Cars Reviews

It was nearly eighty degrees when I stepped out of the airport into the January San Diego sun. The comely AMG-branded blonde greeter immediately engaged me in lively superficial chit-chat as a black Mercedes S400 Hybrid was waved around to ferry me to the Rancho Valencia. The lifestyle immersion process of the AMG brand had already begun.

But it was just the beginning. Arriving at the resort hotel, shuttled to my room on a waiting golf cart, luggage in tow, I was dropped at the door to a private villa stocked with AMG promotional materials: my residence for the next several days.

With the Robin Leach treatment, you might think the car I was there to test--the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG--would be little more than a bit player, a bedtime mint on the pillow. It's anything but.

The Benevolent Dictator
Slip into the new CLS63 and get your driving position set, then stick the fob into the dash and give it a twist (yes, you have to--no pocketing the fob and pushing a button here), and the new 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 gently burbles to life, resolving to a low murmur at idle. Spin a few knobs and press a button or two and you're in M (manual) mode for the seven-speed single-clutch planetary-gear transmission, the firmest setting for the dynamic dampers, and, if desired, completely unhindered by traction control. Ready to roll.

And roll it does. Like a runaway train off the edge of a cliff once you apply a little boot to the fast pedal. Despite the elemental, force-of-nature wall of power, our observed fuel economy over more than 100 miles of highly spirited driving was a computer-reported 20.2 mpg.

Should you choose to leave some of the electronic nannies on--it is a roughly $100,000 car, after all, and initially unfamiliar at that--you'll find your play reined in only when you get seriously out of hand. Hustle the car smoothly and well, and you'll notice only tiny dabs of the brakes on individual wheels if you notice it at all. This car's computer is speed's friend, not its enemy.

According to director of vehicle development and AMG board member Tobias Moers, himself a skilled high-performance driver, the lap times of AMG's hottest shoes were the same whether ESP and traction control were engaged or not, and after driving it, we tend to believe him. That's high praise for the systems, and a welcome change from the lawyer-induced lackadaisicality common to the electronic minders of much of the 500-plus horsepower club. The Nordschleife time of the new 2012 CLS63 AMG? No one would give me a straight answer, but Moers did say it's in the "very, very low eight minute range."

Float Like a Feather
At 4,270 pounds, the 2012 CLS63 AMG is well into the heavyweight category for high-performance cars, but you'd never guess it from behind the wheel. Nimble isn't a word you'd typically apply to a two-ton, 113.2-inch wheelbase four-door, but it fits here. Nimble like Muhammad Ali, with just as powerful a punch.

The perception of nimbleness comes as much from the feedback you get from the steering wheel as it does from the well-tuned if a bit brusque-in-the-bumps suspension. The CLS63 sports AMG's first electrically-assisted power steering system, and according to Moers, that system alone took weeks of intense development and revision to perfect. The end result is indeed very near to perfection, or at least as close as we've experienced in such a large, heavy car.

A constant 14:1 ratio strips the vagueness and unpredictability of variable-ratio steering from the mix, leaving behind a direct, communicative, wiggle-free tiller that serves as much as a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) as the COMAND multimedia system does, and much more intuitive to use. Read More......

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Although rumor still has it the 2010 Mercedes E-Class won't be making its debut until the International Auto Show in Frankfurt next year, that hasn't stopped Auto Bild from showcasing the model in their newest publication. In the article, the model is displayed from a number of different angles, all without the masking that up until now it's been adorned with.

Before you get too excited, however, I do have to note that despite their quality, the photos aren't actually photos... they're instead high quality renderings showing an approximation of what the 2010 Mercedes E-Class will look like. Nevertheless, when compared to prior spy shots, the renderings do a commendable job at replicating the visible lines of the model, meaning the final product shouldn't be too far off from what's pictured before you.

We will of course keep you posted as new details of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class emerge; in the meantime, keep scrolling to see Auto Bild's 2010 Mercedes E-Class photos in their entirety. Read More......

Update: Mercedes’ upcoming SL gullwing successor may not be a Mercedes’ after all, according to the latest reports. The car will be the first production road car to be badged exclusively under the brand of Mercedes’ performance arm, AMG, perhaps to highlight the AMG Gullwing’s performance prowess.

The AMG Gullwing is expected to be shown in production trim at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show, while a concept is expected to be shown at Frankfurt next year. A convertible variant, most likely sporting a cloth roof, is expected to be unveiled in 2011.

The car’s exact dimensions have also been reported to be 4.65 meters long, 1.95 meters wide and just 1.25 meters tall, with a wheelbase of just 2.7 meters.

Mercedes’ decision to use only the AMG brand on the new car will also coincide with the release of the company’s first supercar since the end of its partnership with McLaren for the SLR.

Original: Mercedes’ successor to the original SL gullwing coupe has been spotted once again in prototype form and this time one of the car’s new vertical lifting doors has been revealed. Until now prototypes for the car, which is tipped to be called the SLC, have been heavily camouflaged, even wearing mock Dodge Viper panels.

The latest images give us a much better indication as to what the final version may look like, with a long hood, truncated rear cabin and short rear deck highlighting the design. An adjustable rear spoiler is also present, although the final design will almost certainly change before production.

The SLC has already been touted as the replacement for the outgoing Mercedes-McLaren SLR but its expected price tag and performance levels will position it closer to the current SL63 AMG. According to latest reports the final price of the SLC will be around €150,000 (approximately $234,196) and its world debut is slated for next year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. Production numbers are expected to range between 3,000 and 5,000 units per year and first sales should start in mid 2010.

Power will come from AMG’s familiar hand-built 6.2L V8 engine and is expected to top out at 580hp (433kW). The engine will be located up front but will be mounted behind the front axle for better weight distribution. Drive will be sent to the rear wheels via a newly developed dual-clutch transmission sitting in front of the rear axle. The SLC’s final kerb weight will be around 1,650kg and with the V8 engine the car should be able to accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 3.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 315km/h.


http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1541138701/bclid958607989/bctid1541138512 Read More......

Despite its somewhat confusing moniker, Wald's newest tuning package is anything but. In fact, it's quite simple, really. The Japanese tuning wizards started with the W220 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and they developed a range of styling components aimed to make the model look more like... you guessed it... a W221 S-Class.

In terms of actual execution, the Wald W221 Look package does indeed make your W220 S-Class look somewhat more like the latest-generation S-Class, but more importantly, it makes your W220 look just plain delicious. A new front and rear apron, side skirts and vented front wheel arch lend an air of sportiness to the former monarch of luxury, while the crème de la crème is Wald's 6.3-Liter AMG-esque wheels, which I'm going to place at 21 inches or so.

Completing the package is a rich golden hue - a paint color that although falling out of grace as of late, will not doubt re-emerge as the must-have color of 2011.

To see more of Wald's W221 Look tuning package for the W220 Mercedes S-Class, you can see a number of photos showcasing the goods immediately below.

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If you're looking for the latest in pure, unadulterated Mercedes tuning goodness, you've come to the right place ladies and gentlemen. Today we have the first glimpses of not one... not two... but five new tuning packages from the hands of the industrious designers at Wald. Yes, you heard me right: five new tuning packages. The C-Class, the GLK-Class, the SL-Class, the R-Class and the Viano -- these are the models Wald has bestowed their tuning prowess upon.

While I could attempt to describe the various features found on each of the new tuning kits, the photos do a far better job than I could ever hope to, so instead I'll let them have all the fun. Allow me to quickly note, however, that each of the Wald kits are currently in development stages, so you'll have to wait a bit longer before placing your orders.

For more info, keep scrolling to see the full collection of future Wald Mercedes tuning packages, or head over to the Wald website for their complete tuning portfolio.

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Mercedes-Benz and its in-house tuner AMG recently revealed its updated SL fleet but there’s one important model that we still are yet to see. The car is the upcoming SL Black Series from AMG, a super-sports version of the SL that could potentially upset the SLR flagship in the performance stakes. Heavily camouflaged prototypes have been spotted testing in Germany, each of them sporting new bumpers, widened fenders and an oversized GT wing, and now we have a new rendering that gives us a hint of what lies beneath the thick camo gear.

The latest Black Series edition will be based on the turbocharged V12 SL65 (pictured) but will develop up to 670hp (66hp more than the standard model) and 1,000Nm (738lb-ft) of torque. Engineers decided not to bump up torque levels due to the limitations of Mercedes’ older five-speed automatic.

The car has also undergone an intensive weight reduction program, which sees it weigh in 570 pounds less than the standard SL65. This results in a 6.1 pounds per horsepower ratio and should see the car accelerate from 0-60mph in less than four seconds. The car’s top speed will be electronically limited to 186mph although AMG engineers insist it’s capable of reaching 220mph when delimited.

To shed all the pounds engineers removed the car’s folding metal hard top and added a fixed carbon-fiber unit – this alone saves 88 pounds. The car’s bonnet has also been replaced with a carbon unit and more of the lightweight material was used for a new rear-lip spoiler (which rises at speeds above 60mph) and diffuser. The end result is a kerb weight of just 4,080 pounds.

Other modifications to the SL65 include a widened track, the addition of flared fenders, new Dunlop Maxx GTs measuring up to 325mm in the back, forged one-piece alloy wheels, bigger brakes and a new front grille.

AMG plans to build just 350 Black Series SLs all up and first sales are expected early next year. Read More......