Latest Car Part Onderdeal: mercedes

Showing posts with label mercedes. Show all posts

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Mercedes - Automotive Heritage for the Masses

In the 1960's Mercedes was aligned with German luxury. Their sports cars were exotic and their large models combined comfortable transport with a certain cache. The Gullwing Mercedes was particularly esoteric. Owning a Mercedes Benz was once the privilege of the famous and the wealthy.

With the advent of the Ford Sierra/Mondeo sized Mercedes 190 in 1985, Mercedes Benz ownership became more accessible. Granted, the three pointed star will never be synonymous with cheaper brands, but owning a Mercedes is no longer as expensive; neither is it as pricey to maintain as other luxury barges.

Mercedes have steadfastly branded their classes of vehicle according to the alphabet for many years. The A class is the smallest of the hatchbacks and the S class the largest of the saloons, with the Ford Mondeo sized C class, and the Range Rover competitor M and G classes residing somewhere in the middle amongst the B E and R classes.

The current S class is a technological marvel, loved by ambassadors embassie sand royalty around the world and always has been in previous incarnations. Famed also for its tank like construction, unfortunately the leviathan that was the 1991 - 1998 S Class was unable to save the life of royalty when it crashed at high speed in a Paris tunnel.

The baby Mercedes A class came along in 1998 and admittedly received mixed reviews, failing the now infamous Elk test (this is where Swedish car testers made cars swerve abruptly at 65 mph) Unfortunately the tall baby Merc toppled over! The problem with the car's electronics is obviously is now fixed. However in general terms this economical car opened up Mercedes ownership to a new group of people and made the marque more affordable to a wider clientele.

Mercedes has a reputation for innovation with inventions such as the Electronic Stability Programme, pre tensioners and curtain airbags. Most rear wheel drive cars, including Mercedes will punish you if you turn a corner too fast in the wet. I was in the supermarket car park in my Mercedes and the car almost pirouretted during a rainy morning. Thankfully the ESP did its thing and the car twitched briefly like an electrocuted eel before it retained its composure.

However many of the models, such as the 2000- 2007 C Class, retained the quirky foot applied parking brake and the dash mounted release handle for it. The company is also known for a fantastic range of diesels as well as some blisteringly fast V6 ands V8's. The AMG sport range of Mercedes cars melt tarmac.

Some say that Mercedes has declined in quality but that has not put off millions who own the marque throughout the world. The German car giant will always be associated with quality engineering, comfort and reliability.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

BMW Tops Competitors for 5th Consecutive Month

BMW continues to expand its lead in the US luxury car market against its main rivals Mercedes-Benz and Lexus. August was the fifth consecutive month in which the Munich-based carmaker was at the top spot with 20,815 deliveries, an increase of 6.5% compared to the same month of 2010.

On the contrary, Mercedes’ sales decreased by 1.9% in August, to 18,477 units while Lexus, which still suffers from the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake, dropped even more, by 7% to 18,103 cars. Thus, it is almost certain that,after 11 years at the top, Lexus will be relegated to second or perhaps even third place among luxury car manufacturers.

“This has been a very strange August for our industry, with both difficult news and unfortunate events –consumer confidence down and an earthquake, hurricanes and floods in the Northeast”, said head of BMW North America, Jim O’Donnell.

Despite this, BMW expanded its sales lead from the beginning of the year with a 12% increase, delivering 155,929 units. Its August sales were boosted considerably by the 41% increase in 5-Series deliveries and by the new X3, which almost tripled its sales, from 892 cars in 2010 to 2,382 this year.

Mercedes-Benz' year-to-date sales have also increased, albeit at half the rate (6.1%) to 148,409 units and Lexus, as we said, faced a sharp decrease of 17% to 120,652 cars.

Analysts, such as TrueCar’s Jesse Torpak, comment that the increased incentive spending has also contributed to BMW’s rise: “They are being aggressive: $299 a month for a 3-Series versus what you’re going to get for an Accord? Of course you’re going to get a BMW. It is selling down its inventory before offering a new version next year, as well as trying to secure the sales race victory over Mercedes.”

PHOTO GALLERY

Video: Canadian Police Confiscate 13 Supercars after Youngsters Speed Race

Ocean’s 13 got away with stealing diamonds, earning millions of cash and ruining their adversary’s life. British Columbia’s 13, 12 young men and one woman, all under 21 years old, got away with racing each other, reaching speeds of over 125 mph (200 km/h) on a metro Vancouver highway with a $196 fine each.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced that the cars impounded had a combined value of $2 million. These are the supercars that were temporarily seized:

2007 Ferrari 599
2010 Lamborghini Gallardo
2010 Lamborghini Gallardo
2009 Lamborghini Gallardo
2009 Audi R8
2012 Nissan GT-R
2010 Nissan GT-R
2010 Nissan GT-R
2010 Maserati Turismo
2010 Maserati Turismo
2011 Mercedes SL63
2011 Mercedes SLS
2005 Aston Martin DB9

According to a police report, two drivers would block traffic behind them by running side-by-side clearing the road ahead, while the rest would race each other.
“These drivers seemed to be looking for attention. Well, they definitely got the attention of the police” commented Lower Mainland District Regional Police Service spokeswoman, Cpl. Holly Marks.
However, the 13 offenders, of which only was the registered owner of the vehicle he was driving, will get away just with the ticket after being charged with “driving without reasonable consideration.” That’s because they didn’t actually get caught on the act, but the police acted on reports based from eye witnesses.
According to the Vancouver Star, if the police had been able to charge them with more sever offenses, they could have forfeited their vehicles!
Now, the young drivers will only have to pay the ticket and the costs of towing and storing their cars, which were impounded for seven days.
Guess when you drive a 599 Fiorano, a Gallardo or an SLS AMG, after this punishment you’ll just laugh your way to the impound yard…
Story sources: CNN & Vancouver Star

VIDEO

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG 2012

Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG 2012
All-new 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG features AMG V8 biturbo engine with peak output of 557 hp and 800 Nm of torque as well as the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission. The expected fuel economy of the new AMG is 28.5 mpg which about 32% increase over previous model. The new CLS 63 AMG accelerates from 0-62mph in just 4.4 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.

[Source: Mercedes]

Mercedes Benz CLS63 AMG 2012

CLS 63 AMG – THE BENCHMARK IN DESIGN, PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY

Affalterbach – Exciting design, ultimate performance and groundbreaking efficiency: this is what the new Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG is all about.
The top-of-the-range version of the four-door coupé is equipped with the newly developed AMG V8 biturbo engine, featuring a peak output of up to 557 hp and 800 Nm of torque, as well as the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission. On top of this, the vehicle's fuel consumption of 28.5 mpg represents an improvement of 32 per cent compared with the previous model (all figures provisional).
The combination of an AMG RIDE CONTROL sports suspension with an electronically controlled damping system and new front axle, newly developed electromechanical AMG sports parameter steering, and also optional AMG ceramic high-performance composite braking system, is synonymous with maximum driving dynamics. Visually, the CLS 63 AMG impresses with its athletic appearance and distinctive exterior and interior design. The model's standard specification also includes innovative LED High Performance headlamps.
"The new CLS 63 AMG continues the success story of the previous models, the CLS 55 AMG and CLS 63 AMG, which have delighted our customers all around the world since 2004", according to Ola Källenius, Head of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. "The CLS 63 AMG is a unique high-performance car – it sets new standards in design, performance and efficiency."
Like the S 63 AMG and CL 63 AMG, drivers of the CLS 63 AMG will benefit from an eight-cylinder powerhouse, designated internally as the M 157: the new AMG 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine boasts a combination of innovative high-tech components which, in addition to spray-guided direct petrol injection with piezo injectors, also include a full aluminium crankcase, four-valve technology with camshaft adjustment, air/water intercooling, generator management and stop/start system. With a displacement of 5461 cc, the eight-cylinder engine develops a peak output of 525 hp and torque of 700 Nm. In conjunction with the AMG Performance package, these figures increase to 557 hp and 800 Nm. Both variants of the CLS 63 AMG achieve exceptional performance: acceleration from 0-62 mph takes 4.4 and 4.3 seconds respectively, and the top speed is 155 mph (electronically limited).
The major difference between both power units is the increase in the maximum charge-air pressure from 1.0 to 1.3 bar. In addition, the CLS 63 AMG with the AMG Performance package features a special high-quality carbon fibre engine cover.
Quantum leap: fuel consumption reduced by 32 percent
Despite a significant performance increase compared with the previous model, which had a naturally aspirated AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine producing 514 hp and 630 Nm of torque, the new CLS 63 AMG is some 32 per cent, more economical – which represents a quantum leap forward.
The NEDC fuel consumption of 28.5 mpg equates to a CO₂ output of 232 g/km. Thanks to these figures, the new V8 Coupé from AMG not only undercuts all of its direct competitors in the small but refined four-door high-performance coupé segment, but is also more fuel efficient than significantly lower-powered vehicles. Both performance variants have identical fuel consumption and CO₂ figures.
Key data at a glance:

	CLS 63 AMG
Displacement	5461 cc
Bore x stroke	98.0 x 90.5 mm
Compression ratio	10.0:1
Output	525 hp at 5250 rpm 557 hp at 5750 rpm*
Max. torque	700 Nm at 1750 - 5000 rpm 800 Nm at 2000 - 4500 rpm*
Engine weight (dry)	204 kg
Fuel consumption - combined	28.5 mpg
CO₂ emissions	232 g/km
Acceleration 0 - 100 km/h	4.4 s 4.3 s*
Top speed**	155 mph

All figures are provisional; * with AMG Performance package; ** electronically limited
Exclusive: AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission
A major contribution towards achieving the unrivalled consumption figures has been made by the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission, a component used exclusively at Mercedes-AMG. Unlike a conventional automatic transmission, the MCT transmission does away with the torque converter; instead, it makes use of a compact, wet start-up clutch. Also fitted as standard equipment is the stop/start function: it is permanently active in the transmission's Controlled Efficiency ("C") mode, and switches the eight-cylinder engine off when the car comes to a stop. At the same time, "C" mode also means a "soft" accelerator response set-up with convenient and early gearshifts; moving off generally takes place in second gear. A green "ECO" symbol in the AMG instrument cluster shows the driver that the stop/start function is active.
The engine and transmission come across as much more agile in the "S" (Sport), "S+" (Sport plus) and "M" (Manual) modes; in addition, the stop/start function is switched off. In "S" and "M" modes, the engine management system partially suppresses the cylinders: interrupting ignition and injection under full load leads to even faster gearshifts than before. The highly emotional vocals are an appealing side effect of this lightning-fast process. An automatic double-declutching function and RACESTART function are also included as standard.
Autonomously developed AMG RIDE CONTROL sports suspension
The suspension, steering and braking system of the new CLS 63 AMG complement the high-tech drive system perfectly. The AMG RIDE CONTROL sports suspension, with steel suspension struts on the front axle and air suspension struts on the rear axle, as well as automatic level control, is enhanced further by an electronically controlled damping system; it automatically adjusts the damping characteristics depending on the driving conditions and reduces the roll angle of the body. The result: lightning-fast adjustment between optimum driving comfort and the best possible agility. The driver can switch between the three suspension modes of "Comfort", "Sport" and "Sport plus" at the press of a button.
The autonomously developed front axle, with a track width which is 24 mm wider, is the perfect match for the newly developed electromechanical AMG sports parameter steering. It not only features variable power assistance which adapts according to the suspension mode, but also contributes towards reducing fuel consumption, since the steering assistance system only draws power when the vehicle is actually being steered. The 3-stage ESP^® also has individual setting options – thereby providing a definite advantage when it comes to combining driving pleasure with absolute driving safety.
AMG ceramic high-performance composite braking system available as an option
Perfect deceleration even when driving extremely briskly is ensured by the AMG high-performance braking system with 360 mm, internally ventilated and perforated brake discs all-round. Particularly resistant, motorsports-tested composite technology is used on the front axle. The optional AMG ceramic high-performance composite braking system with yet larger brake discs guarantees an even higher level of braking performance as well as lower unsprung masses. Good contact with the road, meanwhile, is provided courtesy of the titanium grey-painted, high-sheen AMG light-alloy wheels featuring a new triple-spoke design and fitted with 255/35 R 19 tyres on the front and 285/30 R 19 tyres on the rear.
Intelligent lightweight construction: making a significant contribution
to efficiency
The highest level of engineering is also reflected in the body of the new CLS 63 AMG: the intelligent lightweight construction makes a significant contribution towards addressing the classic conflicting goals of low weight and high strength. Like the SLS AMG, the CLS 63 AMG is also fitted with doors featuring a full aluminium construction. They consist of deep-drawn aluminium panels with extruded sections, and are around 24 kg lighter compared with conventional steel doors. In addition, the bonnet, front wings, boot lid, parcel shelf, various support sections as well as major parts of the chassis and engine are all made from aluminium too.
Light-years ahead: LED High Performance headlamps as standard
The CLS 63 AMG is the first passenger car in the world to offer LED High Performance headlamps, which combine the exciting colour elements of LED technology – similar to those of daytime running lamps – with the performance, functionality and energy efficiency of today's bi-xenon generation. Fitted as standard, for the first time ever this new light system provides the Intelligent Light System already proven in Mercedes models fitted with bi-xenon headlamps in combination with LED technology. The headlamps, with their 71 LED lamps in total, underline the unmistakable appearance of the CLS 63 AMG. The light specialists from Mercedes-Benz have for the first time been able to use LED technology in the Adaptive Highbeam Assist, resulting in an entirely new level of safety when driving at night.
In contrast to the first vehicles equipped with LED headlamps, no compromises are now necessary with respect to the functionality and performance of the lighting technology. There are further arguments for the new, LED-based lighting technology: the average operating life of an LED is around 10,000 hours, around five times longer than that of a xenon light; moreover, LED headlamps most closely approximate the colour temperature of daylight. This means that LED light is in keeping with normal human perception patterns. Studies have shown that the closer the colour of artificial light comes to daylight, the less strain there is on the eyes. With a colour temperature of 5500 kelvin, LED light is closer to daylight (6500 K) than xenon light (4200 K). The LED daytime driving lights specific to AMGare also presented in two characteristic light strips integrated into the AMG front apron.
Exterior design inspired by the SLS AMG
When viewed from the front, the new CLS 63 AMG evokes associations with the SLS AMG – the radiator grille in particular, with its large Mercedes star and wing-shaped horizontal slats, appears to have been inspired by the gullwing. The top-of-the-range AMG model distinguishes itself from the other CLS variants with its distinctive bonnet, wider mudguards with "V8 BITURBO" logo and a specific AMG front apron with black painted cross member. Eye-catching features at the rear include the diffuser insert, the AMG spoiler lip on the boot lid, the AMG sports exhaust system with dual twin chrome tailpipes, and - as also featured on the SLS AMG - integrated rear foglamp. The AMG bodystyling perfectly matches the typical CLS outline, which is essentially characterised by the elegantly long proportions, the lateral dropping line and the muscular sports car-like shoulder line above the rear axle.
Exclusive atmosphere in the interior
This philosophy also continues through consistently into the interior. All of the AMG-specific design and appointment features ideally supplement the redesigned CLS interior. The wrap-around effect in the cockpit, with its high line which sweeps from the driver's door over the instrument panel support and across to the front passenger door, is generously flanked by high-quality trim elements – available in black piano lacquer as standard in the top-of-the-range AMG model. Quality materials and workmanship meet the very highest of standards and help to guarantee a particularly exclusive atmosphere.
The extensive range of standard appointments also includes AMG sports seats in nappa leather, a new three-spoke AMG Performance steering wheel with aluminium shift paddles and flattened top and bottom sections, and the AMG DRIVE UNIT with compact E-SELECT selector lever.
New driving assistance systems: greater safety
More than a dozen driving assistance systems on the new CLS help to prevent traffic accidents and reduce the severity of an accident. The Active Blind Spot Assist and the Active Lane Keeping Assist are new.
Active Blind Spot Assist warns the driver if it detects - with the assistance of short-range radar sensors - that there is a danger of collision if the vehicle is about to change lanes. Should the driver ignore the warnings and come dangerously close to the vehicle in the next lane, Active Blind Spot Assist will intervene. By applying braking force to the wheels on the opposite side of the vehicle via the Electronic Stability Program ESP^®, a yaw movement is created which counteracts the collision course.
Active Lane Keeping Assist is now also linked to the ESP^® for the first time. This system kicks into action if the driver inadvertently drifts over a solid line to the right or left of a lane. In this case, Active Lane Keeping Assist brakes the opposite wheels and thereby prevents the vehicle from crossing the line. A display on the instrument cluster warns the driver at the same time. If broken lane markings are crossed, the system controls an electric pulse generator in the steering wheel which generates vibrations for a short time – a discreet but highly effective cue to countersteer immediately. Before the braking system intervenes, the steering wheel always vibrates to provide a warning.
AMG Performance package with enhanced performance ex works
One of the highlights of the attractive optional extras is the AMG Performance package which is available for the CLS 63 AMG. It comprises:

an increase in the peak output of 32 hp and in the maximum torque of 100 Nm; genuine carbon fibre AMG engine cover
genuine carbon fibre AMG spoiler lip on the boot lid
red-painted brake calipers
AMG Performance steering wheel with Alcantara^®inserts in the grip areas

Exclusive optional extras are also available from the AMG Performance Studio:

AMG RIDE CONTROL Performance suspension
Lightweight, forged AMGlight-alloy wheels featuring a 5-twin-spoke design with size 255/35 R 19 tyres at the front and 285/30 R 19 at the rear
AMG rear axle locking differential with 40 percent locking action
AMG ceramic high-performance composite braking system
AMG Exterior Carbon package
AMG trim elements in carbon fibre/black piano lacquer
Illuminated AMG door sill panels
AMG Driver's Package (includes restriction of top speed to 186 mph, participation in driver training course at the AMG Driving Academy)

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Gold and Black Series cars previews

The new high-performance Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series is the most powerful C-Class of all time, boasting a maximum output of 380 kW (517 hp) and a

Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Gold

maximum torque of 620 newton metres. The AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine impresses with its hefty torque, tremendous pulling power and responsiveness, and ensures high-calibre performance: the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupé Black Series accelerates from...