Video: Man Hoses Down Interior of Brand-New Mercedes-Benz CLS350…

Using a high-pressure hose to clean the interior of let's say, a rugged off-road model like a Land Rover Defender or a battered down passenger car such as an old Lada Riva, wouldn't even raise an eyebrow.

But what if we told you about a man who did precisely that to a…brand new (second generation) 2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS 350? But wait, you haven't heard the best part yet: the perpetrator is the actual owner of the luxury sports sedan! Hard to believe, but we have video proof right after the break.

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Posted on 17.53 / 0 comments / Read More

Slowing Demand in China Forces Luxury Carmakers Like BMW to Offer Big Incentives

China is the land of opportunity for any carmaker - but especially for, luxury brands that have been breaking one record after another. However, last year’s 18 million sales will most likely not be repeated in 2011, as the government has stopped its tax incentives and wants fewer, and less polluting, car on the country’s streets.

Not that sales are plummeting – on the contrary. It’s just that, according to J.D. Power, the increase in the luxury car segment this year is slowing down to 29%, compared to a 48% growth in 2010. And this despite the fact that overall car sales in China are expected to drop by 5% compared to 2010.

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Posted on 15.35 / 0 comments / Read More

SCOOP: 2012 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG V8 and G65 AMG V12 Caught Undisguised in Dubai

While spy shooters are searching for camouflaged prototypes of the facelifted 2012 Mercedes-Benz G-Class on the roads of Germany, the team over at "3rabacars" was fortunate enough to discover an entire garage of barely disguised examples of the upcoming AMG variants in a garage in Dubai.

From what we understand, 3rabacars took pictures of both the V8-powered G63 (or G55) AMG and the V12-powered G65 AMG. According to the poster, the G63 AMG's speedometer went up to 280km/h (174mph) while the G65 AMG's stopped at 320km/h (199mph).

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Posted on 12.39 / 0 comments / Read More

1955 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing Special Edition Abandoned in Santa Monica Garage for 40 Years!

The Mercedes 300SL Gullwing is most certainly one of the most coveted and valuable classics, and the inspiration behind the modern-day SLS AMG. In its time, it was considered as one of the best sports cars in the world.

Thus, if you lived in the 1970s and your parents gave you a 1955 Gullwing as a graduation present, you’d probably cherish every moment behind its wheel. And that’s what Tom Wellmer did in 1971 – until the transmission went haywire. Instead of taking it for service, Wellmer just left it in a Santa Monica garage – and it remained parked there for the next four decades!

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Posted on 13.42 / 0 comments / Read More

Mercedes-Benz Buys the Naming Rights to the Louisiana Superdome

Das Germans at Mercedes-Benz are getting into the sponsorship game as the luxury carmaker reached an agreement to buy the naming rights to the Louisiana Superdome for a period of 10 years.

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported that the stadium will be renamed to the "Mercedes-Benz Superdome", marking the first time in its 36-year-long history that it will be known as anything other than "Superdome" – at least on paper as fans can continue to call it whatever they want. The new name will take effect on October 23, 2011.

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Posted on 08.01 / 0 comments / Read More

SCOOP: Mercedes-Benz Preparing 2012 G63 AMG with Bi-Turbocharged V8

The rugged G-Class may be the oldest model series in Mercedes-Benz's range as it has been constantly in production since 1979, but the Germans aren't about to let it go yet as they continue to improve their most famous luxury off-road vehicle.

Our spies recently caught up with a couple of prototype models of the flagship AMG variant while testing in Europe. The G-Wagen SUVs were fitted with new exterior mirrors featuring the same design as the ones found on newer Mercedes passenger models and a modified lower front end with three large air vents.

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Posted on 11.08 / 0 comments / Read More

Mercedes-Benz Releases 133 Photos of the New B-Class

At the 64th Frankfurt Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz officially revealed its all-new B-Class small MPV. Unlike other manufactures that like to tease us and slowly release details on their new models, Mercedes instantly gave away all the information about its new tall hatch, such as dimensions, powertrains, active and passive safety features as well as equipment levels.

Now it's time for a second and far more comprehensive round of pictures as the German maker unleashed more than 130 photos of the new B-Class covering every aspect from the exterior and interior design to technology.

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Posted on 07.48 / 0 comments / Read More

Cadillac Challenges Mercedes-Benz by Pitting the Escalade Against the C-Class [Video]

We think most of you will agree with us when we say that, for the same reasons the Cadillac Escalade is extremely profitable, it also doesn't quite fit the brand's current image being sort of a throwback to the glory days of the classic American cruiserships.

But this didn't stop General Motors from raising the ante in yet another provocative commercial for Cadillac that follows the CTS-V spot featuring the Ferrari 458 Italia.

This time, the General took the Escalade and pointed its ammo towards Mercedes-Benz and its C-Class sedan. The video spot shows the big Caddy V8 beating the C300 on a straight line duel, and then…hauling back the Merc.

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Posted on 16.29 / 0 comments / Read More

Rumors: New Mercedes-Benz CLC "Baby" Sports Sedan to Debut at 2012 New York Auto Show

Citing company officials, Edmund's Insideline reported today that the highly anticipated 2013 Mercedes-Benz CLC compact sports sedan would receive its world premiere at the 2012 New York Auto Show next April.

The German luxury carmaker's executives also noted that the CLC (the name has not yet been confirmed) will not be a "stripped down", inexpensive model with few features, stating that "this [the CLC] will be a real Mercedes-Benz".

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Posted on 12.05 / 0 comments / Read More

Formula 1: 2011 Singapore Grand Prix Results Are In

And then they were two… Mark Webber, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton are now officially out of the race for the world championship. After the end of the Singapore Grand Prix, only Jenson Button can, mathematically at least, challenge the reigning Formula 1 world champion, Sebastian Vettel in the remaining races. Read more »

Posted on 10.56 / 0 comments / Read More

Formula 1: Singapore Grand Prix Qualifying Round-Up

What a surprise…another Saturday, another Red Bull at the first spot of the starting grid, with a second Red Bull racer at its side: a site everyone has gotten used to this year.

What must have frightened poleman Sebastian Vettel rivals for tomorrow's race is his admission that he held back and did not perform at 100%: “On the last run, I tried a bit too much going into the really tricky chicane around Turn 10," said Vettel, adding that, "I decided to abort the lap, as it can be so easy to damage the car.”

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Posted on 11.19 / 0 comments / Read More

Land Rover Scores 54% of the Vote in MSN Cars’ Poll of Best 4x4 Brands

In a recent online poll, MSN Cars asked its readers a simple question: “Which firm makes the best '4x4' type cars?” The winner, with an astonishing 54% of the 39,663 votes is Indian British automaker Land Rover.

The brand’s winning combination of aggressive yet attractive styling, “go anywhere” off-road ability, ruggedness and comfort have made Land Rover the powerhouse brand it is today – and a deserved winner. Land Rover UK managing director Colin Green is understandably over the moon:

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Posted on 15.00 / 0 comments / Read More

Upcoming Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series Edition Rendered

Just the other day, it was revealed that Mercedes-Benz is planning the introduction of a wilder version of its SLS AMG Gullwing sports car under the "Black Series" moniker, which builds upon the standard AMG models to further improve performance while also offering a more hardcore look.

Now, Dan Buzdugan of PS-Garage dropped this rendering of what the SLS AMG Black Series edition may look like into our mailbox.

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Posted on 16.13 / 0 comments / Read More

Mercedes-Benz Drops Huge Gallery of Photos of the SLS AMG Roadster

Unless you are a supercar lover or a Mercedes-Benz aficionado, we will understand if you are tired of reading about the SLS AMG. After all, most carmakers produce one or two versions of their supercars - usually a coupe and an open top model, plus a couple (or more in the case of Lamborghini), limited editions. Read more »

Posted on 10.01 / 0 comments / Read More

Kubatech Gives the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Some Wings

In cooperation with Mcchip-dkr, German tuning firm Kubatech has presented a soft performance upgrade for the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing.

The kit is limited to a software optimization for the ECU. The Gullwing model's 6.3-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine normally lays out 571-horsepower and 650Nm (479 lb-ft) of peak torque at 4,750 rpm, and this package will bump those figures to 625-horses and 680Nm (501.5 lb-ft).

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Posted on 08.27 / 0 comments / Read More

Volvo Says Dankeschön to Germans for Ranking the Brand First in Customer Satisfaction

We'll have to wait and see if and when an American carmaker will provide an appropriate answer to Audi's new A6 commercial, but meanwhile here's a fresh and rather witty TV spot from Volvo that thanks German drivers for making the Swedish company the number 1 brand for customer satisfaction in Germany.

Cleverly, the Swedes also say Dankeschön (thank you in German) to the country's car manufacturers such as Audi, BMW, Opel, Mercedes, Volkswagen and Porsche for their...participation, and all this under the beautiful sounds of Bert Kaempfert's famous tune, "Danke Schoen".

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Posted on 10.55 / 0 comments / Read More

Ad Watch: Wild Mercedes-Benz C-Class Breaks Loose from its Door Chains

To promote its newly arrived C-Class Coupe, Mercedes-Benz's U.S. arm has produced this attention-grabbing commercial.

The 30-second TV spot shows a C-Class sedan with its rear doors chained down racing on a road until, as you may have already figured out, it breaks free revealing the Coupe model.

Video follows after the break.

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Posted on 13.45 / 0 comments / Read More

U.S. to Miss Out on Street Legal SLS AMG GT3, Perhaps Even the E-Cell, But will get the Black Series

If the standard SLS AMG with its 6.3-liter engine and 571-horses is not hot enough for you, you’ll be happy to learn that Mercedes-Benz has told Motor Trend that the company will launch not one, but two hotter versions of its supercar.

“We absolutely have to do a Black Series SLS AMG”, said Tobias Moers who is a member of the board of directors and head of vehicle development at AMG. Although he declined to provide further details, judging from recent Black Series versions such as the C 63 Coupe, we can expect more power and, of course, an impressive aero-kit and race-inspired interior.

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Posted on 15.29 / 0 comments / Read More

IAA 2011: Mercedes F1 Drivers Reveal New C-Class Coupe DTM AMG Racer [Video]

Mercedes Formula 1 drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg were at hand at the IAA to unveil the Stuttgart-based automaker's new contender in the German touring car championship, the DTM.

The new racing model is based on the recently launched C-Class Coupe and replaces the most successful model ever in the DTM series, the C-Class, which has won 84 victories in 156 races, a record in the championship’s 27-year history.

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Posted on 15.20 / 0 comments / Read More

IAA 2011: New Mercedes-Benz B-Class Keeps Old Model's Pricing

Good news for European consumers interested in the second-generation of the B-Class, as Mercedes-Benz is launching the new small MPV at the same price as the outgoing model, despite the numerous improvements and additions to the standard equipment.

Available for order now with first deliveries to arrive in November, pricing for the 2012 B-Class starts at €26,001.50 (about US$35,900) including 19% VAT in Germany for the B 180 BlueEFFICIENCY (BE) that is motivated by a 1.6-liter petrol engine delivering 122HP, 7HP more than the preceding model.

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Posted on 08.31 / 0 comments / Read More