In Case You Were Wondering Why the Mercedes CLA Looks Like it Does

The CLA is the smallest sedan exponent of the new design direction adopted by Mercedes-Benz. It’s basically a distilled down CLS, meant to look as rear-wheel drive as possible given the A-Class platform constraints, as well as the traits of the aforementioned new look.

I'm not going to talk out about it being successful or not, but I will say that the shape does perhaps look a bit out of place shrunken this small, especially when you see the car in person – the new C-Class and S-Class both look more natural. It still has unusual lines to be observed, and in order to make deciphering their role/significance easier, Mercedes has uploaded a selection of videos full of insight from the design team that drew them up.

What they have managed to achieve masterfully is to make the car look posh and expensive, though the bigger wheels are mandatory in order for it to be fully realized. That says a lot about those for whom this is aimed, and what they feel is important in a new car (or don’t, rather).

By Andrei Nedelea

VIDEO

Scoop: Watch and Hear the New Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe

We don't know yet what Mercedes-Benz's plans are for a V12-powered AMG version of the upcoming S-Class Coupe (S65 AMG), but the bi-turbocharged V8 S63 AMG Coupe. is a given and we now have a spy video of the car filmed in Germany.

The sporty version of Benz's 5 meter long S-Class Coupe with the AMG badge will borrow the S63 AMG sedan's 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8, and is expected to produce the same output and torque figures at 577 hp (585 PS) / 5,500 rpm and 900 Nm (664 lb-ft) available between 2,250 and 3,750 rpm, respectively.

The eight-cylinder mill will be linked to an AMG Speedshift MCT 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission driving the rear wheels – there's a chance Mercedes will also offer an all-wheel drive version of the same model.

Redesigned bumpers, intakes and wheels along with a tweaked chassis and interior, will be part of the S63 AMG package that should be released to the public within the next year or so.

Video via YouTube/swsthebest1994

VIDEO

2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Crowned Segment Benchmark in Latest Review

The new 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class really doesn’t need any kind of spotlight to be applied on it, no ads, no promos, no skimpily-dressed young girls propping the soft-closing doors open – no extra attention from the marketing department, simply because it’s called what it’s called, and that name is worth so much more than they could ever invest to promote it.

Now, while we can argue against it being the best car in the world, the team at UK magazine WhatCar seems pretty sure that it is the best car for the money.

Make no mistake, the latter is still a bold claim to be made, but it at least has an air of plausibility about it. They do all the usual things you expect like check the room in the back, which is predictably ample, mention the competent ride and handling characteristics and finally check out some of the toys – everything works as intended, and is accompanied by with a reassuringly damped click.

This is not the first review to mention that the S-Class is not the sportiest in its class/price bracket, even if it is reportedly nimbler through the bends than before, thanks to being lighter. You can get either a Porsche Panamera, Maserati Quattroporte or Jaguar XJ, all three of which are direct rivals, but with different driving philosophies and are a better choice for not being chauffeured around (by nobody).

The idea is that the S-Class is very good at everything it does, but at the end of the day, in my mind, it comes out lacking in soul compared to the Italian and British cars – it’s an engineering achievement, but will never stir up the kind of emotional response the other two would garner from an enthusiast.

By Andrei Nedelea

VIDEO

Battle of the Super Sedans: New BMW M5 Competition Vs. Mercedes E63 AMG S

One can rarely find two cars with such similar performance as the BMW M5 with the Competition Pack and the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S. As MotorTrend's Jonny Lieberman and Mike Shaffer found out during their latest Head2Head episode featuring the two super sedans, they are so evenly matched that in the end, the choice comes down strictly to how the driver feels behind the wheel.

We’ve already seen the magazine's take on the 567hp BMW M5 Competition Package, but how does the souped-up rear-wheel-drive M5 compare to the 577HP (585PS) all-wheel-drive Mercedes E63 AMG S?

In terms of performance, the two cars are very hard to differentiate, but the way each car puts the power down is very different. The BMW is wild and tail-happy, while the Mercedes is more contained but slightly faster thanks to its all-wheel-drive system.

Curious to see which car won the duel? Scroll down to watch the video and then tell us which one you'd choose to park under your garage.

By Dan Mihalascu

VIDEO

Mercedes Teases New Model, Is It the 2015 C-Class Sedan?

Yesterday, we had BMW dropping a teaser video of its upcoming 2-Series Coupe, today it's Mercedes-Benz's turn to build up our interest with a similar blurry clip of an upcoming model.

While the brand with the star doesn't mention the car's name at all, the images we see along with the knowledge that we have of its forthcoming presentations lead us to believe that it's most likely the 2015 C-Class sedan, which could be revealed as early as next month at the LA Auto Show or at the Detroit event in January.

Mercedes-Benz stated in the description: "An interior with high-class ambience, a new touchpad control surface and a lightweight bodyshell: All that and more will be featured in this upcoming Mercedes-Benz car model. Get a first glimpse here."

What do you think – do you agree with our assessment that it's probably the next C-Class or do you believe it's something else? Tell us in the comments.

PHOTO GALLERY

VIDEO

Mercedes Ad Has Schumacher Walking By an S-Class With Intelligent Drive…

The life of an ad man must be a very difficult one nowadays – many good ideas have been done, many good punch lines have been said at least twice and in most known languages, adding on top of that the pressure of not having a truly innovative product to promote, in a copycat world of corporate interests.

Actually, it seems that the rut they’re in is so deep, that even when they are on to something new and interesting to tell the people about, they still overdo it.

Whoever Mercedes-Benz hired to do a promo for their Intelligent Drive system did just that and ended up having Michael Schumacher (who can drive…quite well) walk by one of their S-Class sedans finished in one of the million shades of silver you can order – he could have at least sat in the car, and shown us the swoopy dashboard.

I mean it’s a luxurious car with one of the nicest-looking interiors in the world that will in the near future be able to drive itself – it’s not really hard to sell the concept, and even if it was imperative to go down the retired F1 driver route, they could have at least used their time with Schumacher better.

At least the previous ad in the series had more motion in it and actually had a purpose for the chickens to be there and be moved around in the manner that they were.

The second video posted is a teaser for something bigger that is to come, also featuring the retired F1 star - check both out after the virtual jump.

By Andrei Nedelea

VIDEO

Harris and Coulthard Do the ‘Ring in a Classic 1960s Mercedes 220 Sedan

Chris Harris showed us how big of a laugh you can have driving a well-kept old classic in an organized event for similar cars, when he took part in the Mille Miglia road rally, in a Jaguar C-Type. However, it had close to 300 hp, while the 1960s 220 ‘Fintail’ officially restored and prepared for racing by Mercedes-Benz classics division, has less than half that.

It’s the main automotive protagonist of a new video, in which Harris teams up with ex-Formula One driver David Coulthard in an attempt to complete a historic classics race being held around the Nurburgring Nordschleife.

Coulthard gets over his initial fear of not knowing his way around the famed German circuit, and both drivers initially go out for the qualifying run, only to discover that the vehicle they are meant to drive is seriously underpowered, struggling to push its 1,400 kg weight up the steeper parts of the track.

The car itself is really cool, though, and probably quite fun to get into a smooth rhythm with, but it’s still no match for any of the other cars participating in the race, all of which seem to be fueled by far more explosive gasoline. The qualifying run is completed in last place, and that’s where the duo is placed on the starting grid, but it doesn’t really matter because all doesn’t go according to plan…

By Andrei Nedelea

VIDEO

Woman Fleeing from Cops in Mercedes Runs Into…Two Trains and Lives!

A Utah police car cruiser's dashboard camera has captured an incredible incident while on pursuit of a 29-year old woman in a Mercedes-Benz trying to flee the cops.

It all started when police responded to unwanted guest  disturbance call (as in she wouldn't leave someone's house) on Sunday. The woman eventually left said house in her car, and shortly after, a patrol officer spotted the vehicle and attempted to pull her over but she refused and drove away.

While trying to get away from the cops, she smashed into a train at a rail crossing in Woods Cross, Utah.

“It just couldn’t stop in time,” Detective Adam Osoro of the local police department said of the train to Fox News. “It was too close to the incident, didn’t have time to stop.”

“There was already a southbound train going across 2600 south, and she hit that train while it was crossing,” Osoro added. “While officers were trying to get her out of her car, a second southbound train hit her vehicle.”

Even though her Benz was hit by two (!) trains, the woman only suffered a broken arm.

“The vehicle sustained heavy damage, so in this case she’s very lucky to still be with us,” Osoro said.

VIDEO

Scoop: Upcoming Mercedes-Benz GLA Compact Crossover Filmed on the Road

Two weeks ago, we brought you spy pictures of the newest and smallest member of Mercedes-Benz's growing family of SUV and crossover models, tipped to be called the GLA.
Now, French car magazine L'Automobile brings us more details of the GLA in the shape of new spy footage nabbing a prototype wearing varying levels of disguise while testing in Spain.

Revamped 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Gets New Face, Engines and Tech [69 Photos & Video]

When the first photos of the 2014 E-Class surfaced, it was instantly obvious that Mercedes-Benz’s mid-size premium model wasn’t a simple nip-and-tuck job, as is customary with mid-life facelifts. Instead, Stuttgart’s designers had gone to the trouble of completely changing the entire front end of the car.
First of all, they ditched the four separate headlamps, an E-Class staple since 1995, in favor of a single one-piece unit on each side that encompasses all lighting elements. Mercedes says that the graphic design of the inner elements retain the “four-eyed” look while both the day-time running lights and the dipped beam have partial LED lights as standard and full LED lights are offered as an option.
For the first time, the E-Class, like the smaller C-Class, will be available with two different front-end designs. The base and Elegance trim levels feature the classic grille with three louvers and the three-pointed star on the bonnet, while the Avantgarde gets the sporty treatment with the star integrated in the grille.
In profile, the 2014 E-Class replaces the pontoon-style rear side panels with a new feature line that runs from the rear door to the elongated, LED taillights and, according to the company, emphasizes the side trim that has been shifted downwards and gives the car a more elongated shape.

Mercedes-Benz Releases Pictures and Video of New CLA and CLA 45 AMG

According to the crew over at the German-language Mercedes-Benz Passion website, the brand with the star has shared a multitude of pictures and a video of the upcoming CLA compact sports saloon ahead of the car's world premiere at the Detroit motor show in mid-January next year.

New Cadillac ATS 3.6 vs. BMW 335i and Mercedes C350 in MT's 6-Cylinder Rematch

Like the VW Golf, the BMW 3-Series has been dominant for so long, shrugging off one newcomer after another, that it practically defined the premium compact sports sedan segment.
This, of course, makes it not only harder for BMW engineers to come up with something better every time there's a replacement due, but it also makes it the car all rivaling manufacturers have set as their benchmark.
Cadillac has made quite a fuss about its new ATS being a bona-fide, Nürburgring-bred sports saloon that can take on the best – i.e. the brand new, F30 3-Series.

Evo Performance Car of the Year 2012: The Track Battle Video

When the year draws to its end, one thing you can be sure of is that you’ll be hearing, reading and watching a lot of “Car of the Year” memos. At some point, it really gets too much because everyone and their aunt think that they should crown a COTY.
It’s a free world, or most of it at least since there’s no North Korean COTY as far as we know, so everyone’s entitled to his/her opinion.
Even though the image below may look like it’s straight out of a D1 drift challenge, it’s actually a still from Evo magazine’s 2012 performance car of the year competition, or eCOTY as they call it.
The British publication rounded up the 10 best driver’s car that it has sampled in the past 12 months and it’s a pretty idiosyncratic bunch, ranging from the Morgan 3 Wheeler to the mighty Pagani Huayra.

Mercedes-Benz Celebrates 30th Anniversary of the 190E Compact Saloon [64 Photos]

For car fans old enough to remember, November 1982, was the month Mercedes-Benz first entered the compact segment with the W201, i.e. the 190 and 190E models. Up to that point, the base model of the three-pointed star was the mid-size 200 E.
Today, it may occupy more niches than even its bean counters can remember, and more are on their way, but 30 years ago, the 190/190 E compact saloon was only the third family car, alongside the 200E and the S-Class, in Merc's range.
The “baby Benz”, as it was known, was designed by the great Bruno Sacco, featured a multilink rear suspension and was initially available with a 2-liter petrol engine delivering 88 and 120HP in the 190 and 190 E respectively.
In 1993, the 71HP 190D four-cylinder diesel and the sporty 190 E 2.3-16, which was powered by a new 16-valve four-cylinder with 182HP, were added to the model’s range.
In the following years, the line-up of Merc’s compact saloon would grow further, reaching its peak in 1988 with the 190 E 2.5-16 – a compact sports sedan that started out with 192HP and, at the end of its development, produced up to 232HP in the Evolution models.

Mercedes-Benz ML Owner Nudges his Way Through Traffic

No one feels comfortable waiting in traffic for hours but that doesn't mean you have the right to push your way through like the driver of the Mercedes-Benz ML seen in the following dashcam video.
The owner of the German SUV obnoxiously squeezes his (or her) way between parked and moving cars hitting a Lada sedan in the process. What's more surprising is that the ML driver couldn't care less about the damages caused and continued to drive!
Luckily there was more traffic up ahead and the owner of the Lada was able to catch up with the ML.

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.

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Cell Prototype: The All-Electric Gullwing [With Video]

Approximately a year ago, Mercedes-Benz officially revealed plans to develop a fully-electric version of its SLS AMG supercar. Now, the German automaker has unveiled a prototype model of the car named "SLS AMG E-Cell".

On the E-Cell prototype, Stuttgart's engineers replaced the standard SLS AMG's 571HP 6.3-liter V8 petrol engine with four electric motors placed near the wheels effectively making it a four-wheel drive model. Mercedes notes that this solution substantially reduces the unsprung masses compared to wheel-hub motors.

The electric motors produce a combined output of 392kW or the equivalent of 526HP and a maximum torque of 880 Nm / 649 lb-ft, the latter available right from the start. One transmission per axle transmits the power.