Nik J Miles

Posts Tagged ‘Mercedes-Benz’

“Mercedes-Benz SL 550 for 2013: A Grand Sport Tourer”

A legend celebrates 60 years

The iconic SL retractable hardtop from Mercedes-Benz for the 2013 model year is lighter, quicker and more agile than its predecessor as it enters its sixth generation. Badged as an SL550 here on our soil and as the SL500 in other markets, the alpha-numeric designation in either case bears no relativity to the actual displacement, which is really 4.6-liters.

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“Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster:  A modern day classic”

Last Year I was fortunate enough to be able to test drive and review the SLS AMG Coupe from Mercedes-Benz. I led off my review by stating the obvious – “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. That having been said, I went on to point out the unquestionable beauty and elegance of both the original, mid-50s Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster and the iconic Gullwing, which are highly desirable and collectible vehicles.

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“Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG: Most powerful production SUV”

Exclusivity with a bi-turbo V8

The true luxury SUV market segment was actually created by Mercedes-Benz, when the German automaker debuted the first generation M-Class in the fall of 1997, breaking new ground. Now, 14 years later, the new 2012  M-Class rolls into dealer showrooms adding new standard features and options loaded with state-of-the-art safety technology. Starring at the top of the model lineup is the ML63 AMG which is scheduled to go on sale in early March.

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Mercedes-Benz is expanding its hybrid offerings to the E Class in 2012.  Scheduled to debut at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit is the E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid and the E 400 Hybrid which both promise impressive performance on the highway and at the pumps.

The 4-cylinder diesel engine of the E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid produces 204 horsepower, which is combined with a 20 kW electric motor. The result is the most economical luxury-class vehicle in the world.  The powertrain will be offered in both the sedan and Estate wagon. Read the rest of this entry »

“Premium quality in a compact format”

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan is number one in sales worldwide in its market segment. That’s newsworthy in its own right, but for the 2012 model year, the iconic German automaker has undertaken a major restyling of its popular four-door C-Class sedan that incorporates more than 2,000 new parts, including new bumpers, headlights, front grille, an aluminum hood, LED taillights along with a redesigned interior.

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The Mercedes-Benz F125! is a  research vehicle for future technical developments in the large, luxury segment and it is almost like a time machine stuck in the “future” setting.

Powered by hydrogen, the F125!  explores emission-free driving, looking ahead to 2025 and beyond rather than the typical seven or eight year window of a traditional concept vehicle. Read the rest of this entry »

Greenough, Mont. – It seems like just last year that I was attending the introduction of the original Mercedes-Benz M-Class in Alabama.  We drove through the beautiful countryside, lunched at the NASA Space Camp and wallowed through the slickest mucky mud I’ve ever seen. 

That was 1997, now 14 years later; I’m in Greenough, Montana for the introduction of the third generation Mercedes Luxury SUV. Read the rest of this entry »

Slip a big V-8 engine in to a compact coupe and you have the makings of an awesome sports coupe.  When the engine is the Mercedes-Benz AMG 6.3-liter V-8 and the car is the C-Class coupe the edge becomes even sharper and the car becomes world class.

At 510 horsepower, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series is the most powerful C-Class of all time and is expected to make a 0 to 60 mph run in under four seconds.  The engine is backed by the high-performance AMG Speedshift MCT-7 transmission driving the rear wheels. The transmission has four modes, the rev-matching function and RACE START deliver maximum driving fun and a high degree of versatility. In the “Sport plus” and “Manual” modes gearshift takes a mere 100 milliseconds. Read the rest of this entry »

Owners of the new Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG will be getting the best of both worlds with the new 5.5-liter V-8 engine.  Boasting an increase of 60-hp for the SLK55 from the previous version, up to 415-hp, the engine also is consuming about 30 percent less fuel.

The new AMG Cylinder Management system and direct fuel injection are responsible for the magic that provides the seemly contradictory characteristics. Read the rest of this entry »

 Third Generation M Series In a Class of its own on and off road

 Greenough, MT- Mercedes-Benz introduced its first generation luxury SUV in the Fall of 1997 breaking new ground in the segment. The second generation of the highly successful M-Class appeared on the scene in 2005. Now, with more than one million sold worldwide and14 years later, the new M-Class for 2012 takes to showroom floors loaded with new standard features and options, showcasing state-of-the-art safety technology.

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