Spearheaded by the F 700 research car – a vehicle that achieves low-emission economy at 5.3 litres per 100 kilometres via its hybrid drive and innovative DIESOTTO engine - and joined by a range of hybrid and clean diesel BLUETEC models, Mercedes-Benz has placed the emphasis firmly on economical and environmentally-friendly vehicles in its line-up for the 2007 International Motor Show in Frankfurt. (read more...)
The Project Kahn SLR
September 6, 2007 We’ve written about Project Kahn’s creations previously and the new Mercedes SLR makeover is spectacular enough to warrant more coverage. The Kahn SLR includes a sports exhaust system, lowered sports suspension, the soon to be released Kahn SLR body styling package, Kahn 9” x 20” front and 10.5” x 21” rear RS-X alloy wheels and a 60 bhp engine upgrade all built on a very impressive standard SLR specification. Then there’s the option of custom paintwork and custom leather interior, and … (read more...)
The new Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Estate
September 5, 2007 If you wish to see the rare sight of a Mercedes executive fighting for control, just refer to the brand's Estate versions as "station wagons" and watch those pupils dilate and the veins pop out on the forehead. Station wagons derived their name from the forerunners to the modern taxi that plied their trade outside rail stations a century ago and are perceived as somewhat down-at-heel terminology for such fine machinery and quite right too. Mercedes much prefers the term "Estate", though in the case of the new Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Estate , perhaps the term "Shooting Brake" would be more appropriate. Under the distinctive power domed bonnet lies an AMG 6.3-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine delivering 336 kW/457 hp and 600 Nm of eyeball-compressing torque through a 7G-TRONIC transmission with F1-style steering wheel paddle controls. The unique high-performance estate will rocket you to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds and were it not electronically limited to 250 km/h, it'd do well over 300 km/h. Not bad for a station wagon, heh what? ; ) (read more...)
Mercedes-Benz unveils DiesOtto - the “future of the gasoline engine”
July 25, 2007 Don’t count out the petrol engine just yet according to motoring giant Mercedes-Benz, which has unveiled a new gasoline engine offering the high torque and fuel economy of a diesel together with extremely clean emissions. The company is highly optimistic, calling it “the future of the gasoline engine.” The Mercedes-Benz DiesOtto powertrain is a further development of the spark-ignition engine and includes features such as direct gasoline injection, turbocharging, variable valve timing and variable compression and it will be used in conjunction with a hybrid integrated starter/generator module. At its core lies the controlled auto ignition, a highly efficient combustion process similar to that of a diesel. The result is an 1800cc four-cylinder motor producing 238 bhp (175 kW) with torque of 400 nm while delivering 6 l/100 km (47 UK mpg, 40 US mpg) in an S-class. (read more...)
The new Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster
July 18, 2007 With McLaren now hot favourites to win both the driver and constructor World F1 title in 2007, the announcement of the new model Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster takes on new dimensions. The exquisite roadster is built in the same factory as the cars driven by Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, and combines all the F1 high-tech you can imagine, a 626 bhp AMG kompressor V8 producing an almost obscene 780 newton metres of torque and the long-distance attributes and sophisticated atmosphere of a classic Gran Tourismo car. The most telling F1 gift in constructing the open-top 332 km/h masterpiece is the systematic and intelligent use of high-tech materials for the body and safety technology. As in the Coupé, the bodyshell of the high-performance Roadster is primarily carbon fibre, as are the front-end and rear-end structure, the passenger cell, the swing-wing doors and the bonnet. Compared to steel, the high-tech material represents a weight saving of around 50 per cent, which is why the Electrohydraulic braking system employs massive brake discs made from carbon-fibre reinforced ceramics. There’s even an airbrake in the boot lid that extends automatically when you hit the anchors at high speed. (read more...)
smart set to roll out a full complement of Alternative Drive Systems
July 10, 2007 Mercedes-owned smart is set to become the first mainstream production vehicle with a full complement of alternative drive systems. It has begun touting four new versions of the smart fortwo, all of which can be expected in production form before the year is out. We’re not sure which is the most exciting as they all offer different solutions depending on your needs. The cleanest of the new smarts is the 30 kW plug-in electric version with a range of 115 kilometres (EUDC), but there’s also a 100 mpg 53 kW diesel hybrid drive, a slightly less economical petrol hybrid for those who don’t want diesel, a 52 kW micro hybrid petrol variant and a diesel-engined fortwo which will become the world’s most economical combustion-engined production car with 85 mpg (3.3 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres - NEDC) and the ability to travel 1000 kilometres without refuelling. The smart fortwo diesel is the world champion in low CO2 emissions at just 88 grams of CO2 per kilometre. This is huge news. (read more...)
Mercedes-Benz unveils new C-Class flagship
July 5, 2007 Mercedes-Benz has released details of the new C 63 AMG. Due to hit the market in early 2008, the high-performance C-Class derivative promises stunning looks to coincide with its impressive performance specs. Powered by a 6.3-litre V8 engine with a peak output of 336 kW/457 hp and maximum torque of 600 newton metres that’s capable of achieving zero to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, the V8 flagship model also boasts exemplary handling via a wider track, an all-new front axle, speed-sensitive AMG sports steering and suspension plus a new 3-stage Electronic Stability Program. (read more...)
Harley-Davidson to build carving trikes
June 16, 2007 We've always been excited about the prospects for three wheeled conveyances. Way back in September 2006, (which seems like ancient history in internet years), Lehman Trikes and Harley-Davidson announced that they had entered into an agreement for the development of three-wheeled machines based on Harley “motorcycle product” and sold as Harley-Davidson branded vehicles through authorized Harley-Davidson dealers. Given that Lehman has been making a range of turnkey Harley trikes, conversion kits and accessories for 20 years, with two wheels at the back and a motorcycle front-end, the announcement didn’t get a lot of attention. A recent patent filing by Harley makes the whole story suddenly much more exciting. It appears that Harley isn’t far from releasing a stunning new “carving” model . (read more...)
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster: An open-air adventure for all the senses
May 5, 2007 Mercedes-Benz has opened up a new dimension in refinement for open-top super sports cars with the news that it will release a roadster version of its SLR McLaren super sports car in September. Using carbon fibre technologies developed from its Formula 1 cars, the roadster will be endowed with a high degree of safety as well as extreme torsional stiffness at the same high level as the coupe version. Performance will also be identical to that of the coupe, with a maximum speed of 332 km/h and an AMG V8 compressor engine delivering 460 kW/626 bhp. Developed and built at the McLaren Formula 1 complex in Woking (UK), the company refined the aeroacoustics of the new car in the team’s wind tunnel to ensure conversation is still possible at well over 200 km/h with the top down. (read more...)
Rare Mercedes-Benz Prototype Brings US$275,000
March 13, 2007 The 1948 Mercedes-Benz A320 two-door cabriolet we wrote up in detail back in January has fetched AUD$350,000 (US$275,000) at auction. The imposing two-tone blue totally-restored vehicle, which was discovered in derelict state in Indonesia in the 1980s, was designed to revive Mercedes-Benz’s image as a luxury carmaker following the devastation of its German factories in World War II. (read more...)
Mercedes-Benz builds new armoured Pullman State Limousine
February 27, 2007 Mercedes-Benz is developing a new, armoured luxury limousine designed to carry business tycoons, government ministers, monarchs and heads of state. The new Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard Pullman Limousine will be based on the extended wheelbase S 600 to provide a level of roominess worthy of its high-ranking occupants. Originally, the term “Pullman” derived from the luxuriously appointed rail cars produced by the American Pullman Palace Car Company before it was borrowed to describe Mercedes-Benz cars with an extra-long wheelbase and an extremely large passenger compartment in the rear. The first Mercedes-Benz to be factory-fitted with armoured protection was the 1928 W 08/460 Nurburg model which was modified to create the first Popemobile for Pope Pius XI in 1930. Similarly, heads of state such as Emperor Wilhelm II and Emperor Hirohito became customers during the thirties with the creation of the 770K, beginning a long lineage of Pullmans which were used to safely transport heads of State. Power is provided by a 5513cc twelve-cylinder biturbo engine with an output of 380kW/517 hp and an impressive peak torque of 830 Nm. The first editions of the new Mercedes-Benz State Limousine are due to be delivered in late 2008 with a full range of options including a fully equipped mobile office, all the communications and entertainment equipment required plus secure, comfortable, individually-styled surroundings for discreet meetings. (read more...)
