Archive for Mercedes Benz

A reader sent in these shots of the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan and E-Class Coupe at a private preview at Carcosa Seri Negara sometime earlier this month. Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has already taken up teaser press ads in the newspapers with the tag line “Engineered around you” for the launch.

The base model for the E-Class and undoubtedly probably the most popular one in terms of sales will be the E 200 CGI, which will be powered by Mercedes-Benz’s new turbocharged direct injection engine. We’ve been waiting for this engine a long time, so the the old 1.8 liter Kompressor can be sent into retirement.

Look after the jump for a full photo gallery of the cars.

Click here to read the rest of New E-Class Sedan and Coupe at Carcosa

We should have known this would happen. McLaren and Mercedes-Benz had begun slowly severing their ties, and you can see that from the introduction of the new SLS AMG and the McLaren MP4-12C. And now Mercedes-Benz’s purchase of the Brawn GP team (whom they were supplying engines to this season) will probably mean they could end their partnership with McLaren next season.

The ex-Honda Brawn GP team made history by getting both driver and constructor titles in its maiden race season. The team will now be called Mercedes GP. Mercedes-Benz has taken up a 75.1% stake in the team, while the remaining continues to be held by Ross Brawn and Nick Fry, who will remain as team principal and CEO respectively.

This will be the first time that Mercedes-Benz will have its own team since 1955. They will continue supplying engines to the McLaren team at least until the end of 2015, but I’m not too sure about having their name there. Mercedes currently owns 40% of the McLaren F1 team but McLaren will reacquire it over the next 2 years.

According to the Germans, Mercedes-Benz’s decision to increase their level of F1 involvement was thanks to recent agreements on budget cuts and the higher income share given to teams thanks to a new Concorde Agreement earlier this year.

Wanna know how much you’ll have to fork out for a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG if you’re in Europe? The car itself is sold at 149,000 Euros but you’ll actually have to pay an additional 19% VAT which brings the price up to 177,310 Euros. That’s about RM 892k, excluding the kind of crazy taxes you’ll have to pay to bring such a vehicle into Malaysia.

I’m not sure if Mercedes-Benz Malaysia will be bringing in and supporting this car but you can pretty much get anything at Naza Auto Mall if you have sufficient bank balance for it.

But here’s the thing, even at that astronomical price and with the SLS AMG being a single model car, you won’t be getting the best and most expensive SLS AMG out there. There is a whole list of expensive options that you can add to the car, including some ridiculously expensive ones like a carbon fiber engine cover going for over 4000 Euros, which makes it over RM20k. That’s nearly the price of a basic Perodua Viva here in Malaysia.

• AMG ceramic composite high-performance braking system: €9500 net/ €11,305 gross
• AMG performance suspension with a stiffer setup for optimum lateral dynamics: €1200 net/€1428 gross
• AMG light-alloy wheels in a 5-twin-spoke design, size 9.5 x 19 inches (front) and 11.0 x 20 inches (rear), tyre sizes 265/35 R 19 (front) and 295/30 R 20 (rear): €950 net/€1130.50 gross
• AMG forged wheels in a 10-spoke design, size 9.5 x 19 inches (front) and 11.0 x 20 inches (rear), with tyre size 265/35 R 19 (front) and 295/30 R 20 (rear): €2000 net/€2380 gross
• AMG performance steering wheel in leather/Alcantara: €400 net/€476 gross
• AMG sports bucket seats: €3300 net/€3927 gross
• AMG carbon-fibre engine compartment cover: €4000 net/€4760 gross
• “AMG alubeam silver” paint finish: €10,000 net/€11,900 gross
• “AMG monza grey magno” paint finish: €3250 net/€3867.50 gross
• AMG carbon-fibre trim (front stowage tray and rear stowage compartment including lid, AMG DRIVE UNIT surround, surrounds for the centre console, shiftgate and rear, trim strips for centre console and door armrests): €3500 net/€4165 gross
• AMG interior carbon package (carbon-fibre trim, trim on seat backrests and sides, door sill panels): €3500 net/€4165 gross
• Leather nappa exclusive single-/two-tone: €2500 net/€2975 gross
• Memory package with electric seat and steering column adjustment, as well as four-way lumbar support: €1225 net/€1457.75 gross
• 6-disc DVD changer: €660 net/€785.40 gross
• Bang & Olufsen BeoSound AMG surround sound system: €5900 net/ €7021 gross

The SLS AMG is an AMG car – there is no non-AMG ‘basic’ version out there and it’s supposed to be a halo flagship model. I understand if you have to pay a little more for in-car entertainment upgrades like the B&O system or the DVD changer but I’m wondering why things like an “AMG performance steering wheel” has to be a 400 Euro option.

I’m assuming its an upgrade from a standard steering but does that mean what you get as a standard steering is “non-AMG” or “non-performance”?

We probably won’t see Mercedes-Benz Malaysia offering the E-Class Wagon here in Malaysia but for wagon lovers you’ll probably enjoy these videos.

Click here to read the rest of 3 promo footages of the W212 E-Class Wagon

Mercedes-Benz decided to showcase its new E-Class Estate’s interior capacity by building a 400 meter long slot car track inside it. A publicity stunt no doubt but still makes an interesting watch. Look for the video after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of VIDEO: 400 meter slot car track in a W212 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate

Mercedes-Benz has announced a new performance package for the high-performance C 63 AMG. Called the Performance Package Plus, it is available for both the sedan and wagon variants. The most crucial update thanks to the package is the bump in horsepower. The standard C 63 AMG outputs 457hp from its 6.3 liter V8 however with the package power is increased to 487hp.

The reason behind the 30hp jump is the use of forged pistons from the new SLS AMG’s powerplant. Mercedes also fitted new connecting rods and a lightweight crankshaft. These help reduce weight by about three kilograms. There is also a new engine management system.

The package also includes a new AMG high-performance braking system. The brake discs feature a composite design and are connected to an aluminium bowl to avoid temperature peaks. The connection between the disc and bowl is new. Instead of the usual screw connection, the aluminium bowl is now connected to the brake disc via cast-in arms. The auto maker claims that this can help provide a more homogenous temperature distribution on the brake disc.

An AMG carbon fibre spoiler lip on the boot lid (for the sedan) and an AMG performance steering wheel finished in nappa leather with its grip area trimmed in Alcantara make up the rest of the upgrades. Thanks to the revisions made to the engine, the C 63 can sprint from naught to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds (4.5 seconds for the estate) which means the acceleration time is reduced by 1.2 seconds.

It will continue till the speedometer tops out at 250 km/h (electronically governed). The Performance Package Plus costs €7080.50 for the sedan or €6426 for the estate. The package will be launched in December 2009. An additional €2856 will get you a new black designo leather that covers the upper section of the dashboard, the upper door trim and the armrest on the centre console.

I have for your viewing pleasure a total of six videos on the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. The new AMG-only sportscar is powered by a 6.2 liter V8 putting out 571 PS at 6,800rpm and 792Nm of torque at 4,750rpm. The engine is similiar to the bread and butter normally aspirated 6.2 liter V8 AMG engine designated M156, but in the SLS AMG it is called the M159 and has a few changes including a new intake system, revised valves and cams, and a dry sump instead of a wet sump. It’s a modern take on the 300SL Gullwing, but still retains its old school looks in a nice blend of retro-futurism.

Watch the videos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of 6 videos on the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG!

Like wagons? Good. Like Mercedes-Benz wagons? Even better. And to top it all off, there’s some very nice European countryside greenery for those who have yet to make it for an Eurotrip. Here’s a nice promo footage clip of the estate-bodied W212 E-Class AMG in action. UPDATE: Added footage of regular wagon. Watch the clips after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of VIDEO: Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Estate

The Mercedes-Benz E 280 Avantgarde AMG Sports Package that you see on the left is available for sale with just over 20,000km on the odometer for RM360,000. It’s also got an official Mercedes-Benz Malaysia minimum warranty of 12 months or up to 20,000km.

The car I’ve just described above is just one of the few Certified Pre-Owned cars that you can procure through its Proven Exclusivity Programme, a pre-owned car program that Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has just launched yesterday. The cars have gone through a 215 point check by Mercedes-Benz trained personnel. All the cars are not more than 5 years old and have less than 100,000km mileage, so you don’t have to worry about reconditioned dealers tampering with the odometer. The cars are also limited to those that were originally brought in by Mercedes-Benz Malaysia and not via grey importers.

The Proven Exclusivity programme will be offered in phases at selected Mercedes-Benz dealerships nationwide starting with five dealerships – Cycle & Carriage Bintang Petaling Jaya, Cycle & Carriage Bintang Mutiara, Hap Seng Star Kinrara, NZ Wheels Klang and Lowe Motor Juru. Phase II, scheduled for early 2010, will see four more dealerships come on board. They hope to sell between 200 and 300 pre-owned cars in 2010 under the programme.

Related Posts:
REVIEW: Mercedes-Benz E 280 AMG Sports Package

A new world land speed record was set with a Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series this week. The car hit 322.5km/h at an Upington International Airport runway. The best part is – it was set by a blind man, Hein Wagner. And the record is of course the “land speed record for the blind.”

Wagner is a motivational speaker and he was born blind. He had also previously set a world land speed record for the blind back in 2005 in a Maserati, clocking 269km/h. It must be pretty scary to go that fast in a car when you can’t see.

His next challenge? Flying a Boeing with passengers from London to Johannesburg!