mercedes-benz

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van Service from Brilliant Transportation

Increasingly concerned with comfort and less with some stodgy image, luxury buyers are ditching the traditional limousine in favor of more commodious modes of transportation. A few months ago, we brought you news of the exclusive Sprinter Grand Edition from Mercedes-Benz Manhattan, but if laying out $190,000 for the privilege of riding in an opulent van doesn't strike you as a smart buy, you may want to turn to Brilliant Transportation.

The luxury shuttle service operates fleets in New York and Los Angeles. Its vans -- based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter -- may look like delivery trucks, but inside they're more luxurious than a Maybach.

Four leather arm chairs and a plush rear bench distinguish the interior, along with a pair of 32-inch flat-screen televisions, with wireless headphones, satellite TV and an eight-speaker sound system. There's also wireless internet on board, a color printer and speaker phone.

If you're chartering a jet from coast to coast, we couldn't think of a better way to get to and from the airport on either end.

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Tags: brilliant, brilliant transportation, brilliant van, car service, luxury car, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz sprinter, shuttle, shuttle service, sprinter

Daimler and Aston Martin to Collaborate on High-End Maybachs and Lagondas

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Taking on the likes of Rolls-Royce and Bentley is no mean feat. In fact few are up to the task – not even Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler. The latter has tried with limited success to turn a profit on the Maybach brand, but the latest reports indicate that it's preparing to take a different approach.

Because Daimler is used to building cars in large volumes, it has been negotiating with Aston Martin for several years now on a new partnership that could see the British automaker – which has more expertise in small-batch production – build the next generation of Maybachs. Production would, according to reports, take place at Aston Martin's headquarters at Gaydon, Warwickshire in England, pictured above.

What would Aston get in return? The technology – including chassis, engines and more – on which to base its relaunched Lagonda brand, which is part of the company's portfolio but has not been used in decades. The first Lagonda luxury sedan could be built alongside the next Maybach, followed by a high-end crossover/utility vehicle based on the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class.

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Tags: aston martin, aston martin lagonda, gaydon, lagonda, maybach, mercedes-benz

Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teenage drivers are four times more likely to get into a car accident than adults. In fact, driving accounts for the leading cause of death among American teenagers. Armed with those kinds of statistics, Mercedes-Benz USA is launching its own teenage driver training program.

The Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy is mirrored on a similar program running in the UK, and aims to turn participating new drivers into safe drivers. The Academy is targeted as an additional training program over and above what states require in order to obtain a license, and Mercedes is even in discussions with local DMVs to integrate it into a comprehensive program as well.

Tags: driver training, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz driving academy, safety, teenage driving, training

Mercedes-Benz Zetros 6x6 Luxury Expedition Vehicle

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Mercedes-Benz Zetros 6x6 Luxury Expedition Vehicle

If you were going on an expedition and wanted to take all your luxuries with you, what would you pick? A Range Rover? Maybe a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen? Neither of these nor any other vehicle can rival the sheer capabilities of the Zetros.

Made by Mercedes' truck division, the Zetros packs a 7.2-liter inline-six diesel engine with 326 horsepower and 960 lb-ft of torque driving all six wheels for a 16-ton cargo capacity and go-anywhere capabilities. But while these vehicles are used by militaries around the world to move cargo, a pair of Mongolian businessmen -- one runs a mining operation and the other a brewery -- have commissioned a pair for their hunting expeditions.

The specially-made models feature full bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom (complete with shower, marble tiles and under-floor heating), 46-inch flatscreen TV monitors, outdoor grilles, Bose sound systems, self-adjusting motorized satellite dishes, wireless internet... the works. Their new owners use them for hunting wolves in the Altai mountains with an eagle.

Tags: altai mountains, expedition, hunting, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz zetros, mongolia

German Carmakers Tapped for Motorsport Safety Cars

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Sports

2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate F1 Medical Car

German cars Mercedes-Benz, Porsches and BMWs are loved by their owners for their meticulous engineering. But private consumers aren't the only ones who've noticed their capabilities. So have the organizers of some of the most prestigious motor racing series in the world. And though both compete at the top levels, it's not for racing cars that they've been tapped this time. It's for safety cars.

Tags: alms, american le mans series, bmw, bmw 1 m, bmw 1 series m coupe, emergency vehicle, f1, formula 1, formula one, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz c63 amg, mercedes-benz c63 amg wagon, moto gp, motogp, pace car, porsche, porsche panamera, porsche panamera turbo, safety car

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Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Just a month after lifting the veil on the new C-Class coupe, German automaker Mercedes-Benz has released its latest hot rod.

The C63 AMG Coupe brings all the hallmarks of the freshly revised for 2012 C63 AMG sedan into a two-door format. The coupe packs a 6.2-liter V8 producing 451 horsepower for a 4.4 second 0-60 time and a 155 mph top speed, or equipped with the optional AMG Development package, 481hp for a 4.3-second sprint to 60 and a 174 mph top speed.

Upgraded aerodynamics, interior, wheels, tires, brakes and suspension are also part of the vehicle slated to debut next month at the New York Auto Show in Manhattan's Javitz Center.

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe

Tags: 2012 mercedes-benz c63 amg coupe, amg, c-class, c-class coupe, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz c63 amg, mercedes-benz c63 amg coupe, new york auto show

RENNtech Mercedes-Benz GLK350 Pikes Peak Hybrid

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Back in 2008, Mercedes-Benz commissioned an assortment of aftermarket tuners to come up with their own versions of the company's GLK-Class sport-utility vehicle. RENNtech's was among the most impressive, taking inspiration from the specially-built racing machines that tackle the vaunted Pikes Peak Hill Climb but with their own hybrid drivetrain. Three years later, RENNtech's revisited the concept with a new version.

The truck packs a 3.5-liter V6 engine mated to an electric motor, and wears extreme bodywork and body panels covered carbon fiber. Mercedes is bringing the custom SUV to local auto shows across the United States before it is retired to permanent exhibit at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Vehicle Museum in Irvine, California.

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Tags: glk, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz glk, mercedes-benz glk-class, pikes peak, renntech

Mercedes-Benz Viano Avantgarde Edition 125

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Mercedes-Benz is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year with a special edition passenger van.

Called the Viano Avantgarde Edition 125, the van is available in either black or silver, with chrome everything and special 19-inch wheels. The interior features six individually-adjustable bucket seats, trimmed in either Lugano leather or Twin Dinamica microfiber.

Buyers can choose between two V6 engines (a 3.5-liter gasoline engine with 258 horsepower or a 3.0 burning with 224hp) driving the rear wheels through an automatic transmission.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz Viano Avantgarde Edition 125

Tags: 125, anniversary, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz viano, mercedes-benz viano avantgarde edition 125, viano

2011 Geneva Motor Show: The Luxury Sedans & SUVs

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Every year the Geneva Motor Show features a staggering array of new luxury sedans, estate wagons, crossovers and sport-utility vehicles on display. And this year's show, still ongoing at the Geneva Palexpo, has proven no exception.

Among the production and concept debuts in these diverse categories were new vehicles from Audi, BMW Alpina, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Saab and Volvo, as well as the return of De Tomaso. Follow the jump to see what these European automakers had in store for us this year.

Tags: 2011 geneva motor show, alpina, alpina b5 biturbo, alpina b5 biturbo touring, audi, audi a3, audi a3 sedan, audi a3 sedan concept, bertone, bertone b99, bmw, bmw alpina, bmw alpina b5 biturbo touring, detomaso+geneva+concept, detomasogenevaconcept, geneva, geneva 2011, geneva motor show, geneva+auto+show+2011, geneva+motor+show+2011, genevaautoshow2011, genevamotorshow2011, jaguar, jaguar b99, land rover range rover autobiography ultimate edition, land rover range_e, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz c-class coupe, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate, porsche, porsche panamera, porsche panamera s hybrid, range rover autobiography ultimate edition, range+rover+ultimate+edition, rangeroverultimateedition, range_e, rolls-royce, Rolls-Royce 102EX, Rolls-Royce 102EX Phantom Experimental Electric, rolls-royce phantom, saab, saab 9-5, Saab 9-5 SportCombi, volvo, volvo v60, volvo v60 plug-in hybrid

Continue reading “2011 Geneva Motor Show: The Luxury Sedans & SUVs”

The Classicist: Seeing Out the Season in Style with the Mercedes-Benz G550

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Spirits, Timepieces / Watches, Luxury Cars & Autos, Books, Men's Style, The Classicist

The Classicist: Seeing Out the Season in Style with the Mercedes-Benz G550

While in some parts of the country spring may already have sprung, here on the Eastern Seaboard we're still months away from cherry blossoms and G&Ts. In some ways this is the toughest time of the year – we're worn down from a long winter, yet the snow keeps falling – and it requires some tough gear to get through it in style. A key comfort of course is a vehicle that can not only handle the elements but keep them firmly in their place, while keeping you warm, dry and wrapped in luxurious refinement. We've yet to experience anything that can turn the worst ice storm of the year into a minor inconvenience with as much impressive panache as the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen. Not everyone loves its spartan exterior and sheer tonnage – just shutting the doors requires serious effort – but they're usually the same people who "swear by" their tin can minivans; we saw them stranded on the side of the road as we cruised by in the G550 on our most recent Geländewagen excursion.

Meticulously handcrafted inside and out at a special manufacturing facility in Graz, Austria, the military-derived G-Wagen is the progenitor of every Mercedes-Benz SUV on the road today. Essentially unchanged aside from certain key upgrades since it was first introduced over 30 years ago, it's done everything from winning the famous Paris-Dakar Rally to making sure the Pope gets to his appointments on time. With a starting sticker of $105,000 it's definitely something of an indulgence, but that helps maintain a certain exclusivity which is not without an appeal of its own. Only a few thousand models are sold here every year so you don't often see another one en route; while that means a certain amount of stares directed your way, unless you get one custom-painted bright red – it's only offered in an understated palette of black, grey, silver, white and dark green – those tend to be minimal as it's about as subtle as an SUV this size can get.

To help see out the season in style we have assembled a number of items which complement the G-Wagen's rugged good looks and provide essential assistance before, during and after the journey. For starters we selected a lightweight, trim-fitting down bomber jacket by Ralph Lauren Black Label (above left), made of supple goat suede with a leather throat latch and gunmetal hardware. The most stylish weather defender we've seen all season, it's the G-Wagen of outerwear. On the wrist we sported the new limited edition Breitling Transocean Chronograph (above right), a high-performance, shock-resistant, and damned good-looking watch on a mesh steel strap, while waxed canvas hunting boots from L.L. Bean Signature kept our feet warm and dry.

Gallery: G550 Style

Tags: Balvenie, Breitling, Dunhill, EvolutionMAN, G-Class, G-Wagen, grooming, Ledbury, luxury cars, Mercedes, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz G-Class, Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, Mercedes-Benz G550, Private Stock, Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Black Label, SUV, The Classicist, Thomas Pink

Continue reading “The Classicist: Seeing Out the Season in Style with the Mercedes-Benz G550”

Pope's Mercedes 600 Limousine Comes to the U.S.

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events

Pope's Mercedes 600 Limousine Comes to the U.S.

As part of the 125th anniversary celebrations for Mercedes-Benz, a 1965 Mercedes 600 Pullman landaulet (above) custom built for Pope Paul VI will be on display at the 16th Annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in Florida on March 11–13. The historic vehicle is making its first appearance on U.S. soil as part of a featured Class of Mercedes-Benz 600s at the prestigious event. The 600 Pullman was originally presented in September 1963 at the Frankfurt International Motor Show and quickly became the vehicle of choice among the world's wealthy elite; in addition to the Pope, Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Hugh Hefner and Coco Chanel owned one. The luxe limousine was equipped with Mercedes' first ever V-8 able to reach 0-62 mph in 10 seconds.

This vehicle built for the Pope was specially constructed with an individual seat for the pontiff that could be raised and lowered during the car's procession through crowded streets. An elevated roof, extended rear doors, and raised floor were also fitted along with other special equipment such as bulletproof glass. Over two decades, the car was used by three popes including John Paul I and John Paul II and was returned to Mercedes-Benz's Stuttgart, Germany headquarters in 1985. It comes to Amelia courtesy of the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart where it is one of many famous and priceless cars in its collection.

Tags: Amelia Island Concours dElegance, celebrity cars, classic cars, Coco Chanel, Elvis Presley, Hugh Hefner, John Lennon, John Paul II, limousine, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz 600, Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman, Mercedes-Benz Museum, Pope, Pope John Paul II, Pope Paul VI, The Pope

Five Luxe Car Brands Cited By J.D. Power as Service "Champions."

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Five luxury automobile brands were in the top 40 brands ranked by J.D. Power and Associates in its annual Customer Service Champions report.

Jaguar, Lexus, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, Lincoln all made the list. They were joined by two other luxury brands: hoteliers Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton.

Non luxe brands included in the top 40 were Zappos.com, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and retailer Cabelas.

Brands that receive the J.D. Power Customer Service Champions designation are among the top 5 percent of more than 800 evaluated brands, based on their performance in five key areas identified as the J.D. Power 5 Ps: People, Presentation, Price, Product and Process.

Tags: cadillac, four seasons, j.d. power, jaguar, lincoln, mercedes-benz, ritz-carlton, zappos

Continue reading “Five Luxe Car Brands Cited By J.D. Power as Service "Champions."”

Mercedes-Benz Officially Releases 2012 C-Class Coupe

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

After much anticipation and speculation, Mercedes-Benz has finally taken the wraps off the new C-Class Coupe. Slipping in underneath the E-Class Coupe, the C-Class Coupe is essentially a C-Class sedan with two fewer doors and a lower roofline.

It will be offered with two engines: the C250 with its 1.8-liter direct-injection turbo four and the C350 with the 3.5-liter V6. Both come with a seven-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive, with an AMG version expected to follow in April at the New York Auto Show. This model, however, will be unveiled at the rapidly approaching Geneva Motor Show, now just a few weeks away.

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe

Tags: 2011 geneva motor show, 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe, C-Class, C-Class Coupe, geneva, geneva motor show, Mercedes, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe

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Ranking The Luxe Car Super Bowl Ads

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi all advertised in the Super Bowl this year, and all three took very different creative strategies.

Mercedes-Benz ran a 60-second ad that tried to call attention to its entire current lineup of vehicles by juxtaposing them against decades of classic Mercedes-Benzes. In the ad, classic Mercedes vehicles start themselves and drive themselves en masse to a place where they can see the new Mercedes vehicles. Hip Hop star Sean John appears in the ad, having had his silver Mercedes start-up on its own and leave his driveway.

BMW ran two ads, one that showcased its all-new X3 crossover, and the fact that all X3 are built at the company's Spartanburg, SC plant. The other ad featured BMW's clean diesel vehicles, contrasting them to the image many have of diesel cars--sooty, stinky and loud.

Audi ran an ad for the new A8 sedan (pictured) depicting a prison break in a fictitious prison for the white collar criminals who are mostly the epitome of affected wealth. Audi, which likes to use comedy in its Super Bowl ads, hired Kenny G for a cameo as a riot suppressant warden.

Tags: audi, bmw, clean diesel, mercedes-benz, super bowl ads, Super Bowl XLV

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Audi's Super Bowl Ad Feature Kenny G and Prisons For The Rich

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Audi today announced that Grammy-winning saxophonist Kenny G will make an appearance in the company's 60-second spot during Super Bowl XLV. The ad will feature an adventurous prison escape scene that culminates with a cameo by Kenny G as the luxury prison "Riot Suppressor."

The gGrman automaker launched an online teaser video on youtube featuring an adventurous prison escape scene that shows the storyline of the ad. The prison is one for white-collar criminals, and obvious "prisoners" of "old" luxury notions.

This video and ad comes on the heels of an ad launched by Audi that pays homage to the children's book "Goodnight Moon," and tries to contrast Audi (defined by the company as "progressive" luxury against "old" luxury like Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Audi also kicks off Super Bowl® week online with multiple social media elements that allow fans to join the movement to re-define luxury. Starting today, fans can visit Facebook at audi.us/EstateSale and Twitter at http://audi.us/ProgressIs to RSVP to Audi's two social media contests aimed at saying goodbye to old luxury and hello to Progressive Luxury.

Tags: audi, bmw, kenny g, mercedes-benz, super bowl ads, superbowl ads

Continue reading “Audi's Super Bowl Ad Feature Kenny G and Prisons For The Rich”

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