2009 Mercedes-Benz CLS550 Grand Edition - Car News

Merc's "four-door coupe" gets a wickedly cool new paint job.   We are still not convinced the four-door coupe is a legitimate species, but if there are such animals, the Mercedes-Benz CLS certainly defines the genre. Indeed, few other examples are available right now, and entries such as the Aston Martin Rapide or, less extravagant, the Audi A5 Sportback and the Audi A7 have yet to reach dealers. The CLS, on the other hand, has been on sale long enough to be due a complete redesign in 2011, likely arriving as a 2012 model. It is, after all, no more (and no less) than a re-skinned E-class. And since that backbone of the Mercedes range will be replaced shortly, it makes sense for the CLS to move onto the next E-class platform as well. But the first-generation CLS must carry on for another two years or so. To keep up interest, Mercedes is announcing the Grand Edition special series. The focus clearly is on design, as dark casings for the bi-xenon headlight units and 18-inch AMG wheels painted in titanium gray catch the eye. The interior is distinguished by an Alcantara headliner, matte or high-gloss laurel wood, brushed stainless-steel pedals, and special available maroon leather. Goodies such as the COMAND navigation system and a parking aid system are thrown in for good measure.   Keep Reading: 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLS550 Grand Edition - Car News

 

New Mercedes CLS Grand Edition

Here we have the new CLS Grand Edition special-edition model from Mercedes-Benz. I guess the boys from Stuttgart are doing special editions now (oh boy). Essentially the CLS Grand Edition is a matte exterior paint job and lots and lots of leather on the inside. Not really stretching there, are they, and yet another reason why I'm not that big a fan of "special editions". Don't get me wrong, the CLS is a nice car, and I like what Mercedes is trying to do with the four door coupe (although that's more than a bit of an oxymoron, no?). They (and others) are slowly whittling away at the three-box look that most sedans are cosigned to … but this whole special edition thing? Scary. It's the top of a slippery slope. Mercedes is setting foot at the start of a road that leads to where GM (among others) ended up circa 1982. Remember when GM seemed to have a "special edition" of almost every car they made? "What makes this special edition of the Chevette so special?" "The stickers on the side that say 'Special Edition'". Now no, I'm not saying that Mercedes is going to end up at that ignominious fate, but this is a bad portent. First AMG turns from an out-source tuner into a part of the company into something more than just performance … then there's this whole "Black Series" (ooo, scary!) business … now "Special editions". We're watching guys, don't go and dilute yourselves. Full Mercedes presser und many more photos after the jump. Stuttgart – The new CLS Grand Edition special-edition model sees Mercedes-Benz introducing a new highlight to the segment for four-door premium coupés. A matt designo paint finish lends spectacular definition to the lines of the coupé and makes the CLS Grand Edition really catch the eye. This exclusive style is echoed in the interior with high-grade designo leather and high-quality equipment details. All of which makes the multi-design-award-winning Mercedes-Benz Coupé unmistakable. Coupés are truly special cars. Not least the Mercedes Coupés, which have always epitomised automotive elegance, exclusivity and refinement at the very highest level. With the CLS, Mercedes-Benz paved the way for four-door coupés. The trend-setting model from Stuttgartinspires coupé enthusiasts with its exciting and muscular styling. Even more pronounced lines through new paint The new Mercedes-Benz CLSGrand Edition catches the eye straight away. A unique "designo magno platinum" matt paint finish brings the lines and contours of the premium Coupé fully to the fore and emphasises its multi-award-winning design. As well as being an eye-catching feature, the matt paint finish is highly scratch- and dirt-resistant. In keeping with the avant-garde paintwork, the radiator grille louvres are also painted in "designo magno platinum". The Grand Edition customers can select from a choice of metallic paint finishes: obsidian black, iridium silver, carneol red or flint grey. The additional exterior equipment for the CLSGrand Edition includes: * Bi-xenon headlamps with dark headlamp casings, active light function and cornering light function in the fog lamps, headlamp cleaning system, and dynamic headlamp range adjustment * Exclusive, high-sheen AMG18-inch 5-spoke light-alloy wheels with pockets painted in titanium grey, shod with 245/40 R 18 (front) and 275/35 R 18 (rear) tyres * A "Grand Edition" insignia on the front wings designo interior displaying sporty, elegant touches The no-nonsense elegance continues inside the car. Here a perfectly matched designo interior and a roof lining in anthracite Alcantara, together with the standard-fit tilting/sliding glass roof, define the sporty, elegant style. Special touches are provided by the designo leather upholstery in "marron" – with the option of substituting this shade for sand, black, mystic red, porcelain or chablis. The trim elements in high-quality laurel wood can be ordered with either a matt or a high-gloss finish. The same material is used for the selector lever and the wood/leather steering wheel. Sport pedals in brushed stainless steel with rubber studs underline the sporting credentials of the CLSGrand Edition. The extensive range of equipment includes the sophisticated COMAND APSMultimedia control and display system, comfort telephony, PARKTRONIC and "Grand Edition" velour floor mats. Pioneering engine technology in the CLS 350 CGI There are four engine variants available for the CLSGrand Edition, including the V6 unit for the entry-level CLS280 model and, perhaps most impressively of all, the CGIdirect-injection power plant for the CLS350 CGImodel, offering high output and low fuel consumption. This V6 engine with piezoelectric direct injection and spray-guided combustion develops 215 kW/292 hp and consumes just 9.1 litres of premium unleaded petrol per 100 kilometres (NEDC combined). The Mercedes-Benz CLSGrand Edition can be ordered from January 2, 2009. Prices start at 67,294.50 Euros incl. VAT (CLS280 Grand Edition). The deliveries to customers start in March 2009.

 

Video of Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Hamann Volcano

Merc's (oh fine, and McLaren's, I suppose) SLR supercar is going to be phased out to pave the way for the next uber Merc car (supposedly called SLC, by the way, and it's gonna have those gullwing doors), but being the classy guys they are, Mercedes has released a bunch of special editions, 722 S Roadster (full gallery here) and Stirling Moss among them, to phase it out in loud, obnoxious, and deliciously exotic style. Well, the top tuner (oh that is suuch a degrading term, let's try "aftermarket modifying") companies are lining up to pay their respects as well, by unleashing their very own take on what the SLR McLaren could be. Hamann's version is called the "Volcano", and you can view the video after the jump. We'll hit you with the specs, pics, and general info on the car in a later post.

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2009 Mercedes-Benz R320 CDI

This diesel R-class makes a lot of sense, but the EPA numbers seem very low. I had to go to fueleconomy.gov to verify that they were correct. I easily saw 30+ mpg indicated on my commute home and an average of 24 mpg after a lot of spirited driving and running around town. The new EPA ratings seem to be giving diesel vehicles the short end of the stick. If those fuel economy numbers don't scare you off, the R-class makes for a very comfortable ride that will move four large adults many miles in comfort and luxury. The second row has tons of legroom, and there's more than enough cargo room for four adults to go on a weekend outing with the third row of seats stowed away. Mix in the typical Mercedes interior, refinement, and luxury touches and it's amazing that you don't see more of these on the road. I know the styling isn't for everyone, and a vehicle that functions like a cross between a minivan and a station wagon is pretty much doomed in the U.S., but I really enjoyed my evening with the R-class. I know shoppers may be concerned about the cost and availability of AdBlue (let alone its source), but there's a bigger concern: oil. With a little more than 6000 miles on the clock, I was startled by a "check oil soon" message on my way home. Sure enough, the dipstick read nearly two quarts low. Yikes! Scary that may be, but just you try to figure out what blend of petroleum to pump through the 3.0-liter V-6's crankcase. Although Mercedes sees fit to provide all sorts of specifications within the owners' manual, it manages to skip over the issue of oil specifications. Don't look for an underhood label-the only one there refers to reading the owners' manual to find the proper grade. The manual instead tells me to hit up the MBUSA.com website, where - following a good hour of searching - I still couldn't find the oil specs. To Rotella T or not to Rotella T - that is the question! I drove the R320 Bluetec nearly 200 miles over the weekend and got an indicated 23 mpg, which I think is very impressive considering that the vehicle is even heavier than my right foot. There's plenty of passing torque, and the seven-speed gearbox helps make the most of it. True, there is some lag off the line, but this is barely noticeable unless your goal is a drag-racing launch. Inside, the R-class has a comfortable, luxurious interior with beautiful wood, although some of the black door panels have a somewhat cheap feel to them. There's a strange glitch with this vehicle's navigation system, however: it couldn't locate a certain section of Ann Arbor - twice - but on one occasion (strangely between the two others) in the same neighborhood, the dash-mounted atlas happily displayed all of the nearby roads. I'm not quite sure what's up with that. The exterior of the R-class is not pretty, to my mind. It looks fairly similar to the insectlike Buick Enclave from the front, in fact. But I drove the long Benz a lot in downtown Detroit on Sunday, and I actually saw three other R-classes, including one with big rims, so it's nice to see that some owners are proud of their M-B R. It'd take a lot of convincing to get me to purchase a minivan-like Mercedes without the convenience of sliding doors, though. Based on the R's sales numbers, a lot of people feel that way. 2009 Mercedes-Benz R320 CDI Base Price (with destination): $50,025 Price as tested: $62,865 Options: -Barolo Red Paint - $720 -Tele Aid - $650 -Panorama Sunroof - $1050 -Rear Seat Entertainment - $1850 -Heated Front Seats - $720 -P02 Package - $7,850 Fuel Economy: 18 / 24 / 20 mpg (city/hwy/combined) Engine: Size: 3.0L DOHC 24V Turbocharged V6 HP: 210 hp @ 3800 RPM Torque: 398 lb-ft @ 1600-2400 RPM Transmission: 7-speed Automatic Weight: 5092 lb Wheel/Tire Info: 19" aluminum wheels(size) 255/50 R 19 All-Season (run flat) tires P02 Package: - Power Passenger Seat w/ Memory - Autodimming Mirror - Power Dr. Seat & Steering Col. w/ Memory - Rear Side Window Blinds - Telescoping Steering Column - Power Folding Mirrors - 3-Zone Climate Control - Climate Control / Rear Compartment

 

2010 Mercedes Benz E-Class Estate wagon

The next-generation Mercedes Benz E-class has again been spotted in testing but this time the prototype is for the Mercedes Benz E-class'Estate' wagon version. The images were taken near the carmaker's headquarters in Germany and reveal the final shape of the car, with only the finer details being masked by the black camouflage material. These new renderings and spy shots, however, gives us a good indication as to how the final version will look.   We can clearly see the design of the grille and some details on the tail-lights. The next E-Class is expected to debut at next year's Geneva Motor Show before going on sale later that same year as a 2010 model. The wagon 'Estate' variant, meanwhile, should be unveiled at the following Frankfurt Motor Show in September. © Source: autofans

 

Matte stop-gap: 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLS Grand Edition

2009 Mercedes-Benz CLS Grand Edition The Mercedes-Benz CLS is due for a refresh within the next two years, but before M-B releases an all-new version of its pioneering and often imitated four-door "coupe," at least one special edition is in order. The 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLS Grand Edition features a set of bi-xenon headlamps, with an integrated cleaning and range adjustment system, along with fog lamps that swivel with the steering wheel to illuminate around the bend. AMG provides a set of 18-inch, five-spoke wheels coated in titanium grey and wrapped in 245/40 (front) and 275/35 (rear) rubber, while "Grand Edition" badges adorn the front fenders and floor mats. By far, the most intriguing part of the CLS Grand Edition is the available platinum matte paint which M-B assures is highly scratch- and dirt-resistant, but for those not particularly partial to the low-gloss coating, obsidian black, iridium silver, carneol red or flint grey metallic finishes are available. Inside, the "designo" interior (a Benz customization option) features anthracite Alcantara headliner and joins "marron," sand, black, mystic red, porcelain or Chablis leather seats and accents, along with laurel wood trim and stainless steel pedals. Orders for the CLS Grand Edition begin abroad today, with four engines choices, a starting price of 67,294 euros and deliveries starting in March. Gallery: Mercedes-Benz CLS Grand Edition

 

Another Look At The Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe

If the photos we directed you to yesterday weren't enough to satisfy your desire to see the new Mercedes E-Class Coupe, we've got yet another round that may do the trick – this time with the model's side profile completely visible with all but the tiniest of masking. I won't bore you with another synopsis of the E-Class Coupe's styling, seeing as how we've already broached the subject on more than one occasion, but for all you CLK owners wondering what lies in store for the next-generation of the model, you now have yet another remarkably clear vision of what to expect in the coming days.

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