At last year's Frankfurt Motor Show, Erin Riches and I spent far too much time around the Mercedes-Benz Actros on display. In person it is spectacularly imposing.
I thought maybe, just maybe, if I moved back to the East Coast I could have enough land to park this thing and justify it as a daily driver. I did not, however, think about using it as a taxi. And if I had, I wouldn't have been clever enough to pick up employees of Volvo and MAN -- competing big-truck makers.
This is the kind of thing you can do when you have a giant budget and a solid sense of humor. Next time: Unimog to shuttle around former Hummer execs.
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Categories: Mercedes-Benz,Trucks
There's a whole lot of awesome going on in this behind-the-scenes by AMG. First, we've got the C63 AMG Coupe. Then We've got the Ducati 848. Then we've got a cute blonde in leathers riding the 848.
Sure, it's a commercial for a commercial, but with those three things, who cares?
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Categories: Mercedes-Benz,Motorcycles,Videos
It seems like only yesterday that we had four guys sitting on the doors of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class "proving" the superiority of German Engineering and now we've got spy photos of the next-generation, 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
This new C-Class -- codename W205 -- is set to be built at Mercedes' Alabama manufacturing facility which just got a $2 Billion investment. The plant will also handle the GL and the M-Class.
Visually, Mercedes-Benz looks to be taking a step back with this C-Class. The hood is longer, the grille is smaller and the headlights are smaller and more aerodynamic. The whole thing is almost Acura-like. We can't tell what sort of detailing Mercedes will use on the side of this new C-Class, but intricate and bold cut lines and fenders have been their thing lately.
Powertrains are still a mystery, of course, but expect a four-cylinder (250) with an eight-speed automatic to be the volume model.
We're still very early out on this one, don't expect any final details for at least a year.
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Categories: Mercedes-Benz,Sedans,Spy Photos
The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is one of the straight up coolest cars on the road today. Gullwing doors could be stupid, but somehow, Mercedes makes it cool without being pretentious and without coming off as desperate for attention as Lamborghini does. If we have a complaint about it, though, it's the the SLS AMG isn't errs on the side of comfort. Sure, some of us dig that, but a car like this is begging for a more raw version.
For the street, that raw version will come as the SLS AMG Black Series. For the track we get the SLS AMG GT3. It's half-a-million bucks, the body is carbon-fiber, all glass has been replaced by polycarbonate, there's new aero, it's got manual transmission and it weighs 2,976 lbs.
Mercedes has just released Part 1 of a new SLS AMG GT3-themed video series. While this one is about the marriage of the engine/transmission to the chassis, we have to assume that if we stick with them throughout this rollout, we'll get some cool track footage soon.
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Categories: Mercedes-Benz,Motorsports,Sports Cars
Not that we're not excited about the upcoming Chicago Auto Show, but at this time of the year, our eyes are firmly locked on the spectacle that is the Geneva Motor Show.
One of the cars being shown at Geneva is the next-generation Mercedes-Benz A Class and this teaser video gives us our first look at the new five-door. Last year Mercedes-Benz showed off the A-Class concept at both the New York and Shanghai Auto Shows and now we're seeing how that shape translates into a real car.
For the American market (sometime in 2013), expect to see a turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic driving the front wheels.
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Categories: Geneva Motor Show,Hatchbacks,Mercedes-Benz
For every 50 of us who pore over reviews and specs and reliability, driving impressions and there are 10,000 people who simply go "Oh, that's cool. I'll take it!"
For those buyers Mercedes Benz has enlisted the talents of fashion photographer Alex Prager and professional model Lara Stone. Together with a tornado, they...well, I'm not sure what they do. Something with the new SL. I think.
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Categories: Convertibles,Mercedes-Benz,Sports Cars
Mercedes-Benz rolled into Las Vegas this week for their first CES show and in usual style, went big. Not only did the company demo its solutions for the connected car on the show floor, but also on hand was Daimler AG Chairman of the Board, Dieter Zetsche. The dapper doctor spoke at a keynote about the company's vision for platforms such as cloud-based computing, and its proprietary telematics solution mbrace, which attendees could experience at MB's North Hall booth.
The advanced in-car communications system was definitely the main event for the Stuttgart-based company, which showed its newest iteration -- the mbrace2. The automaker bills this latest version as "the most comprehensive cloud-based telematics system to date," and makes a pretty good case with a robust feature set that touches virtually every aspect of the driving experience including safety, information, entertainment, personal assistance and vehicle care.
Some of the specific functions include cloud-based apps (including special in-car versions of Facebook and Yelp), traffic and navigation assistance, speech recognition, internet browsing and searching, concierge services and collision notification. Starting this spring with the launch of the all-new SL-Class, mbrace2 will be included as standard equipment on most Model Year 2013 vehicles.
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Categories: Car Tech,Mercedes-Benz
The Detroit videos will be hitting Straightline at a steady pace from here on out. First up, a sneak peek at the latest SL550 from Mercedes-Benz.
Check out the video after the jump to see more of James Riswick's Jazz Hands and why he likes kicking this car in the butt.
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Categories: Detroit Auto Show,Mercedes-Benz,Videos
As expected, the Mercedes press conference here in Detroit was dominated by two things: the all-new 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL, and Mercedes' exceptional (but slightly worse than BMW) sales figures in 2011. Hiding in the shadows of the SL, though, was the new E400 Hybrid.
With an adjusted (window sticker) fuel economy estimate of 27 mpg combined, the E400 is the cornerstone of Mercedes' "hybrid offensive." Powering the E400 is a 302-horsepower direct-injection V6 supplemented by a 27 hp/184 pound-feet electric motor.
The E400 Hybrid's estimated fuel economy of 24/31/27 is only marginally higher than the 2012 E350, which returns 20/30/23. The E350 is powered by a 302-hp 3.5-liter V6 and has a base price of $49,800. Pricing has not been released on the E400.
The E400 goes on sale here in late summer and will debut in China and Japan shortly thereafter. Markets not getting the E400 will get the diesel/hybrid E300.
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Categories: Detroit Auto Show,Hybrids,Mercedes-Benz,Sedans
On Monday, Mercedes-Benz will pull the sheet off of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL. We've already seen the sixth-gen SL in photos, but this will be our first time to see the 429-horsepower drop top in person.
If you're looking forward to this one, or just want to experience the real-life joy of attending an auto show press conference, Mercedes will be live-streaming the reveal on Facebook. Only 2 days and 20 hours left!
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Categories: Convertibles,Detroit Auto Show,Future Vehicles,Mercedes-Benz,Sports Cars
When I started doing the whole video gig, I made it abundantly clear that I'd only do nudity if it was tasteful and intrinsic to the plot of the video. Alistair on the other hand is apparently OK showing up on Mr. Skin.
Interest piqued? After the jump find Alistair Weaver's Epic Adventure: The Australian Outback's Ultimate Off-Road Test in a Mercedes-Benz G-Class.
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Categories: Mercedes-Benz,Videos
This is the time of year when everyone's thinking best and worst of the year from movies to cities to commercials to celebrity haircuts. This is also the time of year that people are bored at home with their families and dig out old Youtube videos.
This banned Mercedes Benz commercial for the E-Class wagon is nothing new, but it's funny and it's making the rounds again today for some reason.
Enjoy.
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Categories: Mercedes-Benz,Videos
Johnnie Walker is sponsoring a new program to prevent drunk driving called "Join the Pact." The Pact is a Facebook app that you digitally sign promising that you won't drink and drive. The Holiday Season is, of course, notorious for the number of drunk drivers screwing up everyone's drive.
Two notable signees are Mika Hakkinen and Jenson Button. But they didn't sign it electronically, or with a pen. Nope, they picked something with a bit more...power.
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Categories: Celebrities,Mercedes-Benz,Motorsports
So what if photos of the revamped 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class leaked last night? That wasn't going to stop Benz officials from releasing this preview video about the car's all-aluminum chassis today. It may be the loveliest video of a naked aluminum chassis we've ever seen and you'll be the richer for watching it.
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Categories: Future Vehicles,Luxury Cars,Mercedes-Benz,Sports Cars
Another half-day, another leak for the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL. Earlier today we had some fairly low quality scans that showed the rough look of the new SL with some bits of interior barely visible.
This time, though, the leakers have gone and smashed the embargo with a full set of pics (availale after the jump) that show the new SL in the way Mercedes intended to release it. Albeit slightly sooner.
The new upright grille, Magic Sky Control roof and more dramatic side strake and headlights that look to be lifted from a new Volvo are the biggest changes we can tell you about from these shots.
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Categories: Convertibles,Future Vehicles,Mercedes-Benz
The latest victim of the colander that is the internet is Mercedes-Benz. Today, brochure shots of their all-new 2013 SL have spilled all over the internet giving people a blurry, greenish look at their all new sports convertible. Not exactly the high-resolution, high-quality shots they spent a small fortune shooting for the official reveal that's coming shortly.
We don't get any new information here and we only get a quick look at the interior. That interior shot, though, confirms what we saw in previous spy photos; specifically the nav screen flanked by air vents.
Check the pics after the jump and let us know what you think.
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Categories: Convertibles,Future Vehicles,Luxury Cars,Mercedes-Benz
Sign us up for this one right now.
The Maybach brand never really took off for a number of reasons; value (not price mind you) and appearance were certainly the highest. It looked like a stretched S Class and cost as much as a house in the suburbs. It didn't own the road in the way a Rolls does and it didn't exude luxury in the way a Rolls or Bentley does.
Let's ignore that last one for a minute and instead focus on that whole road-owning facet of the super luxury sedan segment. This rendering from Autobild the S 600 Pullman -- a clear nod to the 1963 600 Pullman -- would fit right in with the big, bold faces of the others in this segment.
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Categories: Future Vehicles,Luxury Cars,Mercedes-Benz
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 accidents a year, leading to 40,000 injuries and 1,550 deaths. And since more people have smartphones and other portable electronics riding shotgun with them these days, distracted driving while texting and tweeting only adds to this statistic.
While automakers are on a technology tear to bring smartphone integration to the dash to ostensibly make it less distracting to use the devices while behind the wheel, many luxury brands have also been perfecting nanny-car safety features to help protect occupants from themselves if they aren't paying attention while composing a text message, firing off a Twitter update or updating their Facebook status.
Now the Swedish company Tobii Technology says it's come up with a system that watches drivers' eyes to tell whether they're getting tired or are glued to a Twitter app. And the company claims that the technology can be integrated into vehicles inexpensively, so not just those who can afford a luxury vehicle will be protected from causing drowsy and distracted driving accidents.
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Categories: Car Tech,Lexus,Mercedes-Benz,Volvo
We weren't exactly bored by the normal Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and its 563-horsepower V8, but when we heard that they were working on a Black Series, all of a sudden it didn't seem so interesting.
Bolder, lower, louder, more powerful, lower, faster....yes, yes, yes. Watch it and hear it rip around the Nurburgring in this spy video.
Spy Video: 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series
Categories: Mercedes-Benz,Sports Cars,Tuners and Modifications
Nothing says you're history like a lovely spot in the corner. That's what Maybach got at the Mercedes-Benz stand here in Tokyo. It's not only buried in the corner, it's even on the backside of the show stand. It's as if even Mercedes can't even bear to look anymore.
In case you haven't heard, the super luxury brand is scheduled to go away as of 2013, so Mercedes won't have to haul around the extra baggage for long.
Categories: Luxury Cars,Maybach,Mercedes-Benz,Tokyo Motor Show
