mercedes-benz

Updated Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Leaks Ahead of Geneva Debut

Like the new C-Class Coupe, the updated Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG sports sedan wasn't supposed to appear before the Geneva Motor Show. But though the exposition is still over a month away, the car has found its way onto the internet.

Updated for the new model year, the C63 is distinguished by two major changes: one is the revised styling with new headlights, tail-lights and LED daytime running lights, new 18-unch wheels and upgrade brakes. Second is the new seven-speed multi-clutch transmission for smoother and faster shifts. It remains mated to the 6.2-liter V8 engine with its 451 horsepower (or 481 with the optional performance package).

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Tags: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, amg, c63, c63 AMG, mercedes, mercedes-benz

Mercedes-Benz Celebrates 125 Years of Automotive Excellence

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events, Art

Mercedes-Benz Celebrates 125 Years of Automotive Excellence

January 29 marks an important milestone in the history of Mercedes-Benz, inventor of the motor car and the world's most famous marque – on that day back in 1886 Carl Benz filed an application in Berlin for a patent on his three-wheeled "horseless carriage". Early critics claimed the contraption had no future; 125 years and over 80,000 patent applications later they couldn't be more wrong. Tomorrow night the company will mark the historic occasion with a gala at Mercedes-Benz World in Stuttgart featuring German Chancellor Angela Merkel as the guest of honor. "The invention of Daimler and Benz changed the world for the better - and it will continue to do so," states Dr. Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. "As the inventor we also have the claim to shape the future of mobility: with fascinating brands, green technologies and new business opportunities."

The central anchor point for the celebrations is the Mercedes-Benz Museum, which in 2011 celebrates its 5th anniversary at its new home in the Mercedes-Strasse in Stuttgart. In addition to the museum's incredible collection of classics, an exhibition from the company's collection of modern and contemporary art will be on display from May through September. Many of the works feature the history, models or design of Mercedes-Benz motor cars, such as Andy Warhol's legendary series of paintings CARS, created by the artist 25 years ago on the occasion of the marque's 100th anniversary, along with new work commissioned for this latest milestone. Along with various other events and commemorations meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz is donating and planting 125 trees in New Orleans City Park to aid in the Hurricane Katrina recovery effort.

Gallery: 125 Years of Mercedes-Benz

Tags: Andy Warhol, Berlin, cars, classic cars, events, Germany, luxury cars, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz Museum, museum, Stuttgart

Audi Super Bowl Ad Bashes "Old Luxury"

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

German automaker Audi is taking on not only Mercedes-Benz in a new ad it plans to run during the 2011 Super Bowl, it is taking on traditional symbols of luxury.

The ad, created by San Francisco ad agency Venables Bell & Partners, is a play on the children's book "Goodnight Moon." The voiceover in the ad backs up a camera shot that winds its way through a mansion of rooms. We see the mansion's exterior, a decadent table set complete with candelabras, some sort of exotic animal sleeping around the neck of a sleeping woman decked out in a party gown, and a fox-hunter lamp comes to life and turns its own light out. "Good night old luxury and all your wares....Good night bygones everywhere (the camera fixes on a Mercedes)." The video for the commercial is after the jump.

Audi of America chief marketing officer Scott Keogh says that his brand represents "progressive luxury," while brands like Mercedes-Benz and BMW are "old luxury." In an interview with Luxist, Keogh even referred to BMW as suffering from "Snookization," a reference to the fact that the Snooki character from MTV's Jersey Shore bought a BMW 3 Series in the show's second season.

Tags: Audi, BMW, Jersey Shore season 2, Mercedes-Benz, Snooki, Super Bowl ads

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Mercedes-Benz Launching Super Bowl Race and Ad

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Mercedes-Benz, which is advertising on the Super Bowl this year, is hoping to drive engagement with something called the "Tweet Race to the Big Game."

Beginning four days before the Feb. 6 game, four racing teams led by four celebrities (Serena Williams, Rev Run, Nick Swisher and Pete Wentz) will make their way to Cowboys Stadium outside Dallas from Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Tampa in specially equipped Mercedes vehicles, competing in a series of challenges along the way.

The winner isn't who gets there first, but who gets the most points-determined in part by which team generates the most Twitter activity (what Mercedes is calling "Tweet Fuel") along the way.

The teams are competing for a pair of 2012 C Class Coupes, so the stakes are high. Mercedes ad chief Steve Cannon says, "We think the combination of our advertising and the Twitter Race will create the type of 'living' advertisement that engages people in new ways."

Tags: mercedes-benz, Super Bowl 2011, super bowl ad, tweet race

Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Affalterbach Edition exclusive to Canada

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Mercedes-Benz is offering a special edition of its all-conquering C63 AMG sports sedan exclusive to the Canadian market, and it is a tempting piece of kit to be sure. Called the Affalterbach edition, it's named after the headquarters of the Mercedes performance vehicles division. Not that the "standard" C63 AMG needed much improvement, but this special edition is further distinguished by a special Magno Allanite Grey paint job with 19-inch black alloys, red brake calipers, carbon-fiber door mirror housings and a front lip spoiler.

AMG has also fitted the Performance Package as standard, giving the Affalterbach edition 481 horsepower for a 4.4-second sprint to 62 miles per hour – 100 km/h in Canadian metric terms. The interior has likewise been distinguished by black Nappa leather upholstery with contrasting red stitching and carbon fiber trim. Only 30 examples will be made, selling at CDN $81,500 apiece if you can get your hands on one.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Affalterbach Edition

Tags: C63 AMG, C63 AMG Affalterbach Edition, mercedes-benz, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Affalterbach Edition, Mercedes-Benz Canada

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe Leaks Out Before Geneva Motor Show

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

You may have noticed that Mercedes-Benz killed off the CLK model line a couple of years ago. In its place came the triumphant return of the E-Class coupe and convertible. Here's the thing, though: the CLK was originally envisioned as a two-door to bridge the gap between the C-Class and E-Class. And here we very well may have our answer.

Expected to debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, these images of the upcoming C-Class Coupe have leaked out a little ahead of schedule. And if they're anything to go by, the German automaker could have a real winner on its hands. It's expected to preview a facelift for the sedan and wagon of the same family as well, with a new front-end featuring prominent LED lighting, with engines potentially including four, six and eight cylinders. We'll have to wait another couple of months before firm details arrive, but in the meantime you can view the images in the gallery below for a preview.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe

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

Mercedes-Benz Ciento Once by GWA Tuning

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Back in the late 60s and into the 70s, Mercedes-Benz made a series of prototypes called the C111. They were at the very cutting edge of automotive design and performance, packing rotary engines into aerodynamically svelte shapes. Unfortunately they remained prototypes exclusively, and were never offered for sale. But now a company in Texas has replicated the form with even more modern technology.

Built by San Antonio-based GWA Tuning – an experienced Mercedes-Benz expert – the Ciento Once (Spanish for "one hundred eleven") has the same V12 AMG engine as the Pagani Zonda, with the rolling stock from the SLS AMG supercar and the brakes from the S55 AMG performance sedan. The shape is retro, but still avant-garde, while the interior mixes old and new with such touches as tartan-upholstered carbon-fiber seats. See for yourself in the gallery below.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz Ciento Once by GWA Tuning

[Source: GWA Tuning via 0-60]

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Tags: c111, gwa, gwa ciento once, gwa tuning, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz c111, mercedes-benz ciento once

A Look Inside Ralph Lauren's Billion-Dollar Garage

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wealth

We've written before about the automotive treasures in Ralph Lauren's car collection; now Vanity Fair has gotten an inside look at the lavish garage / gallery the designer recently built near his posh Westchester, NY estate to house them. Lauren transformed a former car dealership's storage facility into a shrine to the best in automotive design, with rooms dedicated to famous marques; the Ferrari room is pictured above, with a rare 1958 Testa Rossa taking center stage. The 60-plus ultra-valuable vehicles are all kept registered and ready to drive anytime the designer feels like going for a spin.

The eye-popping collection includes a 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic worth an estimated $40 million alone – the world's most expensive car – a 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Grand Prix, a 1938 Alfa Romeo Mille Miglia roadster, the world's only 1930 Mercedes-Benz SSK "Count Trossi" roadster, a 1957 Jaguar XKSS, a McLaren F1, a 1929 "Blower" Bentley, a Ferrari 250 GT, and the only Lamborghini Reventon Roadster in the U.S. All have been maintained carefully since new, or restored to perfection – and "sometimes beyond perfection," the magazine notes, as some have been painted in colors that the billionaire decided were better than the originals.

Tags: Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, car collection, classic cars, designer, Ferrari, Ferrari 250 GT, Jaguar, Lamborghini, McLaren F1, Mercedes-Benz, Ralph Lauren, Vanity Fair, wealth, Westchester, worlds most expensive

Mercedes and BMW Test Car Sharing

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

BMW and Mercedes Benz are testing car-sharing in Germany and the U.S. with an eye toward expanding the idea. BMW on Demand will provide drivers with a 1 Series for as little as €16 per hour in Europe (around $21 USD/hr). Those wanting a 5 Series can get the sedan for €23/hr ($30/hr), including servicing and cleaning.

Mercedes has a similar program in both Austin, Texas and Ulm, Germany, though that program is offering smart brand vehicles. Sharers of smart cars pay 35 cents a minute, or up to $12.99 per hour and up to $65.99 a day. Users can reserve trim levels and colors on the Internet or by phone, use the vehicle for as long as they like and drop it off in car-sharing parking spaces. The time behind the wheel is automatically calculated and the user's bank account automatically debited. The system works similarly to the dial-a-bike program run in cities like Munich and Amsterdam.

The companies are interested in seeing the interest from the car sharing programs in part because of research showing a growing lack of interest in ownership from younger consumers and increased traffic in urban settings.

Tags: bmw, car sharing, mercedes-benz, SmartCar

Sprinter Grand Edition by Mercedes-Benz Manhattan

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Some like to flaunt their luxury, and some like to keep it private. Mercedes-Benz offers no lack of options for the former, but for the latter there's the Sprinter Grand Edition.

Based on the common utility van and offered exclusively by Mercedes-Benz Manhattan, the Sprinter Grand Edition is equipped like a private jet, with reclining massage chairs, DVD player, 32-inch flat-panel televisions, wireless internet, a 30,000-BTU air conditioning system, air ride suspension...the works. But its list price of $190,000 puts it in the same stratosphere as the top-of-the-line S65 AMG performance sedan and SLS AMG supercar.

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Tags: mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz manhattan, mercedes-benz sprinter, mercedes-benz sprinter grand edition, sprinter, sprinter grand edition

Mercedes-Benz Updates the C-Class for 2012

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was not exactly in desperate need of replacement, but for the 2012 model year, the company has given the compact luxury sedan some subtle improvements.

Among the changes is the new C250, packing an economical four-cylinder engine that accelerates as quickly as the six-cylinder C300 but uses less fuel. The top-end C350 has also been updated with direct injection for 34 more horsepower, now topping at 302 overall.

Mercedes has also imbued the C-Class with a series of electronic safety systems, thoroughly updated the interior and subtly refined the exterior design with a new hood and headlamps.

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Tags: 2012 mercedes-benz c-class, c-class, mercedes, mercedes-benz, mercedes-benz c-class, mercedes-benz c250

Gooding's Time Capsule Cars for its 2011 Scottsdale Auctions

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, Events

Gooding will be unearthing some vintage competitors and a barely used road car to its 2011 Scottsdale Auctions next month: a barn find 1964 Shelby Cobra and 1965 Shelby GT350 R, 1964 Porsche 904, 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB, the purported lowest-mileage unrestored Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster anywhere.

Said to be the only unrestored Cobra in blue and red livery, the '64 snake spent 33 years in "storage" yet comes off as surprisingly lustworthy in spite of that. It began life as Carroll Shelby's promo car at SoCal racing venues, it was dredged up from the deep to do the Postwar Preservation Class at this year's Pebble Beach, and now expects to find a good home for somewhere north of $525,000. The '65 Shelby GT350 R is a one-of-26 was campaigned and did plenty of winning in the B-Production Championship in the sixties.

Another serious racer was the four-cam, fiberglass-bodied '64 Porsche 904. The one up for auction was used to beat Phil Hill, who was driving a Cobra, at Candlestick Park in 1965. Finally, the '62 Mercedes 300SL has so few miles that it could qualify for a barn find: 7,367 original miles in 48 years and still in the care of its original owner. And isn't there always a yellow Ferrari lurking anywhere there's a high-dollar party? This one's a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB, and it just goes to show that some thing never change. The bidding will begin when the gavel goes up, January 21-22 next year. (Images © Alejandro Rodriguez/Gooding, © Pawel Litwinski/Gooding, © Scott Nidermaier/Gooding)

Gallery: 1962 Mercedes 300SL

Gallery: 1964 Porsche 904

Gallery: 1964 Shelby Cobra

Gallery: 1965 Shelby GT350 R

Gallery: 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB

[Source: Gooding]

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Tags: 2011 scottsdale auctions, 300SL, ferrari, ferrari 275, gooding, gooding company, mercedes 300sl, mercedes-benz, porsche, porsche 904, scottsdale, shelby, Shelby Cobra, shelby gt350r

2010's Top Ten Cars Sold at Auction

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

The industrialist hordes lifting placards to bid this year's vintage machinery were not victim to the paroxysms of 2009, when a 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa went for $12.2 million and a 1965 Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe was swept away for $7.25 mil. None of the top ten trophies in this year's vintage bazaar provoked such financial spikes, yet the decline from first place to tenth was much more gradual: the sum of 2009's offerings was $51.22 million, while 2010 racked up $50.54 million.

That isn't to say the year lacked any monumental spasms: a 1957 Bugatti Type 57C Atlantic "changed hands," to use the clinical parlance of tycoons, for somewhere between $30 and $40 million. That, however, was a private treaty sale handled by Gooding & Company, not an auction result.

Ferrari made another top showing among the perp-walk of pageant winners, with prices spanning $7.26 million for a Ferrari to €2.8 million for a... Ferrari. But Jaguar, Aston Martin, Mercedes and Talbot Lago were also on the list of what ended up being a very beautiful party...

Gallery: Top 10 Cars at Auction - 2010

Tags: 2010 top car auctions, alfa romeo, aston martin, car, ferrari, jaguar, mercedes-benz, talbot-lago, top ten, top ten cars

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Chrome Grille Decanters by Nicholas Brawer

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Spirits, Luxury Cars & Autos

Chrome Grille Decanters by Nicholas Brawer

There's one in every family: someone who loves cars and alcohol...often in equal measure. And while we wouldn't condone driving under the influence, we do have what could very well be the ultimate gift for that special someone.

This set of chrome and glass decanters are crafted in England by Nicholas Brawer. Each of the five replicates the radiator grille from a classic Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz or Jaguar motor car. Price is available from the retailer upon request.

Gallery: Grille Decanters by Nicholas Brawer

[Source: Nicholas Brawer via Luxury Launches]

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Tags: bentley, bugatti, decanter, flask, jaguar, mercedes, mercedes-benz, nicholas brawer, rolls-royce

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Edition

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

It's been a while since we've brought you news on the Mercedes-Benz SLR Mclaren. And with good reason: it was discontinued a year ago, and the two companies behind it have since gone their separate ways. But busy as McLaren is with its own new line of supercars, they've found enough time to bring the SLR back out of retirement for an encore.

The SLR McLaren Edition is a kit to be mounted on existing models, giving the exotic a revised suspension, steering, aerodynamics and interior. Only 25 examples will be offered, making this even more exclusive than the five different variants on the theme offered previously. No word on pricing, but if you already have an SLR sitting in the driveway, something tells us cost will be no object.

Tags: 2010 essen motor show, essen, essen motor show, mclaren, mercedes, mercedes-benz, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Edition, slr, SLR McLaren Edition