Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 S Roadster Photo Gallery

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 S Roadster The latest (and probably last) iteration of the SLR McLaren called the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 S Roadster gets a ridiculously powerful 5.5 liter supercharged V8 boasting 650 horsepower, 605 lb/feet of torque, a 0-62 mph time of 3.7 seconds, and a top speed of 220 mph, making it the fastest convertible ever made. Check out the photo gallery below:

 

Mercedes-Benz Concept BlueZERO: three-fold proof of the everyday practicality of zero-emission vehicles

Mercedes-Benz is showing the way ahead in environmentally responsible electromobility by presenting its near-series Concept BlueZERO...

 

World Class Driving Review - One Day, Five Supercars

When's the last time you drove a Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera? How about a Mercedes McLaren SLR? For most of us, that never happens. The lucky few who can, however, either have enough money to buy one, have a rich friend or relative, or paid an exorbitant amount of money to rent one. Now though, a company called World Class Driving has done all the heavy lifting for you. They tour the country with five supercars at their disposal, charging customers $1495 to drive each one for about 30 minutes a piece. There's probably a stop close to you, so check out the tour schedule and see what cars will be there. We had a chance to attend a World Class Driving (WCD) event in Charlotte, NC last month. Was it worth the $1500 price tag? Keep reading to find out… Christine and I in the Lambo We showed up at the Hampton Inn Southpark hotel in Charlotte at Noon - just in time for the briefing and lunch. After signing the insurance waivers and the necessary agreements (no unnecessary revving of the engines, no burnouts, no turning off traction control, etc) we went over the basics of handling a supercar vs. a regular car. We didn't actually get out of there until around 1:30, as it seems someone in the group before us crashed one of the cars. More on that later. As we headed outside, there sat our supercars - a Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, Mercedes McLaren SLR, Audi R8, and a Maserati GranTurismo. Oh, the beauty. Passers-by all stopped and gawked, taking pictures and asking about the cars. This leads to my main complaint about WCD: while these cars are great, they were not the cars that I expected to be there. In fact, the list of cars changed multiple times. When we registered for World Class Driving, the list of cars were as follows: Ferrari 599 Fiorano Mercedes SLR McLaren Ferrari F430 Audi R8 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera Callaway C16 When I checked a couple months before the event, they changed again: Ferrari 599 Fiorano or Mercedes SLR McLaren Ferrari 430 Scuderia Lamborghini LP560-4 Callaway C16 Maserati GranTurismo Spare After being assured that the list would not be changed again, I checked the list right before the event, and it was as follows: Ferrari 430 Scuderia or Mercedes McLaren SLR Lamborghini LP560-4 Nissan GT-R Audi R8 Maserati GranTurismo Callaway C16 And here's the list of what was actually there: Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera Audi R8 Mercedes SLR McLaren Maserati GranTurismo This is frustrating - if you registered because you were looking forward to a specific car (like the Lamborghini LP560-4 for example,) the list changed and you won't be able to drive that car anymore. Lamborghini Gallardo and Maserati GranTurismo But there were supposed to be five cars, not four. Turns out the Ferrari 430 Scuderia was the car that was wrecked, and was still on the side of road. Another frustrating thing was that WCD said they always have a spare car in case something happens to one of them, but apparently didn't have a backup this time. They promised all of the drivers that once they come back into the area (May 2009,) we can come back to drive the Ferrari. After we got done taking pictures and getting briefed on our specific starting cars (we were in the Audi R8 first,) we took off from the hotel. I've been in love with the Audi R8 since it was unveiled, so at this point I was in heaven. Incredibly smooth, awesome engine noise, plenty of interior room, and very quick. The first half of the first drive was through traffic. Starting and stopping at stoplights, working through traffic, etc. This was rather unpleasant, since we only got the last half of the first car drive on open roads. After about 20 minutes (felt like 10,) we got out and went on to the second rotation. The format of the drive was as follows: a lead car driven by our instructor led the way. The rest of us followed behind him, not allowed to pass him or any of the other cars. This naturally led to all of the cars falling way behind the lead car so we could step on it, catching up very quickly, then slowing down again to repeat the process. Our second car was the Maserati GranTurismo. Very smooth and comfortable, great interior look and feel. The acceleration of the Maserati was not as responsive as the Audi, but was more of a swelling speed. An excellent touring car in every way. Christine in the Mercedes SLR McLaren Next up was the Mercedes SLR McLaren. Christine drove the SLR (as you can see above.) She commented on the SLR being very fast, but not having much of a personality. "It's really fast, but it's just another Mercedes" she remarked. An incredibly fast car, but there was something missing. Talking with the other drivers of the day, they felt the same way. Last up was the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. Now this is a supercar, and arguably the coolest car of the bunch. The bright orange finish with the "Superleggera" stripe, carbon fiber everything, and gunmetal wheels drew lots of attention, and had the best engine note of them all. A 520 horsepower V10 and active exhaust served as the radio in this Lambo. Opening the door reveals a nearly flat bare carbon fiber door panel inside. No door handle to close it, just a cloth strap to pull. All of this saves a lot of weight of course, making this Gallardo track-ready and super fun to drive. Without question my favorite car to fall back in - slowing down, cruising at 35, downshifting to 2nd gear, and flooring the throttle rewarded us with explosive acceleration, a screaming Lamborghini V10 behind us…next thing we know the car in front of us is coming up fast as the speedo reads 120 mph. Carbon-ceramic brakes slowed us down very quickly. After the drive, we went back to the hotel and collected our gift bags, which consisted of a folder containing two photos they took before the drive, and a certificate of completion. Also in the bag was a WCD hat, some literature on World Class Driving, and a very cool laser-etched glass Ferrari 599 Fiorano model. We talked with some of the other drivers, traded business cards, thanked the WCD staff, and were on our way back home. So let's get what we didn't like out of the way first. I didn't like that they switched around the cars so much prior to the drive. I completely understand and encourage the practice of keeping the rotation fresh and offer customers the latest and greatest cars. However, when the list changes at least four times, chances are some of the customers were there for at least one specific car. If that car isn't there anymore, they're going to be disappointed. I was extremely disappointed when the list changed and the Audi R8 was omitted; thankfully it changed again and the R8 came back. I was also looking forward to the Nissan GT-R and Lamborghini LP560-4, which weren't there. Audi R8 Second, the Ferrari 430 Scuderia accident was bad for two reasons: mainly we didn't get to drive it, and they didn't have a backup car for us to drive. Also it seemed like the staff was more distracted with the Ferrari than they were with focusing on the customers having a good time. Yes it sucks the Ferrari got wrecked, but that's what insurance is for. Lastly, I didn't like having to spend the first half of the first car driving through city traffic. I kind of feel robbed out of part of my time with the R8, since it was the open roads that were the fun parts of driving. Additionally, I wish there was more time with each car. It felt like we were kind of in a hurry to get back before the sun fell since we took off late. So, despite the few complaints about the event, it was a great time. I look forward to returning in May to drive the Ferrari, and I hope all of the other drivers worked something out as well. For $1500, it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most of us, and a great gift for any car lover. Some of the other drivers there were repeat customers, and most said they would go again. I just hope they keep the freshest new cars coming in (hint: Audi R8 V10,) and with a few tweaks to their process (longer drive times, keep a backup car, etc) would be a perfect experience. Based on our time there and reactions from other drivers, I highly recommend trying out World Class Driving or giving it as a gift to any car lover. Check out WorldClassDriving.com to view schedules, check out the cars, and book your experience. Thanks to the WCD crew for a great time, and I hope to see you at another event soon. Check out the photos below, or click here for the full gallery:

 

Spy shots: First prototypes for next-gen Mercedes Benz CLS

The Mercedes Benz CLS ignited the four-door coupe market when it was introduced back in 2004, and since then we've seen several other luxury rivals attempt to emulate the design with cars like the Porsche Panamera, Audi A7 and Aston Martin Rapide all under development. Now the first prototype for Mercedes' next-generation CLS has been spotted, revealing a few subtle clues about the new model (previously we saw a test-mule disguised under the sheet metal of the current model). The new car is expected to be launched in late 2010 as a 2011 model, and positioned more upmarket to bring it in line with some of its more premium rivals. This will also allow Mercedes to introduce a second four-door coupe model, rumored to be based on its next-generation small car platform. The car will feature a wider track, as indicated by the extended wheel arches seen on the previous test mule, and according to insiders its platform will be borrowed from the current S-Class sedan flagship. New to the CLS will be a hybrid option based on the same powertrain as the one used in the recently revealed S400 BlueHybrid. Other engine options will include both V6 and V8 powerplants, and there will invariably be a high-performance AMG model. Meanwhile, the styling of the car is expected to be similar to the current model although it will be bigger overall and feature some sharper lines, especially around the front end. Mercedes may even launch a 'Shooting Brake' variant as well. A Shooting Brake is essentially a two-door wagon, and Mercedes designers hinted at the possibility of a modern version with the unveiling of the ConceptFASCINATION study at the Paris Motor Show. While the ConceptFASCINATION was based around the design of the new E-Class Coupe, which is expected to spawn a Shooting Brake model of its own, our inside source suggests that a new CLS version will be offered as well. [source:MotorAuthority]

 

2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class unveiled via web leak

We've seen so many spy shots of the upcoming 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class that these official images hardly move us. Yet here they are, three images leaked onto the web that reportedly reveal the final production form of the 2010 E-Class, which makes its official debut in January at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show in March. The new E-Class was previewed by the Mercedes-Benz ConceptFascination that debuted at this year's Paris Motor Show, and we can see now that the front of the production car was heavily influenced by the concept. Gone are the round, quad headlamps, which have been replaced with new light fixtures that still number four but are more contemporary and clean. Strips of LEDs can also be had as fog lights in the outermost intakes of the lower front bumper, which must be a German thing as Audi and Porsche have placed the advanced lighting tech in similar areas on their cars. The soft lines of the current model have been chiseled into a crisper shape that shares creases with its big brother, the S-Class, and the new profile appears to be more forgiving of tall passengers in back. The unfortunate looking Galant-like rear end features large, rectangular tail-lights that cross over a rather voluminous-looking trunk. We expect the new 2010 E-Class to be loaded with more advanced performance, safety and entertainment technology than ever before, including the ability to read road signs, monitor driver fatigue and see in the dark without its lights on. In Europe it will be available with engines that range from four to six to eight cylinders large and are fueled by either gas or diesel. In the U.S., we should expect what we have now: a V6, V8 and AMG model.

 

Mercedes-Benz considering A-Class roadster for the States

There are rumors that the Mercedes-Benz A-Class might come visit to America.It have been swirling around for years.Trust me, it sucks.The question circulating around whether the car is similar to the image in the U.S. that Mercedes-Benz has worked so hard to come out with a good concept cars for years. Categorize as an economy car, the A-Class clashes with the rest of the brand's upscale line-up and doesn't seem appropriate to put in the same dealership where upper-crusters are shopping for the latest S-Class. One possible remedy could be reducing the number of seats and the losing the car's top, an idea first broached by the SLA Concept (above) that debuted in 2000. A roadster would make sense for the German automaker, as BMW, its main rival, is rumored to be thinking hard about launching a similarly-small Z2 roadster based on its 1 Series platform. Although production plans have already been considered, no decisions have been made. The next redesign of the A- and B-Class from Mercedes is scheduled for 2012, so there's still plenty of time to get it all sorted.

 

Hamilton gets the stamp of approval from Isle of Man Post Office

Few countries have such unimpeachable car-crazed credentials than the Isle of Man. The semi-autonomous British island has no speed limits, boasts a fearsome TT road course, and is home to a handful of motorbike champions, former F1 world champion Nigel Mansell and even Jeremy Clarkson has a house there. Apparently, the love of motorsports hasn't escaped any crevice of Manx society -- not even the postal service -- which has announced it is issuing a set of stamps to honor Britain's new golden boy, recently crowned Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton. The six-stamp set, which will be released on January 15, will feature images from Hamilton's triumphant season, and follows the British Racing Greats which the Philatelic Bureau of the Isle of Man Post Office released earlier this year. A set of stamps might not quite measure up against the McLaren F1 LM supercar which Hamilton was promised as a reward for the title, but who knows, maybe letters will arrive at their destination a little faster with Lewis driving. Press release after the jump. [Source: Isle of Man Post Office]