New 2013 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG with up to 550HP Priced from $95,865

The all-new 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG will arrive in U.S. showrooms this March with a starting price of $95,865, which includes an $875 destination charge.
The base model features a 5.5-liter bi-turbocharged V8 engine rated at 518HP and 516 lb-ft. Even though these numbers represent an increase of 15HP and 44 lb-ft over its predecessor, the new ML63 AMG's combined fuel economy of 16 mpg is 33 percent lower.
If you need more power, Mercedes offers an optional AMG Performance Package that boosts output to 550HP and maximum torque to 560 lb-ft.

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Mercedes-Benz Sketches New Citan Deliver Van Co-Developed with Renault-Nissan

These are the first official sketches of Mercedes-Benz's all-new Citan, which the German automaker describes as an 'urban delivery van'. The Citan will make its world premiere at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hannover this September and go on sale before the end of the year.
In spite of the fact that Mercedes-Benz does not mention it in its press release, the automaker had previously revealed that the small van was developed in partnership with the Renault-Nissan alliance as part of their strategic collaboration, which includes several more projects such as the Twingo/Smart platform and powertrain cross-supply.
The Citan broadens Mercedes-Benz's offerings in in the lower weight classes of the van market, which include the Vito (2.77 to 3.2 tons), Sprinter (3.0 to 5.0 tons) and Vario (6.0 to 8.2 tons).
The German company said that the small van segment has picked up in sales these past couple of decades and has now grown to around 700,000 units in Europe alone. It added that it plans to gain a market share of four to five percent in this segment with the Citan, which equals to 28,000 to 35,000 units a year in Europe.

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Non-U.S. Automakers Displeased After President Obama Snubs Them at Washington Auto Show

On Tuesday, January 31, U.S. President Barack Obama�s schedule included a visit to the 2012 Washington Auto Show. The White House informed automakers on a two days� notice to bring their most fuel-efficient models to the show.
Naturally, they obliged. For example, Honda flew in the FCX Clarity from California, Kia brought the Optima hybrid and Mercedes-Benz a fuel-cell car. Carmakers also brought along their top brass to discuss green technologies with the President.
As Bloomberg reports, the problem is that Obama, who had half an hour in his disposal, ignored foreign manufacturers.
Instead, he spent most of his time with domestic brands, posing for the press with the Dodge Dart, the Chevrolet Malibu, the Ford C-MAX Energi, the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and the Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 (not pretty fuel efficient those two, by the way�).

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2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Five-Door Hatchback Filmed Totally Undisguised!

A bicyclist �no, we didn't make a mistake- captured footage of the all-new 2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class hatchback while riding with his team from El Golfo to Playa Blanca on the Spanish island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands.
It seems that the German premium carmaker was at the island to shoot video and pictures of the luxury compact model for its press material.
The A-Class seen here is the five-door hatchback model, which will be the first body style to be launched onto the market. Mercedes has already confirmed that the 5-door version will make its world premiere at the 2012 Geneva Auto Show in early March. A sportier looking three-door model will follow, possibly withing the next year.

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Merc SLS Roadster, new M-class, Concept A-class displayed at Expo

Click on the image to open.

Mercedes-Benz took up all of Hall 15 and presented a vast array of cars for the Indian car buying public to gawk at.

Among the production models dished up were the SLS AMG roadster supercar the new, third-generation M-class and a customised S600 Pullman Guard. The star of the pavilion however was the Concept A-class � a hatchback that previews the forthcoming design direction the brand is going to take. Built on the same MFA platform as the B-class that will soon be launched in India, the Concept A-class is likely to be sold in India in saloon form. And a swanky saloon it will be.

The car that attracted the most eyeballs, however, was the SLS AMG roadster. The SLS AMG coupe is famous for its gull-wing doors, so it�s good that the roadster version hasn�t lost too much of the charm in having ditched them. The powertrain remains the same � a 562bhp 6.2-litre V8 engine paired with a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission - and gets the soft-top roadster to 100kph in 3.8 seconds.

The new M-class improves on the previous version in almost every area, especially in size. Despite this, there are a number of technological improvements to keep emissions and fuel consumption in check. The ML has been introduced with a 3.0-litre diesel V6 that produces 255bhp and 63.2kgm. The styling is less aggressive, but more mature than before with softer edges and more chrome accents on the exterior.

The S600 Pullman Guard armoured limousine was on display as well. The gargantuan V12 limo is about as luxurious as a Mercedes can get, but it is also as tough as a tank, achieving VR6 and VR7 safety ratings � the highest currently possible.

Mercedes-Benz also filled the large display hall with various other cars from its current range, like the SLK roadster and CLS four-door coupe, as well as racing cars like the C-class DTM car and the SLS GT3 touring car.

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Mercedes plans exciting display for Auto Expo

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed its plans for the Auto Expo. 

The German luxury carmaker will showcase a range of new models and technologies at the upcoming expo. Firstly, there will be the all-new Concept A-Class on display which will also be one of the first-examples of Mercedes� new �fascinating� design language. This concept aims towards a future range of compact cars from the Mercedes stable. The A-Class concept was earlier revealed at the Shanghai Auto show and is based on an all-new MFA platform. Mercedes will also showcase alternative fuel technologies such as �Fuel-Cell� at the expo.

Another major highlight will be the launch of the SLS AMG roadster. This is essentially a drop-top version of the popular SLS AMG supercar already on sale in India.  The Mercedes stall will see as many as 10 cars on display that include the SLS AMG GT3 supercar as well as the C-Class DTM car.

Motorsport enthusiasts will also be able to get details on the soon-to-be-launched Mercedes-Benz-JPSI Performance Driving Academy which, according to Mercedes, is a first-of-its-kind platform for nurturing talent in India.

                                      

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New Mercedes SL-class pics leaked

Pictures of the all-new sixth generation Mercedes SL have been leaked online, ahead of the car�s official debut at the Detroit motor show in January.

These grainy brochure images of the new drop-top show the clearest indication of the car�s styling yet, which closely follows the design language used on the new Mercedes SLK. These include a large, open grille, angular headlamps with distinctive LED graphics, a heavily contoured bonnet and tail-lights that wrap right around to the body sides.

The leaked pics also include a first look inside the SL�s cabin, which, in the spec pictured here, features plush leather seats, door cards and centre arm rest.

As with the third-generation SLK, the new SL will offer Mercedes-Benz�s Magic Sky Control roof as an option. The roof�s glass structure, integrated into the hard-top�s aluminium frame, uses an electronically controlled process to alter the level of tint and intensity of the UV light entering the cabin at the press of a button.

Among the petrol engines set to appear in the new upmarket roadster are Mercedes-Benz�s new naturally aspirated 302bhp 3.5-litre V6 and a 429bhp twin-turbocharged 4.6-litre V8.

The new SL is to be the first large-scale production Mercedes to use an almost exclusively aluminium lightweight construction, which has saved 140kg compared with the previous steel-bodied model.

Mercedes is also claiming that the aluminium monocoque is stiffer than that of its rivals, the Jaguar XK being a good example.

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Mercedes to axe Maybach brand

Mercedes-Benz has recently revealed that its under-performing Maybach luxury brand will officially be killed off in 2013.

The decision to disband Mercedes-Benz�s upper luxury marque comes after lacklustre sales of the company�s existing 57 and 62 limousines and a recent decision from chairman Dieter Zetsche not to push ahead with the development of replacement models � the likes of which were tentatively due out in 2014 � owing to what one insider describes as a "positive move to focus greater attention on the Mercedes-Benz brand."

"We�ve come to the conclusion that it is better to cut our losses with Maybach than to continue into an uncertain future with a brand that has failed to live up to original sales expectations," said the insider. "Plans are already in place to fill the void left by the axing of the Maybach 57 and 62 with the next-generation S-class, which will be offered in three wheelbase variations, including a top-of-the-range S600 Pullman."

Moves to push Mercedes-Benz further upmarket into the segment follows an internal marketing study which came to the conclusion that it has more potential to succeed in the upper luxury segment against competition from the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce than Maybach, which despite being revered at home in Germany failed to gain traction in key world markets.

Despite the plan to dump Maybach, both the existing 57 and 62 will be produced through to early 2013, at which point the next-generation S-class is due to be introduced.

The Maybach brand was resurrected by Mercedes-Benz in 2002 following its failure to purchase Rolls-Royce and Bentley from then owner Vickers after being outbid by Volkswagen, which then ceded control of Rolls-Royce to BMW.

The original Maybach models, the 57 and 62, were named after their respective lengths of 5735mm and 6170mm. Both were based around stretched underpinnings of the already superceded third-generation S-class, first introduced in 1991.

A recent proposal to involve Aston Martin in the development of future Maybach models was abandoned in early 2011.

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Mercedes CLS 350 review, test drive

The long right-hander ahead stretches as far as I can see. Almost subconsciously, I pile a bit more pressure on the throttle. The suspension hunkers down, the rear wheels bite the tarmac a little bit harder and, apart from the increase in pace, everything remains completely calm inside the cabin. What�s immediately clear is that, though this car is based on the current E-class, the new CLS delivers a driving experience that surpasses its donor. The nearly 2.9-metre wheelbase and wide footprint give it amazing stability around longer corners, and once settled into the bend, the near-five-metre length and 1735kg kerb weight seem to some
how shrink. The Airmatic suspension lowers th
e ride height, the suspension gets a bit stiffer when you select Sport, and the already impressive body control tightens up even further.
The direct, electromechanical steering is lacking in feel, but it is very precise and that makes it easy to place the immense CLS in a corner quite easily, even at triple-digit speeds. However, more weight and feedback would have been welcome. Through sharper corners, it becomes apparent that the CLS is no lightweight supercar. Push it hard and the rear-wheel-drive car understeers and the ESP cuts in rapidly. Get carried away and take your eyes off the clocks, and you�ll find yourself at speeds worryingly close to the two-tonne mark. Which is why more bite and feel from the first few millimetres of brake travel would have been nice too.It may be called a 350 like the E-cla
ss, but this motor is different. Developing a much healthier 306bhp and 37kgm of torque this creamy-smooth, direct-injection engine has ample torque right from 1500rpm. In many cars, the message from the accelerator seems to pass through a government agency and a translation service before reaching the engine. But in the CLS the right pedal and the motor seem to be connected via ESP (Extra-Sensory Perception). A light dab of the accelerator sends the CLS rolling forward smoothly. Press down with greater urgency and the motor hauls you forward briskly, and like all very torquey motors, the resulting change often pins your head to headrest. The 7G-tronic gearbox, however, is a bit slow on the downshift and using the paddles can be a bit frustrating at times. All put together, the CLS manages 0-100kph in a claimed 6.95 seconds, which is plenty quick.
Back in 2004 I dismissed the first-generation CLS as unnecessary and frumpy. But that was only until I saw it in the metal. After that I promptly fell hopelessly and nonsensically in love with it. Mercedes� second take on the four-door coupe design is also a bit hard to swallow. Although this time, I�m giving it a more patient hearing. The new C218 CLS is attention grabbing, albeit in a technical and futuristic manner. While the last CLS� design could be represented with just a few light strokes, the new CLS has a frenzy of highlights and a barrage of hectic lines. There is plenty of muscle here and the low roof, tight-fitting boot and the LED lamps give it a presence you just can�t ignore, and that�s just what Merc wants. Taking it easy in the CLS is quite rewarding too. In Comfort mode, a thick carpet seems to cushion the ride and passengers are not tossed around. However, some thuds over deep ruts do reveal an underlying stiffness, but that is only to be expected.
Passengers won�t feel short-changed in the CLS either. It exudes a dignified ambience, the rear seats are sculpted to feel almost like bucket seats, and though there is space only for two in the rear, this is a genuinely usable backseat that offers great underthigh support. It doesn�t hurt that the CLS has almost the same amount of legroom in the rear as an S-Class either. However, headroom is in short supply and the low roof demands some dexterity when getting in or out.
While it can be argued that the new CLS can�t top its predecessor for sheer class, there is no doubt it is a much better car. It is very attractive to look at, very quick both in a straight line and around corners, and it is very comfortable and very refined as well. It is beautifully built, will stand out as something special in any parking lot and the Rs 71.1-lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai) price isn�t too bad either, considering this car looks like it could cost upwards of a crore. Wish you could buy it with a diesel though.

Fact File

Price Range (in lakhs)*

Ex-showroom price

Rs 71.1 lakh, (ex-showroom, Mumbai)

Engine

Fuel	Petrol
Installation	Front, longitudinal
Type	6-cyls in-vee, 3498cc
Power	306bhp at 6500rpm
Torque	37.7kgm at 3500-5250rpm
Power to weight	176.4bhp per tonne

Transmission

Gearbox

7-speed automatic

Dimensions

Length	4940mm
Width	1881mm
Height	1416mm

Chassis & Body

Weight	1735kg
Tyres	245/45R 17

Suspension

Front

MacPherson

Brakes

Front	Vented discs
Rear	discs

Economy

Tank size

89 litres

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Lexus launch in India confirmed

Toyota has officially confirmed that it will introduce the Lexus brand in India by 2013. The Japanese carmaker has been evaluating the feasibility of its luxury brand in India for several years now and has finally decided to go ahead with the launch. �We have been watching India with keen interest and we are happy to announce that we will bring Lexus to India in 2013� confirmed Yukitoshi Funo, executive vice-president of Toyota Motor Corporation.

The Lexus range will be sold through dedicated dealerships, though several Toyota dealers are likely to take up the franchise to take advantage of their service set up that requires common equipment for both brands. However, Toyota will take a very cautious and diligent approach to appointing dealerships. �We would rather have a few, quality dealerships than a large number of mediocre outlets� said Funo who also emphasised that he wanted to differentiate Lexus from its German rivals. Last month Kazuo Ohara, who oversees the Lexus brand globally, made a visit to India and gave the green light after intense market research, which included studying the dealer and service outlets of other brands.

Toyota plans to follow a top-down strategy and the initial plan is to introduce the LS saloon and RX SUV, both premium luxury models. This is likely to be followed by the GS executive luxury saloon which competes directly with the E-class and 5-series.

The company will initially bring the Lexus range as imports or completely built-up (CBU) units to test the market before considering local assembly. �We need consider local production to compete with the others in the market, but this is still being studied,� said Funo. It is likely that the compact IS models will be locally assembled in time.

The initial feedback and market studies for the Lexus brand have been very encouraging. �The Indian consumers� awareness of Lexus is quite surprising and much more than we anticipated,� said Funo. However, the challenge will be to price the cars competitively, especially since Lexus will initially import cars and will be at a cost disadvantage in comparison to rival luxury brands that locally assemble and hence pay lower duty. Also, there is no diesel engine in the Lexus range which could be another disadvantage. However, Lexus will introduce its hybrid technology, which could click with customers looking for the ultimate in refinement.

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Aluminium tech for next Mercedes SL

Nov 23, 2011

Mercedes will unveil its sixth-generation SL roadster next year. The new SL roadster will be the very first Mercedes in large-scale series production to use an almost exclusively aluminium lightweight construction.

At a preview event held close to last week�s Los Angeles Motor Show, Mercedes showed journalists a completed example of the new two-seater grand convertible�s �body-in-white� superstructure.

Made from a mix of chill cast, vacuum die-cast, stamped and extruded aluminium, it allows the finished 2012 SL to be 140kg lighter than the outgoing steel car, and 20 percent more torsionally rigid � to the enhancement of handling precision, rolling refinement, performance and fuel-efficiency.

Mercedes� CAD-optimised design for the SL�s monocoque is even stiffer than other aluminium-constructed rivals � or so the firm claims. �Our engineers have measured a Jaguar XK�s body stiffness at around 16,000Nm per degree of torsional deflection,� said SL Product Manager Bernd Stegmann. �The new SL has just under 20,000Nm per degree.�

The various metal castings and tailored blanks of the SL�s body-in-white are connected via different methods, depending on how much load they transmit. While some parts of the underbody are MIG welded, hemmed, bonded and bolted, others are joined via state-of-the-art friction stir welding � a technique that allows for particularly stiff, precise joins.

With mainly aluminium body panels, the only significant parts of the new Mercedes that aren�t aluminium are its pedestrian-protection-oriented plastic �soft nose� grille, its super-lightweight magnesium rear bulkhead, and its tubular steel A-pillars and header rail. Steel is chosen here for its extremely high strength in the event of a rollover.

Mercedes� engineers wouldn�t be drawn to confirm very many other details about the new convertible last week, which will be unveiled in the flesh at the Detroit motor show in January. But Stegmann did tell Autocar that diesel or petrol-electric hybrid versions of the SL had been ruled out.

�SL customers are extremely loyal, and they know what they want from the car,� he said. �Quality, refinement, safety, design appeal, and a certain amount of dynamic ability. But most of these cars are the third or fourth in someone�s collection: so fuel economy really isn�t a priority.�

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Petrol Ventos, Mercs for a steal

The Mahindra First Choice Super Store at Goregaon, Mumbai, has on offer six 1.6-litre petrol VW Vento Autos for Rs 7.75 lakh each. Manufactured in the year 2011, these cars have only clocked 2800-12000km on the odo, and are still under factory warranty.

Also on sale is a 2008 VW Passat diesel for Rs 12.50 lakh and an October 2009 Jetta that has been driven 23,000km for Rs 12 lakh. In the premium segment, there are two BMW 3-series� � a 2008 320i for Rs 16 lakh and a 2010 320d for Rs 26 lakh. The Mercs on offer include a 2011 Mercedes E350 petrol priced at Rs 40 lakh, a 2010 C200 retailing for Rs 20 lakh and a 2002 E240 at Rs 12.50 lakh.

All these cars come with a one-year First Choice 24/7 road-side assistance service.

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Big end-of-year discounts on luxury cars

The luxury car market is full of serious discounts this month and leading the way is the German trio. Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi are offering selected models at prices difficult to resist.

Leading the way is Mercedes-Benz with the E200 CGI. The premium saloon is being offered with a Rs 5.5-lakh cash discount and a petro card worth Rs 2.5 lakh (3,500 litres approximately). This adds up to a massive Rs 8-lakh benefit. The base petrol variant will now cost you only Rs 40 lakh as against Rs 45 lakh on-road Mumbai. The E200 CGI has the same engine used in the C-class developing 183bhp from its 1.8-litre unit. Add the luxuries and space of an E for just about Rs 5 lakh more than the similarly specced C-class and it makes a compelling case for itself. 

Audi is offering a Rs 5 lakh discount on the A4 petrol models too. That�s approximately 15 percent off the sticker price for the entry-level Audi 1.8 TFSI. It now retails at just around Rs 30 lakh. The 1.8 TFSI develops 160bhp and 25.5kgm of torque.
Not one to miss the boat, BMW will sell you the 320i and 320d Highline models with a Rs 4.5-lakh discount and the Corporate Edition with Rs 2 lakh knocked off the price tag. The 5-series too is being offered with a Rs 1.5-lakh discount. The base variants of the driver-focused 3-series are now priced on par with the X1. The 320i develops 154bhp and 20.4kgm of torque and the 320d churns out 174bhp from its 2.0-litre engine.
BMW sold 330 units of the 5-series in September and Mercedes matched it with 333 units of the E-class. Audi managed to sell 259 units of A4 in the same period, while the 3-series sold 220 units.

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Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is an Anglo-German sports car accordingly developed by Mercedes-Benz and McLaren Automotive, congenital in Portsmouth and the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England and awash from 2003 to 2009. When it was developed, Mercedes-Benz endemic 40 percent of the McLaren Group.Due to the automated accessory box, advanced mid-engined arrangement, and its active characteristics, some commentators allocate the SLR McLaren as a GT, whose rivals would be cartage such as the Aston Martin DBS V12 and Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.SLR stands for "Sport, Leicht, Rennsport" (sport, light, racing). Mercedes-Benz declared that they would body 3,500 SLRs over seven years, with an anniversary assembly of 500 cars. The car's abject price, GB�295,337 (approx. US$450,000, �350,000, CHF 500,000 or C$ 500,000. 2009), fabricated it the ninth best big-ticket street-legal car in the year 2008.

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Mercedes-Benz Presents Special Edition ML 63 AMG Models

Marking the 10th anniversary from the introduction of the first generation ML 55 AMG, Mercedes-Benz has revealed a pair of special edition ML 63 AMGs named "10th Anniversary" and "Performance Studio". While both models retain the factory 6.3-liter V8 engine that produces a hefty 510HP shooting them from naught to 100km/h (62mph) in just 5.0 seconds and on to an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h (155mph), Mercedes-Benz's AMG division has garnished them with distinctive bodywork details and an array of accessories.



The ML 63 AMG "10th Anniversary" which pays a direct tribute to Merc's first-ever high-performance SUV, the 347HP ML 55 AMG that was launched in 1999, features new engine bonnet design with power domes, radiator grille and Himalaya grey underseal for the front and rear end along with a set of 21-inch high-sheen light alloy wheels and shaded Bi-Xenon headlights with active curve illumination

Moving into the interior, the anniversary model boasts a two-tone nappa leather upholstery on the AMG sports seats and AMG sports steering wheel in black / Alpaca green or black / light brown, while the upper part of the dashboard clad is in black designo leather. The black roof lining and the charcoal wood trim complete the changes.

The second special edition version of the ML 63 AMG was developed by Merc's in-house "AMG PERFORMANCE STUDIO" division that caters the wishes of individual customers. On the outside, the ML 63 AMG "Performance Studio" sports a metallic "Peridot brown" paintwork combined with 21" AMG high-sheen light alloy wheels painted in the same color as the car and a high-gloss trim strip on the belt line .

The full nappa leather upholstery with a diamond pattern in a porcelain shade with black cording, together with the leather-wrapped dashboard, centre console and door trim in black and porcelain, the charcoal alcantara roof lining and wood trim finished in high-gloss black piano lacquer sum up the interior upgrades.

Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG "10th Anniversary"

Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG "Performance Studio"

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