There's a good reason why Formula One teams make two cars with one seat each instead of one car with two seats. Well, there are a lot of good reasons, actually, one of which is being that F1 drivers don't like riding shotgun, something that is immediately apparent after watching this video.

Even when Infiniti took Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber to the Nürburgring Nordschleife in preparation for the German Grand Prix last weekend on the neighboring circuit, they gave each driver his own car, even though they each packed five seats. Now it's time for Mercedes-Benz to take its turn, bringing its own talents to the storied Green Hell for a little fun and publicity footage.



After Michael Schumacher took his junior teammate Nico Rosberg around the legendary track for a quick tour, it was Rosberg's turn to chauffeur his employer's new brand ambassador, David Coulthard, for a hot lap in the SLS AMG. This, despite the fact that Rosberg had never driven the circuit before. Good thing DC only found out that particular bit of information after the lap was done.

Source: AutoBlog

Owning a high-end performance auto is one thing, knowing how to drive it is another. At the Mercedes AMG Driving Academy (€370; roughly $530 and up), you can do everything from take a tour of the factory and get acclimated to the car to take racing lessons behind the wheel of the high-powered, race-ready SLS AMG GT3, all under the watchful eye of Mercedes' instructors. Oh, and we hear the beer in Germany is pretty good, if you're into that sort of thing.

Source: Mercedes via Uncrate

Swabian (from Swabia, a historic region in Germany) tuner MKB has released a new tuning packing for the Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series that gives the already powerful sports coupe more than 1,000-hp and a maximum torque of 959 lb-ft.

The package, which is known as the P 1000, includes a revised ECU, new air intakes, bigger turbochargers, improved cooling systems and high performance camshafts. The automatic transmission has also been modified to offer a variety of limited slip differentials.

All those modifications allow the MKB Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series to go from 0-62 mph in 3.6 seconds, 0-124 mph in 8.9 seconds and 0-186 in 21.5 seconds. Top speed has been increased to an eye-watering 230 mph.

The whole engine conversion is priced at €116,800 ($148,960 USD) and takes up to three months to perform.

Source: eGMCarTech

After all the wait, spy shots, leaked images and details, Mercedes-Benz has finally taken the covers off of the new 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS prior to its debut at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.

“Customers all over the world benefited from our bold move to launch a completely new vehicle concept onto the market�, explains a delighted Dr. Joachim Schmidt, member of the board of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Sales & Marketing. “And with its exciting de-sign, the new edition of the CLS also benefits from the fact that we are a whole generation ahead of the competition with our four-door Coupé.�

The new 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS carries a very striking appearance right at the front with a style that reminds us of the Mercedes-Benz SLS and the F800 Style Concept. Standing right out at your face is a grille that is dominated by the large central star. You’ll also notice full LED headlamps that are made up of 71 LEDs with the upper later containing an LED indicator. Moving onto the side, the 2012 CLS-Class features a slopping roofline towards the rear with sporty tail lights that also feature LED technology. The shape is emphasized by an aggressive shoulder line, which is clearly apparent from behind and supports the flat roof.

The interior has also been completely redesigned. No powertrain details are available right now but you can expect the 2012 CL350 to be powered by a 3.5L V6 while the 2012 CL550 will most likely get a 430-hp 4.6L V8. We’ll have more details as the Paris Motor Show gets closer.

Source: eGMCarTech

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 is ready to take on the racetrack with delivers coming in on time for the coming motorsport season, which kicks off in February 2011. Individuals and teams looking to purchase the SLS AMG GT3 race car will have to cash out a total of €334,000 ($429,526 USD).

“I am very pleased that the demand for this new and unique competition car is so great – there are many more enquiries for orders than can initially be dealt with,� said Mercedes-Benz motorsport chief Norbert Haug. “But, have no fear, the production curve will be ramped up step by step so that all interested parties who are serious about the SLS AMG GT3 can be served successively.�

While the SLS AMG GT3 is being tested on Lausitz Eurospeedway and the Sachsenring circuit, the race car is also being put through the curves and straights at the Nurburgring Nordschleife. The model will also take part in its first races in the VLN endurance championship later this year.

Source: eGMCarTech

Mercedes is working on a nine-speed automatic gearbox, according to senior engineering sources.

The new ‘box will be introduced on large-capacity engines, our sources claimed.

The ‘box is said to offer huge improvements in fuel economy and CO2 emissions, but development of gearboxes with more than nine ratios is unlikely.

Mercedes engineers believe nine ratios is the maximum that is technically possible, as well as being the most that customers will be able to cope with.

Source: AutoCar

Mercedes-Benz announced today that its upcoming 4.7-liter twin-turbo V8 and 3.5-liter V6 will post gas-electric hybrid-like jumps in fuel economy, 22 percent and 24 percent respectively. The engines will deliver more power, too.

Those numbers are not official EPA numbers, but are Mercedes' own estimates. Further, since a chunk of that fuel economy comes from the company newly standard start/stop system, it's not likely to show up as quite as great a fuel economy improvement on U.S.-market window stickers since the EPA's current testing standard doesn't really reflect the improved real-world economy that comes from this type of system.

The new V8 is a direct-injected twin-turbo unit of 4,663 cc displacement. According to Mercedes, the engine, which will appear first in the CL-Class coupe and S-Class sedan this fall, will pump out a healthy 435 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, up 12 percent and 32 percent respectively. Thanks to the direct injection system, Mercedes can run the engine at 10.5:1 compression ratio.

The V6 starts with a new architecture. It goes from a 90 degree V angle to 60 degrees. I has all-new intake and exhaust and will make 306 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. Mercedes claims that an S350 (a model we do not get in the U.S.) will achieve 24 percent better fuel economy than the old S350. Again, a large part of the improvement comes from the standard stop/start system. No word on when or in what model the new V6 will debut.

Another element of both new engines (and one that should be reflected in EPA fuel economy numbers) is the addition of ancillary units that consume less of the engine's power. These include the water pump, oil pump and fuel pump. Both motors will also come with intelligent generator management systems.

Source: InsideLine

Mercedes-Benz will introduce a new version of the S63 AMG this summer, powered by AMG's new twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8. The new engine was showcased last week in a preproduction version of the new S63 AMG.

The biturbo 5.5 replaces the naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 in the current 2010 S63 AMG, which delivers 518 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque.

Also fitted with gasoline direct injection, the new engine is considerably more potent, despite its smaller displacement. In standard issue, it will deliver 536 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. With the AMG Performance package, which hikes boost pressure from 1.0 to 1.3 bar, output rises to 563 hp and torque to 664 lb-ft.

Performance is also exceptional. Acceleration from zero to 60 mph is accomplished in less than 4.5 seconds, with top speed electronically limited to 155 mph. The AMG Performance package trims the 0-60-mph time by 0.1 second but raises top speed to an electronically limited 186 mph.

AMG also observes that its new biturbo V8, in combination with the Speedshift MCT seven-speed gearbox fitted with a stop-start function, has a combined fuel-economy average of 22 mpg — a 25-percent improvement over the current S63 AMG.

Source: InsideLine

Joining the F800 Style concept at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show will be the launch of the MercedesSport label. The new elegant and sporty individualization program features a portfolio of factory customizations by Mercedes-benz including light-alloy wheels, upgraded braking system, a sports suspension and mounted aerodynamic and some really nice styling components.

All MercedesSport produces will be produced by Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH in collaboration with the same designers and engineers who were responsible for the company’s production models.

MercedesSport is initially available for the E-Class Saloon, Estate, Coupe and Cabriolet. Other models will follow.

Source: eGMCarTech

The Mercedes-Benz F800 Style, which will be unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show, introduces a new "multi-drive" platform that can accommodate a fuel cell or a plug-in hybrid powertrain. More importantly, its overall shape and styling preview the next-generation CLS sedan teased last month in Detroit.

The five-passenger F800 Style is fitted for the show with a 300-horespower, direct-injected gasoline V6 engine and a 109-hp electric motor integrated into the seven-speed automatic transmission. Mercedes claims a total output of 409 hp for the F800.

The concept's hybrid powertrain provides 0-60 acceleration in 4.7 seconds, says Mercedes, with top speed limited to 155 mph. On pure electric power, the F800 has a claimed top speed of 75 mph and a range of just 18 miles. More in the jump!

The Mercedes F800's lithium-ion battery pack can be recharged from household current or a local charging station. The V6, we assume, can be replenished by a visit to the gas station.

Mercedes says its F-Cell technology also could be adapted to the F800, bundling a 136-hp, rear-drive electric motor that generates 214 pound-feet of torque with a fuel cell stack. Range on this version is said to be nearly 375 miles.

The F800 incorporates a number of other advanced technologies, including an enhancement on the automaker's COMAND system with a touchpad interface. A camera in the cabin records images of the user's hand on the pad. A transparent image of the hand is displayed over the menu functions, which are operated by applying slight pressure to the touchpad. Mercedes says the system, which controls such functions as climate, audio, phone, navigation and Internet functions, reduces driver distraction.

Benz's Distronic adaptive cruise control also gains added functionality. Now called Distronic Plus Traffic Jam Assistant, the system will be capable of automatically steering and following another vehicle into a curve at speeds up to 25 mph while regulating the distance between the two vehicles.

Next there's the PreSafe 360-degree collision avoidance system, which extends monitoring to the area behind the vehicle, automatically engaging the brakes milliseconds before an anticipated rear-end collision.

Access to the Mercedes-Benz F800 Style concept is provided by conventional hinged front doors and rear pivot-and-slide doors that open rearward. Inside are lightweight seats made of magnesium and carbon-fiber, backed with fine netting and trimmed in wood veneer.

Source: InsideLine

The closer we get to the 2010 Geneva Salon in March, the more automakers reveal their plans for one of the most important car shows of the year. Carlsson, the well-known Mercedes-Benz specialist, announced today that it will shake the covers off the C25, which it describes as the company's "first own-developed automobile".

And by that, Carlsson actually means that it has created its own limited run super-car using a whole lot of bits and pieces from Mercedes-Benz' parts bin.

Even though the tuner did not say which model the C25 coupe is based on, judging by the teaser sketches and the fact that it is powered by a 6.0-liter bi-turbo V12 engine, our first guess goes to the Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG. More in the jump!

Nevertheless, the drawings suggest that the C25 will have its own unique styling personality while the tuner claims that the same goes for the new interior that receives a generous use of real carbon, tanned buffalo leather and ultra-suede in special colors.

Underneath the sheetmetal, it's all about tuning Mercedes-Benz' running gear. Power comes from a tweaked 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine that cranks out 753-horsepower and a mouth dropping 1,320Nm or 974 lb-ft (!) of peak torque that's available at 3,750 rpm.

With that kind of power, it's no surprise that Carlsson announces a 0-100km/h (62mph) time of just 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 353 km/h or 219mph.

The completely street-legal C25 also gets ESP, ABS, airbag systems, an intelligent lowering C-Tronic SUSPENSION, 20-inch lightweight alloy wheels shod in 265/30 tires at the front and 325/25 at the back as well as 405mm slotted race brake discs at the front and 380mm race brake discs at the rear.

Carlsson said that it will produce only 25 examples of the car delivering only one automobile per country. More details and pricing are to be announced at the C25's world premiere at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show.

Source: CarScoop

If you like the size, simplicity and sound of the normally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 found throughout the current Mercedes-Benz AMG lineup, better buy one soon, cuz it's about to get the ax.

Dr. Thomas Weber, member of the board at Daimler AG Group Research & Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, told Inside Line that the current engine will be replaced by a twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8 starting late next year. No horsepower numbers were discussed, but given the current trend toward more usable, more environmentally friendly horsepower, don't expect numbers much higher than those for the current engines.

AMG vehicles won't be the only Mercedes models getting turbocharged next year. According to Dr. Weber, all 2011 Mercedes-Benz models with V8 engines will be turbocharged. Again, no specifics were discussed, but look for standard Mercedes-Benz vehicles to get a twin-turbo V8 in the 4.5- to 5.0-liter range.

Expect to see the official announcement at the 2010 Paris Auto Show next September.

Source: InsideLine

As the age old saying goes, when in Rome do as the Romans do. Not to stereotype, but you have to admit that the United Arab Emirates have had their fare share of gold-finished exotic supercars and as such, Mercedes-Benz decided to show off a special SLS AMG Gullwing with the designation "AMG Desert Gold" with a matt gold color at the bi-annual Dubai Motor Show that runs from December 15 to 20.

In addition to matt gold paintwork, all the decorative and mounted features like the Mercedes star at the front and the fins on the bonnet and flanks that are in shining chrome or Silver Shadow in the standard SLS AMG have been given a deep-black paint finish on the show car.

The same goes for the black-painted AMG light-alloy wheels in size 9.5 x 19 at the front and 11.0 x 20 at the rear that are embellished with a golden ring on the rim flange.

Mercedes chose to leave the interior of the 571HP gullwing-supercar intact, opting for black leather and carbon fiber trim.

The Stuttgart automaker noted that while the AMG Desert Gold treatment has been used only for the display vehicle at the Dubai show, if there's enough interest generated, the special gold paint finish could become available as an individual optional extra from the AMG PERFORMANCE STUDIO.

Source: CarScoop

When the end of one's life approaches, individuals are prone to reflect and wonder how they'll be remembered. A car, on the other hand, can't think for itself, so we'll have to take up the task in its stead.

A joint effort between Mercedes-Benz and its erstwhile Formula One racing partner McLaren, the SLR spawned five variants: the original coupe and roadster, the 722 coupe and roadster and the Stirling Moss edition... not to mention a racing version or two. Over the course of its five-year production run, more than 2,000 examples were built, making the SLR one of the most prolific supercars in automotive history. As the final examples of the Stirling Moss roll out of the McLaren factory in Woking, its parents are going their separate ways: Mercedes has sold its stake back to McLaren, acquired its own F1 team, and each has produced its own successor: the SLS AMG and the MP4-12C.

So with its production run drawing to a close, we can't help but wonder how will history remember the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. As the purest embodiment of the Gran Turismo? A fitting tribute to the original 300 SLR that dominated racing in the Fifties? The flawed result of a conflict of interests? Or perhaps as the roadgoing product of one of the most intriguing partnerships in automotive history? A full read at the source!

Source: AutoBlog

To put it kindly, we'll call the attempts to tune the appearance of the Mercedes SLS AMG gilding the lily. Although the folks at Kircherer were obviously not doing the same amount or potency of drugs procured by the gents at MEC Design, they have still managed to disturb the lines of a car that most feel needed no help in the looks department.

This is said to be Kircherer's version of a Pan-Am car, and it gets carbon fiber blackening bits all around, a rooftop air intake, Kircherer's trademark wheels, and a leering grille lifted from an Aston Martin. You can also get that grille in gold, if you wish. But there's only one part of the world where we see that happening.

Source: AutoBlog