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Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage , Sedans/Saloons , Mercedes-Benz Click above for high-res gallery of the Mercedes Benz C63 AMG What a difference 20 inches and 1,000 lbs makes. The latest occupant of the Autoblog Garage is the Mercedes Benz C63 AMG. You might recall that a few months ago we tried out one of the big dogs from the Benz lineup, the S63 AMG and came away somewhat awed by the technology but distressed by the driving experience. This time around we got the baby brother of the family and found what may well be the best driver's car in the current Daimler lineup. Ever since the C-class was born as the 190E back in the '80s, Mercedes and BMW have had a back and forth rivalry in the high performance compact sport sedan/coupe segment. As the M3 has grown and evolved over the past two decades, so to has the Stuttgart challenger. Just like the original M3, the lineage started with the four-cylinder 16-valve 190E-2.3-16 and has grown through a succession of V6 and V8 engines...
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Aston Martin , Maybach , Mercedes-Benz , Rumormill It sounds like a match made in heaven. A new duo of sedans styled by Aston Martin with Mercedes-Benz engineering prowess propping them up. Assuming that these two automakers can get their next super-sedans bolted together well enough, the first sedan from the recently-revived Lagonda brand and the next Maybach may be jointly designed by the two companies, which just recently began collaborating with each other. Early reports indicate that the two premium saloons would be based on the latest S-Class chassis architecture, with the Maybach brand getting the most luxurious accouterments and the Lagonda holding the sporty end of the stick. Powertrain options for these two luxury vehicles would come from Daimler as a revised version of the V12 engine that currently powers the Maybach limos and which may even by hybridized. The jointly developed super saloons would theoretically cut the development time and budget...
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Filed under: Spy Photos , Sedans/Saloons , Geneva Motor Show , Mercedes-Benz If this is what the next E-Class is really going to look like, we think we prefer the lightly camo'ed prototype better. Still not exactly a beautiful proposition, it could just be that the car looks better in silver and black than it does in purple. If that's the final grille, it loses a crossbar from the current E-Class. And frankly, we wouldn't mind seeing it with that whopping emblem on the new C-Class front and center for some aggression. This could be a car where wheel choice -- and AMG package -- make all the difference. Not that it matters much, because it's an E-Class. It's going to sell like crazy no matter what. [Source: Global Motors ] Spy Shots: Mercedes E-Class originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Coupes , Hybrids/Alternative , Sedans/Saloons , Green , Supercars , Mercedes-Benz , AMG Click above for more high-res shots of the SL65 AMG Black Series Saying that "only a fool would ignore" the emissions of a new vehicle and the current global economy, AMG head-man Volker Mornhinweg realizes that it can't keep building gas-guzzling supercars with reckless abandon. Not that the company will lose its performance edge, mind you. In fact, hybrids and diesels could offer a meaningful performance boost if tuned properly. How so? Torque. Diesel engines are known for their massive axle-shreading twist, and electric motors, an essential part of any hybrid powertrain, make maximum power right off idle, allowing for an internal combustion engine that's tuned for stratospheric revs. In a recent interview with CAR , the notion of fitting a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter oil-burning V6 inside the C class was kicked around. Mornhinweg suggests such a vehicle is a distinct...
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Maybach , Mercedes-Benz Click above for high-res gallery of the Maybach 62 Landaulet Seemingly nothing - not the credit crunch, not miniscule sales, not its own lengthy, lugubrious looks - can kill the Maybach. People who have wondered how long Mercedes will keep dishing out tiny servings of the enormous cars can wonder no more: top guy Dieter Zetsche has said Maybach is here to stay, and that the brand "is not losing money." We don't know how a division that moved just 146 cars last year, even if they start at $372,000, isn't losing money. But the $1.35 million Landaulet should help things, and to be to be fair, Zetsche has said before that Maybach's profitability or otherwise is not the issue - the car is a suitable competitor to Rolls-Royce and Bentley . And Daimler has demonstrated patience: it waded through the rough times with the smart car division for ten years, and now has black ink and a hot brand to show for it. Gallery: Maybach...
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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative , Sedans/Saloons , Green , Mercedes-Benz Click above for high-res gallery of the S-Class BlueEFFICIENCY Mercedes-Benz really wants you to know how green its new line of diesel vehicles can be. To that end, the German automaker calls them Blue and capitalizes EFFICIENCY. Subtle, no? In an effort to earn the badge, MB has tweaked its largest and most luxurious model with a 3.0-liter diesel engine, a seven-speed automatic tranny that decouples itself at stops, a power steering pump that only operates when necessary and low rolling resistance tires. Those are pretty simple changes, no complex electric motors here. Fuel mileage, though, is rather good for such a large vehicle, coming in at nearly 31 U.S. miles per gallon. In contrast, the marque's upcoming S400 BlueHYBRID only manages about 29 miles per gallon. If this sounds to you like it makes a resounding case for diesel vehicles, you're right. It does. Unfortunately, MB only mentions German pricing...
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Filed under: Frankfurt Auto Show , Spy Photos , Sedans/Saloons , Geneva Motor Show , Mercedes-Benz If you're Mercedes-Benz, then what you have here is a failure to keep your photo shoots under wraps. First Autobild came out with bare naked shots of the 2009 E-Class , and now German magazine Auto Zeitung has more shots of the car getting some fresh air. With a minimal front end and a profile that rises seemingly without arc to a chunky back end, the car is reminiscent of a stretched Alfa Romeo Milano. We aren't sure how big these wheels are, but the car's increased upright stance makes them look exceptionally small. As usual with the launch of revolutionary E-Class designs, the car could take some time to get used to, but by the time E-Classes are clogging roads worldwide they will look perfectly natural. There will be some excitement in the engine choices, including a 204 hp turbodiesel Bluetec, a BlueHybrid lump shared with the S400 , and a 550 hp V8 in the AMG. The new E will...
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Filed under: Spy Photos , Sedans/Saloons , Mercedes-Benz The coming CLS appears to offer more of the same: the current CLS is based on the E-Class platform; the next one is expected to be built atop S-Class underpinnings. Other than bigger body with a wider track, and bolder styling to harmonize with Mercedes' current design language, not much is expected to change. That is usually the case with iconic cars. Having invented the category of the four-door-car with a more coupe-like silhouette, Mercedes could be waiting to see what its rivals -- from Aston Martin to VW -- will bring to the segment before it makes a revolutionary move. [Source: Global Motors ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Safety , Mercedes-Benz , Special/Limited Editions Click above for high-res gallery of the Mercedes-Benz S600 Pullman Guard Short of riding around in a tank, among the highest levels of protection while motoring are provided by armored Mercedes-Benz. The German automaker has been protecting heads of state and captains of industry for 80 years now, and to mark the anniversary has officially released the new S600 Pullman Guard limousine, which was initially announced way back in February 2007. Based on a stretched version of the standard, off-the-shelf S600, the Pullman is engineered right off the assembly line to withstand handgun fire, grenades and explosive charges to the stringent B6 and B7 ballistic protection standards. The extra weight of all that armor is pulled around by Mercedes' top-of-the-line 517-hp 5.5-liter twin-turbo V12 and is further supported by run-flat tires, a self-sealing fuel tank and integrated fire suppression system. Of course, the...
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Filed under: Tuners , Sedans/Saloons , Sports/GTs , Euro , Mercedes-Benz , Brabus Click above for high-res gallery of the BRABUS C63 AMG BRABUS, the German tuner of all things Daimler, has laid its hands upon the C63 AMG and somehow teased out an additional 73 horsepower from the sedan's 6.2L V8. With a BRABUS badge on the back, the C63 AMG produces 530 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque, up from 457 and 442, respectively. Called the B63 S performance kit, the engine mods include free-flow high-performance metal catalysts, sport air filters and new programming for the ECU with custom mapping. With everything in place, the BRABUS C63 AMG can hit 62 mph in just 4.1 seconds and ultimately top out at 197 mph. Of course, the rest of the sedan has been beefed up to support the engine with components like a BRABUS performance brake system, 19-inch wheels and a height-adjustable BRABUS coil-over suspension. Finally, the German tuner has a whole catalogue of interior and exterior accessories to set...
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Geneva Motor Show , Mercedes-Benz Autobild is hardly a bastion of integrity on newsstands in Germany, so its cover story proclaiming it has "Exclusive Photos" of the new Mercedes-Benz E-class "without camouflage" needs to be taken with the appropriate grains of salt. However, based on the various reports we've seen over the past year, these images of the E-class are spot on, if not official pics from M-B. The new front fascia is an interesting amalgamation of the C- and S-class' front ends, with an upright grille framed by two-piece headlamps, a sculpted front bumper and LED indicators. The sides of the new E incorporate a C-class-inspired swage line, while the rear taillights wrap half-way around the fenders. Autobild reports that the new E-class will be unveiled in March, so expect to get all the details from Geneva next year. Sales will likely begin in Europe next summer, with the U.S. model arriving shortly thereafter. [Source...
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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative , Sedans/Saloons , SUVs , Green , Mercedes-Benz , Volkswagen We knew last month that the Jetta TDI was qualified for the tax credit . Now, word is out that all of the new-generation clean diesels for Volkswagen (TDI) and Mercedes-Benz (Bluetec) will be joining the elite handful of vehicles that qualify for a federal alternative-powertrain tax credit. Formerly reserved for just hybrid vehicles, the diesels have been designated as advanced lean-burn-technology vehicles that meet the Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit standards of the IRS. The credits vary based on the vehicle. In the case of Mercedes, the ML320 qualifies for $900 while the GL320 is good for $1,800. If diesel still isn't your thing, the IRS has also qualified several Ford hybrids as eligible too. Of those, the highest credit (a sweet $3,000) goes to those consumers who take home an Escape or Mariner two-wheel drive hybrid crossover. [Source: Automotive News , subs. req'd] Permalink |...
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Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage , Sedans/Saloons , Tech , Videos , Mercedes-Benz , AMG Click above for high-res gallery of the AMG S63 There was a time when what we might call super-sedans were largely the province of a dedicated cadre of aftermarket tuners. Companies like Brabus, Alpina and, of course, AMG would generally start with mid-sized German sedans and transform them into something truly special. AMG in particular came to the forefront in 1987 after two decades of building special Mercs when they unleashed the Hammer. They had been building cars for two decades already, but the Hammer took things to a new level by installing a 5.6L V8 from the 560SEC coupe modified with twin-cam four valve heads into the mid-size 300E sedan. With that car, AMG set off an arms race that continues to this day. The tuners are still out there but AMG was eventually brought in from the cold when it was bought by Mercedes-Benz. Today AMG produces high performance versions of almost all Mercedes models...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Tuners , Sedans/Saloons , Mercedes-Benz Click above for a high resolution image We usually try and reserve judgment when it comes to aftermarket styling packages. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and different people prefer different styles. In this case, however, we have to take exception with this body kit from Wald. First the name - Black Bison Edition? We can understand the metaphor of a prancing horse or a raging bull, but this one just doesn't make sense. And the actual body kit? The massive rear wing on a Mercedes-Benz screams boy racer, and the excessive vents don't go very well with subtle German styling. The only redemption are the semi-attractive two-tone wheels. We'll have to pass on this one... Gallery: Wald C-Class Black Bison Edition [Source: eMercedesBenz.com ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Car Buying , Sedans/Saloons , Daimler , Mercedes-Benz , Earnings/Financials With sales of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class down 23 percent in the United States, and off nearly 12 percent worldwide, Daimler officials are showing concern. The luxurious S-Class is the most profitable model in the lineup, contributing up to an estimated 25 percent of Daimler's pre-tax profits, the drop is getting painful. With the exception of the new C-Class (up 38 percent), overall sales for the German automaker have fallen in the first six months of the year. In response, Daimler is diverting shipments of vehicles to China and Russia as those emerging markets have yet to see a slowdown. [Source: Automotive News , subs. req'd] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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