2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster unwrapped in Stuttgart

We were in Suttgart, Germany, this past weekend as Mercedes-Benz took the wraps of its all-new 2012 SLKRoadster. While completely redesigned, there’s no mistaking the two-seater for anything but a Mercedes-Benz – and that’s exactly what the designers had in mind, says the automaker. Gone is the SLR McLaren-inspired front hood, replaced with an aluminum unit capped by a more traditional upright radiator grille. Reappearing after an absence are the side grilles on the front quarter panels, reminiscent of those on the Benz roadsters in the 1950s (and SLS AMG, more recently). Slightly longer and wider than its predecessor, it’s an attractive package. Plus, it cheats the wind with a slippery drag coefficient of just 0.30 (the outgoing model had a 0.32 Cd).

The big news on the hard-paneled automatic drop-top (“Vario-roof”) is the innovative and uber-cool “Magic Sky Control” center panel. Unlike opaque solid steel roofs or heavily tinted glass panels (both are offered on the new SLK), the German engineers have come up with a optional trick glass panel utilizing LCD-type technology that goes from mostly clear when voltage is applied, to mostly opaque when it loses its charge. (Getting technical, it drops measured sun “intensity” from about 1050 watts with an open sky to just 200 watts when closed in “clear” mode. Switch it to “opaque” mode, and the intensity drops to about 45 watts.) While it cuts UV, infrared and visible light significantly, the panel never goes completely opaque. The roof transition takes only a few seconds (it is quicker from dark to light), initiated by a quick tap of an overhead switch.

Initially, the sole engine choice for our shores will be a direct-injected 3.5-liter V6 (SLK350) rated at 302 horsepower. Later, a turbocharged and direct-injected 1.8-liter four-cylinder will debut (SLK250), making 201 horsepower. We’ll likely have to wait a bit longer for the SLK55 AMG, but it promises to be an enthusiast’s delight. We’ll get a closer look at the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK next month at the Geneva Motor Show.

 

Source:Autoblog

Having a Mercedes means you have got it all made. It doesn’t totally mean that it is for the privileged ones. But it is a trophy for the hard-earned efforts of investing the money for buying such a luxurious vehicle. Regardless of what model or what year it is made, every Mercedes Benz is a symbol of excellence, and of loads of sacrifice you worked for to have it.

Sure you do not want your Mercedes Benz Car to go astray from its looks to its performance. Every malfunctioning part has to be replaced to maintain that kind of performance it has been noted for. And of course, from the upholstery to the paint job, a Mercedes Benz deserves the right protection it needs from smudges or scratches.

That’s why the Mercedes Benz Car Cover is designed for the most extreme protection possible, regardless of weather or any environmental condition. It protects the vehicle from the sun, rain, bird droppings, minor nicks, scratches and even small hail damage. With the intense rays of the sun, that glossy finish of the Benz is protected from fading. It is also a subtle anti-carnapping device as it prevents prying eyes of conspicuous people. Most of all, it contributes to the campaign of saving water by reducing the frequency for car wash. Best results is seen through the glossy and untarnished paint finish of the Benz even if you leave it for many days while the car cover hugs the body of the vehicle in a deep slumber.

Every make of a Mercedes Car Cover is capable of hosting a variety of models, years, colors and fabrics that suit your needs for vehicle protection. Whether it is an entry level luxury sedan, an SUV, a compact mini, or even a Minibus, they have it all covered. They are custom fitted with above-industry standards kind of fabric that last a long time to ensure the biggest bang for the buck. These makers won’t settle for off-the-shelf materials, but tie up with the world’s leading textile mills to don precise and skillfully crafted manufacturing. They also have the geniuses behind each design to pass durability tests with flying colors, so as to prove their worth and win the customers’ confidence. Every Mercedes Benz Car cover suits up to “T” without the hassles of any form of damage or stain.

Mercedes-Benz releases C63 AMG Affalterbach Edition for Canada

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: The Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG is an absolutely stunning piece of machinery. We recently had a chance to steer a C63 fitted with the P31 Development Package around the greater Detroit area, and it now looks like our friends to the north are getting a special edition of Merc’s AMG atom bomb all for themselves.

Dubbed the Affalterbach Edition (it’s named after the German town in which AMG’s skunkworks reside), this C63 wears a unique Magno Allanite Grey paint that is accented with red brake calipers, 19-inch black alloy wheels, carbon fiber mirror shells and a subtle lip spoiler. No tweaks have been made to the C63′s powertrain, but the Affalterbach edition comes standard with the normally optional AMG Performance Package, meaning there’s 481 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque on tap. Sprints to 62 miles per hour will be accomplished in a tidy 4.4 seconds.

Inside, the Affalterbach treatment includes things like AMG sport seats wrapped in Nappa leather, red contrast stitching, carbon fiber trim, and special edition logos placed throughout the cabin. Only 30 units will be sold in the Great White North, starting from $81,500 Canadian when it goes on sale in the spring. Follow the jump for Mercedes-Benz’s official release.

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK pops its auto-tinting lid

The thing about innovation is that to follow up, you tend to need another dose of innovation to keep people interested. Case in point: Mercedes-Benz having shoes to fill with its little SLK. The original was one of the first cars on the market with a modern retractable hardtop, taking after its costlier forebearer, the SL. And fourteen years later, with nearly everyone fitting folding tin roofs to their convertibles, the Stuttgart has launched the third-generation model with Magic Sky Control.

The innovative roof, as we’ve reported in the build-up to its release, adjusts the tinting of the glass panels automatically. It’s an option, and buyers can still get a solid metal folding roof or a fixed-tint glass one if the electronic trickery is too much. Naturally, though, that’s not all that’s new about the new SLK.

The latest compact roadster from Stuttgart sits on a new platform with new styling. Whereas the outgoing model aped the SLR with its Formula One-style nose, the new SLK takes its cues from the SLS AMG with its more upright grille. The new shape is also more aerodynamic, and Mercedes has incorporated a new transparent panel between the rear roll hoops that tilts to optimize airflow and keep turbulence in the cabin to a minimum.

The SLK will launch in the North American market in SLK350 guise, packing a 3.5-liter V6 good for 302 horsepower and a 5.4-second sprint to 60 mph. The 1.8-liter, four-cylinder, 201hp SLK250 will follow, as is expected the naturally-aspirated 5.5-liter V8 SLK55 AMG. The new SLK gets its official launch later this month at the head office in Stuttgart in celebration of the company’s 125th anniversary, with its public debut slated for the Geneva Motor Show in March. Follow the jump for a video and full press release, but be sure to check out the high-resolution photos in the gallery below.

Are you the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe?

We’ve been told to expect to get our first glimpse of the next-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in March, but a few photos of the German two-door may have leaked out ahead of time. The images you see above were sourced up by the team at GMotors. From what we can tell, the vehicle in the stylized photos lines up pretty well with the spy photos we’ve seen of the 2012 C-Class Coupe so far, which leads us to believe that this may actually be the real deal. If so, the new coupe will wear the new beak of its updated four-door compatriots.

That includes the new slightly restyled front fascia. Interestingly enough, this particular set of photos ditches the quad fog lights we saw in the spy photos in favor of LED units. we’d say that seems like a fairly reasonable change given the popularity of the diodes in automotive design at the moment. Word is that this particular machine will get the same rash of engines as the sedan, meaning that buyers can expect to get their hands on either a 3.0-liter V6 with 228 horsepower or a 3.5-liter six-pot with 268 ponies. The question is, will we get an entry-level four-cylinder model like the 2012 C-Class sedan? Something tells us we’ll know a little more as we get closer to Geneva.

Are you the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe?

We’ve been told to expect to get our first glimpse of the next-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in March, but a few photos of the German two-door may have leaked out ahead of time. The images you see above were sourced up by the team at GMotors. From what we can tell, the vehicle in the stylized photos lines up pretty well with the spy photos we’ve seen of the 2012 C-Class Coupe so far, which leads us to believe that this may actually be the real deal. If so, the new coupe will wear the new beak of its updated four-door compatriots.

That includes the new slightly restyled front fascia. Interestingly enough, this particular set of photos ditches the quad fog lights we saw in the spy photos in favor of LED units. we’d say that seems like a fairly reasonable change given the popularity of the diodes in automotive design at the moment. Word is that this particular machine will get the same rash of engines as the sedan, meaning that buyers can expect to get their hands on either a 3.0-liter V6 with 228 horsepower or a 3.5-liter six-pot with 268 ponies. The question is, will we get an entry-level four-cylinder model like the 2012 C-Class sedan? Something tells us we’ll know a little more as we get closer to Geneva.

GWA Tuning channels the Mercedes-Benz C111 with Ciento Once prototype

What’s even better than a supercar? A one-of-a-kind factory prototype. And few drummed up as much excitement back in the 70s as the Mercedes-Benz C111. The experimental showcase demonstrated the epitome of performance technology and aerodynamics, and still stands as one of the most advanced prototypes ever devised in Stuttgart… or anywhere else for that matter. And now it’s back.

GWA Tuning, a Benz tweaker out of San Antonio, has breathed new life into the C111 formula with a recreation called the Ciento Once (Spanish for “one hundred eleven”). The one-off eschews the Wankel engine of the original for the AMG M120 V12 that drives the Pagani Zonda, driving 408 horsepower in this case through a six-speed transmission with the brakes from the S55 AMG and the rolling stock from theSLS. Have a closer look in the gallery below, and do try to keep the drool from puddling on the keyboard.

Going Back to the Future in a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

No matter how happy our childhoods were, most of us have ended up with at least a few regrets that stick out in our mind. For whatever reason, random happenings tend to stick out as pivotal events in our life’s chronology. Swinging at that ninth inning pitch in the dirt in little league. Not having the nerve to ask Suzy Creamcheese to prom. Being the last to the party with the Flock of Seagulls haircut. 

Sometimes, things that shouldn’t be significant at all become just that – lodging in our cranial craws like grains of sand in an oyster. All of which explains how I came to find myself sheepishly appealing to the Mercedes-Benz PR team for an SLS AMG to drive to the 25th Anniversary showing of Back to the Future.

Are you the facelifted 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG?

Now that we’ve seen the facelifted 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class in its bread-and-butter C250, C300 and C350 forms, it’s time to start thinking about the holier-than-thou, unabashedly hardcore C63 AMG. The folks at Germany’s EvoCars have stumbled upon what appear to be production-spec images of the AMG-laden 2012 C-Class, and while the brash bulginess of the current car has been toned down somewhat, there’s certainly nothing sedate about this new menacing Merc.

The biggest question about the next-generation C63 is whether or not Mercedes-Benz will ditch the current car’s glorious naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 in favor of the new twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter mill that will be used in the CL63, S63 and CLS63. EvoCars states that only the new C63 AMG Coupe will receive the 5.5-liter heart, and that power of the 6.2 will be bumped up for use in the sedan. Still, with either engine, we’re sure the C63 will be as lively as ever out on the road.

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class gets new four-cylinder model, refreshed styling

 

Look very closely – this is the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which gets a very modest facelift for the new model year. Good thing, then, that the majority of changes made to the C-Class are found underhood, where Mercedes-Benz is offering an all-new four-cylinder engine option here in the United States (as well as a new model designation – C250), not to mention some tweaks for the V6 found in the top-end C350.

Design tweaks are limited to a new aluminum hood with slightly restyled headlamps and LED running lamps down below. Yes, it looks extremely similar to the 2011 model, but if we’re honest, the current C-Class design isn’t exactly growing old. In fact, we rather like it as-is. The styling upgrades to the rear end are hardly noticeable, and that’s just fine, too.

Four-cylinder powerplants are quickly replacing six-cylinder mills these days, even in the entry-level luxury segment. You’ll remember that just a few years ago, Audi discontinued the 3.2-liter V6 in its A4, leaving only the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine on tap. Based on preliminary specifications, the new direct-injected 1.8-liter turbocharged mill looks to be plenty potent, with 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque on hand. That’s 27 less horsepower than the mid-range 3.0-liter V6, but the 1.8T offers eight more pound-feet of twist. Thus, both the C250 and the mid-range C300 4Matic will do the 0-60 sprint in 7.1 seconds, but the C250 returns 24 miles per gallon (combined) while the C300 nets just 20 mpg. The range-topping C350 also gets some help from direct injection, meaning its 3.5-liter V6 now produces 302 hp and 273 lb-ft, gains of 34 hp and 15 lb-ft over the outgoing model.

In addition to new engines, the 2012 C-Class benefits from a restyled interior, mimicking what we’ve grown accustomed to in the E-Class. New driver assistance systems like Attention Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot Assist and Parktronic help keep things in check out on the road.

The 2012 C-Class will make its official debut at the Detroit Auto Show next month with the cars going on sale in the United States next summer. (Full Disclosure: This information was under embargo, but a few other websites decided to spill the beans a bit early). Follow the jump for Mercedes-Benz’s official press release.

Lorinser tunes the Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Lorinser is one of the first tuners to get its hands on the all-new Mercedes-Benz C-Class that goes by the internal code W204. There’s no English press release out yet but we did managed to download a pdf file from the German tuner so we’ve got some initial facts. Design-wise, Lorinser has dressed the 2008 C-Class with 18’’ or 19’’ alloys and a stylish, yet dynamic bodykit that doesn’t go overboard. The most notable change of course is the side air-vents.

Lorinser sort of lost its taste though when it came to the interior with its bright-red and black coloured trim and the quilt-type seat dressings. As for mechanics, from what we where able to make out, Lorinser offers tuned versions of the 3.0 V6 diesel and 3.5 V7 petrol engines that deliver 261 and 305 Hp respectively (from 224 & 272 Hp). The Lorinser C 320 CDI accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in 7,1 sec (stock: 7,7 sec) achieving a (governed) top speed of 250 km/h (155mph).

PRESS RELEASE

Get close to the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class and you will believe you can sense pounding of an athlete’s heart, and the tensing of muscles. Never before has Mercedes-Benz released a sedan this dynamic.

Just like a great tailored suit, the tuning options offered by Lorinser bring out the best qualities of its wearer. Precision artisanship and a sense for the right line forge the dynamic ensemble. Especially notable are the large air intakes in the fenders, which like the nostrils of a thoroughbred breathe pure performance. The characteristic styling accents make this vehicle an unmistakable member of the Lorinser collection. Underlining the muscular appearance of this youthful and dynamic style are the technical lines of the side skirts, which highlight the clear contours of the vehicle.

A focus point are the 6 gill-like air-vents. The side skirts are the optical link between the turbine style Lorinser type RS8 light alloy wheels. Alternatively a large range of other wheel designs is available from Lorinser. When viewed from the front, most impressive is the Lorinser front bumper spoiler for the C-Class. However most will likely be seeing the rear of the vehicle thanks to the performance gains provided by the Lorinser Diesel Module, which adds considerable power.

The large air intake in the center, covered by a webbed grille, is reminiscent of motor sports. To the left and right, large fog lights form optical focus points highlighting the horizontal nature of the front bumper spoiler, and create a face for the vehicle. A sporty grille, perpendicular in design to the front is the stile accent at the rear. Hear it forms a perfect contour element for the fully integrated Lorinser sport exhaust, which sounds just as great as it looks. Formally the tip design is found in the sail shape of high performance boats, reflecting the synthesis of dynamics and luxury. And just like a yacht in water, the C-Class appears to meld into tarmac, thanks to the lowering kit.