With 617 horsepower and a 208mph top speed, topping the Mercedes SLR McLaren was no mean feat. Mercedes nearly managed to pull it off with the new SLS AMG. The gull-winged supercar was unveiled at the recent international auto show in Frankfurt to rave reviews. But it still falls a shade short of its predecessor's bragging rights, so the German automaker is reportedly working on an even more exclusive, more powerful and more capable SLS AMG Black Series.

Following in the Black Series that has given us the SLK55, CLK63 and SL65, the SLS Black is expected to gain some extra power and lose some weight to optimize that vital power to weight ratio. Sources expect the 563hp and 479lb-ft of torque from the existing 6.2-liter V8 to get a boost past the 600hp/500lb-ft mark, coupled with a 50kg weight-shaving scheme to drop the "stock" SLS' 0-62 mph time down from 3.8 seconds – already faster than 99% of the cars out on the road – to below 3.5 seconds, and the top speed up from 195 mph to 208.

Of course the added exclusivity won't come cheap: insiders expect the price to jump by half to over $250,000 when the SLS AMG Black Series hits the market in 2013.

Since its debut back in 1979, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class has been an automotive design icon known as much for rugged good looks as versatility; what other vehicle after all can lay claim both to having won the famous Paris-Dakar Rally and being deemed a worthy means of transport for the Pope? It not only constitutes the gene pool for a Mercedes-Benz SUV family that now numbers four model series in all, but with its 30th anniversary it's also the longest-serving passenger car model series there has been since Mercedes-Benz came into existence in 1886. Meticulously handcrafted at a special manufacturing facility in Graz, Austria, it can climb grades up to 36 degrees (80% slopes), and remain stable on lateral inclines up to 24 degrees (54% slopes) - and it rivals anything on the road for luxury finishes.

Only a few thousand G-Class models are sold here per year - perhaps not surprising given the $100,000-plus pricetag but certainly appealing to those who can afford it - making it the most exclusive SUV on the road, bar none. There are two versions: the G550 (the 2009 model of which my colleague Jonathon Ramsey wrote about earlier this year) and the supercharged G55 AMG, which delivers supercar-type performance. It's the one Abu Dhabi's royal family recently used to create an unrivaled bespoke offroad vehicle, and of course it's the one The Classicist chose to go cruising in. With its AMG-built 5.5-liter supercharged V8 engine kicking out 500 hp and 515 lb-ft of torque, it can do 0 - 60 mph in 5.4 seconds. Externally the G55 AMG is set apart from the G550 by exclusive chrome trim and "V8 Kompressor" badging as well as new 19-inch five-spoke wheels.

So yes it's a mean machine, but far from flashy; the utilitarian design conceals the sexy beast lurking within. Some find it too boxy, but we happen to love the retro military-inspired, no-nonsense styling; so damn many SUVs look like half-melted minivans. The only other thing that comes close to being as pedigreed, good-looking and tough-as-nails is the Land Rover Defender, and those haven't been sold in this country since the mid-90's. Moving on to the enticing interior, the G55 AMG features an exclusive Designo charcoal Nappa leather interior, natural maple wood trim and special AMG gauges to remind you what's going to happen when your foot hits the floor. A heated wood and leather steering wheel, power windows, and 10-way heated and ventilated multi-contour front seats round out the list of creature comforts. Added to solid axles front and rear and three electronically locking differentials to handle anything the terrain can throw at you, it gives new meaning to the phrase "best of both worlds."



A new COMAND infotainment system features a large color display screen with a standard in-dash, six-disc DVD / CD changer and a Bluetooth interface that allows a cell phone still in a pocket or purse to be operated through the car's audio system. It's also equipped with an iPod/MP3 interface, SIRIUS satellite radio, HD radio, and enhanced voice control system, as well as a 610-watt digital Harmon/Kardon Logic7 audio system that can play tracks stored on a data CD, DVD or SD memory card. It also displays maps and directions for the hard-drive navigation system, which are set up for SIRIUS real-time traffic info and Zagat restaurant ratings as well. If there's a five-star eatery on top of that mountain, you'll get there. To truly appreciate the G55 you need to head into the countryside and let it lead you off on some adventures: we visited Kaaterskill Falls, the Orvis Cup and the Vanderbilt Mansion to name a few. Sadly the G55 had to go back home, but we still have the memories - and some pictures, which we might show you if you're lucky.

There's been a horsepower war being waged between German automakers for years, and Mercedes has been one of the biggest armies on the front line. An endless succession of big V8 and twin-turbo V12 engines have seen to Benz's dominance, housed in everything from station wagons to sportscars. Following the likes of the SLR McLaren and SL65 Black Series, the latest of the latter is almost here. But while the SLS "gullwing" will shout the battle cry of the horsepower wars with typical zeal, confirmed reports now indicate that it will also offer a more peaceful solution in the form of an all-electric version.

While the conventional SLS will be powered by a 6.3-liter V8 producing 563 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, the electric version will produce the equivalent of 526hp and 649 lb-ft, offering potential buyers no excuse for sticking to the fossil-fuel-burning version once the electric model makes its debut. The electric Mercedes supercar promises to accelerate to sixty in four seconds flat, that motivation being delivered courtesy of four individual electric motors and a 48 kWh lithium ion battery pack. Given Mercedes parent company Daimler's recent investment of $50 million in Tesla, it's safe to say that the California startup will be helping out in the development, but while a launch date for the electric SLS hasn't been revealed, sources expect to see it on the road by 2015.

Even in this slowing economy, Zondas have been trading well over list, some even doubling their value as wealthy customers scramble to get their hands on one. So you can hardly blame Pagani, the Italian exotic automaker responsible for these imminently desirable supercars, for wanting to get in on the action. In fact we're thankful for it, as Pagani has released another very exclusive edition of the Zonda.

Following on the heels of the fixed-roof Zonda Cinque, which went so fast that one customer commissioned his own when he couldn't get one, the Zonda Cinque Roadster offers the same extreme performance and super-exclusive stature with the added bonus of wind in your hair. Because the Zonda's carbon fiber body is already so rigid, Pagani didn't have to add much extra reinforcement, leaving the Zonda Cinque Roadster capable of reaching a follicle-tingling 217 miles per hour, passing 60 on the way in just 3.4 seconds. Nice work if you can get it, but with only five examples on offer and a £1.1 million ($1.8M) asking price, you'll have to act fast to get one. Like, Zonda fast.

Despite tough economic times and growing concern for the environment, Mercedes continues to produce the powerful performance vehicles which enthusiasts crave. In fact, we just reported on a pair of the latest just the other day. Unfortunately few have the cash to spend on them, but don't lose heart: Mercedes has other ways of getting you behind the wheel of one of its legendary AMG performance automobiles. Already in operation in Europe for a couple of years now, the AMG Driving Academy is preparing for an American tour. Less than two grand will buy you a full-day Stage I experience in a variety of Mercedes AMG vehicles, including the C63, SLK55, SL63, CLK 63 Black Series and the new E63 AMG. There's also a more advanced two-day Stage II program, but if you want the full-on experience, Mercedes is offering participants the chance to drive the upcoming new SLS supercar ahead of its market debut at the legendary Laguna Seca race track in Monterey, California. Programs are also available in Palm Beach, Florida, and Lime Rock, Connecticut, so unless you live in Wyoming, there should be an AMG experience coming to a race track near you.

It's a sign of the times if we've ever seen one that Mercedes has chosen to debut its new flagship sedans at the Shanghai motor show this year. The German automaker has given the top-of-the-line S-Class a mild update for the 2010 model year, and has just released details and photos of the pair of AMG-tuned sport models at the peak of the range.

Like the rest of the line-up, the S63 AMG and S65 AMG get a new grille, LED lighting, revised front bumper and rear bumper with an integrated diffuser to help it stay glued to the road on those de-restricted Autobahns. The interior has likewise been updated, incorporating the full array of electronic systems to make driving these muscular luxury sedans a breeze. But it's under the hood where these two behemoths really shine: the S63 packs a 525-horsepower V8, while the S65's party piece is a twin-turbocharged V12 with over 600 horsepower. Both are aided by Mercedes' latest torque vectoring system to help get the giants around the corner. Although this is probably the last concern of someone buying a machine like either of these, but emissions and fuel consumption have been improved on both models by a meager 3%. Pricing has not yet been announced, but the previous models which these replace sold for approximately $130,000 and $200,000 respectively, so expect similar pricing on the 2010 versions, which you can view in the pair of image galleries below.

What's better than a Mercedes-Benz, you ask? A Mercedes-Benz with the AMG designation. The German automaker's AMG division, which takes regular old Mercedes vehicles and sups them up with hand-built, high-performance engines and classy bodywork, just turned 40 years old, and it's throwing itself a little party in the form of the Mercedes CL65 AMG.

Based on Mercedes' recently-redesigned CL-class, CL65 AMG purrs with the same 6.0L V12 twin turbo engine found in S65 AMG sedan and SL65 AMG convertible. The best thing about this engine, of course, is the mind-blowing 604 hp and 738 pound-feet of torque, which is enough power to get a school bus from 0-60 in a respectable amount of time let alone an actual passenger car.

For the image-conscious, the CL65 AMG excels, showing up in the company's "Alubeam" liquid metal paint job (usually reserved for auto show concept cars) and the kind of 20-inch wheels wrapped in wiiiiide-ass tires most of us expect to have to buy aftermarket. If the faux suede headliner and two-tone diamond patterned napa leather aren't enough to impress, several badges, including the AMG logo and "one out of 40" medallions (designating that the car is one of a limited run of just 40 vehicles) adorn surfaces throughout the vehicle. Because Mercedes expects the car to appeal to the gizmo-hungry among us, the Command Center sports numerous toys, including the traditional GPS navigation and even a race timer that allows the driver to time him/herself on a race track.