» Mercedes-Benz

Carlsson presents Ultra Light Mercedes wheels

admin — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:05:28 +0000

Carlsson, the well known tuner specialized in Mercedes-Benz cars, unveiled today its new set of -spoke monobloc wheel 1/11 Ultra Light, available exclusively in 21 inch. The new wheels not only look good but also improve the road-handling properties of your vehicle, due to the fact that there are one of the world’s lightest wheels available on the Mercedes tuning sector.

Press release:

Carlsson expands its Ultra Light wheel family with the 11-spoke monobloc wheel 1/11 Ultra Light. It is weight-optimized, available exclusively in 21″, and boasts an elegant two-part design. But because looks aren’t everything, it also improves road-handling properties. As one of the world’s lightest wheels of its size in the Mercedes tuning sector – one wheel weighs only 13.8 kg – you’ll notice its positive impact on comfort and handling.

Multispoked designs are ideal for optimizing weight distribution. Even spacing of as many spokes as possible help distribute the forces acting on the wheel equally. This prevents wall thickness of the spokes from being overly high and helps achieve the ideal wheel weight. Our use of the most modern forging techniques result in a wheel weight that is ca. 38% lighter than that of cast wheels with the same size and load. Unsprung mass on the wheel suspension is kept as low as possible.

Mercedes video SLR Speedster spy Car news and reviews

admin — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 15:16:12 +0000

After the first spy images of the future special edition SLR Speedster, today we bring you the first spy video of the car. You will have the chance to watch it in action, and OMG! that car is fast!

The car will be limited to only 75 units and will be priced around €750,000.

Quick test: AMG 2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 car news and reviews

admin — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 15:08:25 +0000

This being the fourth of July, I was going to post a blog entry about an American car. But having recently driven the Big Three of German compact sport sedans — the BMW M3, the Audi RS4, and now the Mercedes C63 AMG, plus their closest Japanese rival, the Lexus IS-F — I thought I’d devote this blog entry to the Mercedes, which is clearly the most American of this bunch. Think about it: The Bimmer, the Audi and the Lexus all use relatively small V8 engines (4.0, 4.2 and 5.0 liters, respectively). The Mercedes uses a big ol’ 6.2 liter engine — that’s around 379 cubic inches. And the exhaust note makes it abundantly clear that somebody who works at AMG owns a Harley-Davidson. Friends, this is a good ol’ fashioned American-style muscle car. Sounds like a good July 4th blog entry to me! Check out my 2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG test drive. — Aaron Gold

PS: July 4th is an extra-special day for me, because it’s my older son Robert’s birthday — he turns 12 today. Happy birthday, kid — I love you, I’m proud of you, and it’s great to be your dad!

Mercedes SLK by Inden Design car news and reviews

admin — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:07:16 +0000

Everybody knows that the Mercedes SLK is already a chic vehicle but with the new customization program from Inden Design the German vehicle shows even more sportivity. The new kit features a re-designed front bumper with new fog lamps and rear bumper featuring an air diffuser with integrated exhaust system.

In order to improve the handling of the car a new suspension kit that lowers the vehicle with up to 30 millimeters was added together with 19 inch alloy wheels. The sound of the engine was also improved due to the new AMG exhaust system.

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W221 - Mercedes S-class by Wald International

admin — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:53:32 +0000

The new kit from the Japanese tuning specialist transforms the W220 Mercedes-Benz S-Class into, well…the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The kit contains a front and rear apron, new side sills, trunk spoiler v2, fog lamp, sport fender duct, W221 look tail, a door mirror winker. In order to provide a better sound of the engine a custom DTM sports muffler was added. No words about the price yet!

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2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS will also be hybrid

admin — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:51:01 +0000

xMercedes is already working at the second generation CLS that will make its world debut during a major car show in late 2010 with sales following in early 2011. Big news is, that next to the standard engine, the future CLS will also be offered as a hybrid.

It will get the same powertrain as the forthcoming S400 Hybrid that will be launched at the end of 2009, which means that the CLS Hybrid will make use of lithium-ion batteries that not only weigh less but also offer more power than the nickel hydride units used in today’s hybrids.

Design will follow the basic shape of the current generation model adorned with styling elements from the German automaker’s newest cars.

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2009 Mercedes-Benz ML320 BlueTEC, GL320 BlueTEC, and R320 BlueTEC

admin — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:28:49 +0000

More so than most auto manufacturers, Mercedes-Benz has been committed to diesel engines, which are inherently more fuel-efficient and often deliver more torque than their gasoline counterparts. Diesels can have downsides, however, including low power output, dirty exhaust, and a characteristic clatter.

Modern diesels have dramatically curtailed these negatives while preserving their efficiency advantage. But although the engines are very popular in Europe, many automakers are unable to sell them in the United States because of U.S. emissions regulations, which are not only very strict but differ from one state to another. This year, for instance, seven northeastern states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont) have adopted California’s more restrictive emissions standards, which very few diesels can meet.

With the arrival of ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel in the fall of 2006, Mercedes-Benz was able to introduce the first diesel clean enough to be meet emissions regulations in all fifty states, the E320 BlueTEC sedan. (Nothing being easy with regard to diesels and regulations, the E320 BlueTEC in fact is available for lease, but not for purchase, in California and the Northeast. Go figure.)

The company’s other current diesel offerings, the ML320 CDI, the GL320 CDI, and the R320 CDI are offered only in 42 states, but come this fall, 2009 Mercedes diesel SUVs will be available from coast to coast (to purchase as well as to lease). The 2009 ML320 BlueTEC, GL320 BlueTEC, and R320 BlueTEC use the same clean, smooth, and potent 3.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injection diesel V-6 as the E320 BlueTEC sedan.

The output and fuel economy of the cleaner BlueTEC engine is virtually the same as the 3.0-liter V-6 in this year’s CDI diesels. Both the five-passenger ML320 SUV and the six-passenger (three-row) R320 minivan/SUV crossover are rated at 18 mpg city/24 highway. We actually saw an indicated 26 mpg on our test drive along two-lane back roads in upstate New York and southern Vermont, a route with few traffic lights and locals who were in no hurry.

Whereas the E320 BlueTEC sedan is genuinely fast - pull out quickly into traffic and the traction control has to intervene to prevent the rear tires from chirping - in the much heavier SUVs, the BlueTEC V-6 isn’t nearly as quick. The ML320, at least, is no slouch, and its advertised 0-to-60-mph time of 8.0 seconds essentially mirrors that of the gasoline V-6-powered ML350 (while easily exceeding the gasoline model’s 15/20 mpg EPA ratings). The ML320 BlueTEC is rated to tow only 5000 pounds, though, which is less than the gasoline V-6’s 7200-pound rating and also, surprisingly, less than the outgoing diesel’s 7200-pound tow rating.

The big GL320 BlueTEC isn’t as quick to gather speed, as indicated by its 9.0-second 0-to-60-mph time, which is notably slower than the gasoline V-8-powered GL450. (A gasoline V-6 is not offered in the GL.) But of all the BlueTEC diesel Mercedes SUVs, the GL makes the biggest fuel economy gains. Its 17/23 mpg EPA ratings crush the 13/18 mpg figures of the gasoline-engine version, even as it matches the V-8’s 7200-pound towing capacity. We saw even better mileage, an indicated 26 mpg, under the same conditions as the ML, which is really impressive for an SUV as big as the GL320.

Unfortunately, we ran out of time before we could sample the BlueTEC engine in the R-class. That vehicle sits between the ML and the GL in seating capacity (with room for six), weight, and factory-estimated performance. Although the R-class isn’t a bad choice for families needing more than five seats, it’s been a very slow seller, owing mostly to its untraditional appearance; it looks more like a stretched, high-roofed wagon or a minivan than an SU

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Fantastic renderings of the SL65 AMG Black Series and CLC Convertible

admin — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:17:54 +0000

We are in an era where technology is capable of wonders and magic. But one would agree the human element is inevitable, and talent and skill determines whether you can enjoy the result or feel dreadful.

The Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series is well, should be another case which demonstrates how much customization is humanly possible by a specialist company, whose ability sends a shrill through our spines. Some say this car is the outcome when you redline AMG. Others claim it’ll play the game of ’die when living’ with its drivers (we made that up, no one claims so)

Anyways, a talented artist by the name Jonathan has created a computer generated image using Photoshop of the Black Series which will go live very shortly. By the looks of it, John has done a terrific job. Some foretell this car is competent enough to reach 60 mph from a standstill in under 4 seconds, courtesy of it’s massive 6.0-liter engine that offers 670 hp.

Another fabulous rendering of the yet-to-be-released or planned Mercedes CLC Convertible has popped up on the internet. This time it’s a work of art by CWW Car design, who has also gone on to design a directory of other future cars. There is no plan as of yet by Mercedes to manufacture a CLC convertible, but if they ever do, there is no doubt that the production version would exactly resemble CWW’s illustration.

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Mercedes SLR - Renntech release Performance PKG2

admin — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:07:29 +0000

A year ago Renntech unveiled their Performance PKG1 package for the Mercedes-SLR which included upgraded intercoolers, larger crankshaft pulley and custom ECU software that delivered 722 hp.

According to the tuner, due to the demand of Renntech customers, the company released the Performance PKG2 for the SLR, which includes a motorsports-style exhaust system and new ECU software making the engine deliver 740 hp at 6400 rpm.

Available at a price of $26,990 the package includes new stylish Renntech Signature 10-spoke performance wheels, making the car more stable at high speeds!

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Mercedes truck - driver writes off brand new Skodas ,car news and reviews.

admin — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:06:00 +0000

To ensure this kind of devastation never occurs again, Topspeed suggests that the Distronic plus system found on the Mercedes S-Class which applies the brakes automatically when it detects an object at a close proximity, should be installed on the roof of the truck’s cabin, facing upward. G

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