Mercedes-Benz to Style Helicopter Interiors, Yachts, and Furniture

Mercedes-Benz to Style Helicopter Interiors, Yachts, and FurnitureYou aren't likely to spot a helicopter parked next to an E-Class  at your local Mercedes-Benz dealer anytime soon, but designers employed within the automaker's styling studios are lending a hand in creating a number of non-automotive products.We first saw the AMG-branded Cigarette racing boat back in February, but it seems the sleek vessel was just the tip of the iceberg. Daimler revealed today a number of different assignments doled to its designers, ranging from helicopter cabins to luxury yachts and everything in between."We are in no way entering into new territory,"...

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2012 Mercedes-Benz SL Will Use More Carbon Fiber

2012 Mercedes-Benz SL Will Use More Carbon FiberThe SL moniker once stood for sport leicht, but at 4220 pounds, the current 2010 Mercedes-Benz SL roadster is anything but light. That said, the next-generation SL -- due in 2012 -- will be the first of several Mercedes-Benz models to use a substantial amount of lightweight carbon fiber composite materials.Daimler AG has partnered with Toray Industries, a Japanese textile maker, to develop and produce car parts made from carbon fiber composite materials. The move mirrors BMW’s partnership with U.S.-based carbon fiber supplier SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers, which is designed in part to supply components...

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Lorinser Gives Revamped Mercedes-Benz S-Class More Power, Style

Lorinser Gives Revamped Mercedes-Benz S-Class More Power, StyleLorinser, one of Germany's most prominent tuning houses, announced some new custom accessories for the refreshed 2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class.Although Lorinser considers the parts to be "new," they're essentially the same as before. Bumpers fore and aft are swapped with a more aggressive replacements designed to increase cooling capacity and reducing drag. Matched with side skirts and unique front fenders, the look is pleasingly different than the styling packs offered from the likes of AMG.Engineers have massaged the S600's twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V-12 with a remapped ECU, larger...

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Mercedes-Benz Electric Vito Endures Cold Weather Testing

Mercedes-Benz Electric Vito Endures Cold Weather TestingBatteries typically don't perform very well in colder climates, but Mercedes-Benz says its electric Vito van functions as well in the cold as it does in warm weather.The EV Vito, which will ultimately be offered on the European market by the end of the year, is currently undergoing a barrage of tests to ready it for the real world. First on the list was cold weather testing. The van was whisked to Sweden, where it encountered consistent negative 22-degree Fahrenheit temperatures.According to Daimler, the van succeeded in its trials. Surprisingly, the 81-mile range offered by the lithium-ion...

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Is Mercedes-Benz Planning a BMW Mega City Rival?

Is Mercedes-Benz Planning a BMW Mega City Rival?While BMW works on developing its eco-friendly Mega City urban vehicle, it seems Mercedes-Benz may be working on a competitor. Reports indicate the Stuttgart-based automaker may be working on a compact EV offering of its own to counter the electro-Bimmer.According to Autocar, Mercedes is working on a "Project 50," a small, electric vehicle designed for commuters who drive primarily in large cities. The magazine reports the car will have similar dimensions to the original A-class subcompact. When it first debuted in 1997, the A measured a stubby 142 inches in length, but today's version has grown...

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New York 2010: 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon, R-Class and S63 AMG Bow

New York 2010: 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Wagon, R-Class and S63 AMG BowThree updated 2011 model Mercedes-Benz vehicles rolled across the stage today in New York: the E-Class Wagon, R-Class, and S63 AMG. Mercedes-Benz also released pricing for the 2010 model year E-Class line.First to roll out was the latest E-Class Wagon, the E350. Essentially an updated E-Class with a wagon body, the E350 comes in gasoline and diesel flavors. Sharing an engine with the rest of the E-Class line, the 3.5-liter gasoline V-6 is expected to produce 268 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The E350 BlueTEC with its 3.0-liter turbo diesel should produce 211 horsepower....

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New York 2010: Mercedes SLS GT3 Race Car Debuts, Street Car to Start at $183,000

New York 2010: Mercedes SLS GT3 Race Car Debuts, Street Car to Start at $183,000Like the legendary 300SL Gullwing before it, the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is going racing. Dubbed the SLS GT3, the new race car roared onto the stage today in New York a fully FIA-compliant track car. The street-legal SLS AMG, meanwhile, will go on sale in the U.S. in May starting at $183,000 to help meet homologation requirements.The SLS GT3 will leave showrooms ready to race with a stripped interior and modified body work. Despite the gigantic wing hanging off the trunk, the SLS GT3 is lighter than the street car and will rip to 60 mph in no more than...

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Mercedes-Benz Crafts GT3 Racing Car Out of SLS AMG

Mercedes-Benz Crafts GT3 Racing Car Out of SLS AMGMercedes-Benz’s legendary 300 SLR was explicitly built for racing, not the street.  So perhaps it’s fitting that its spiritual successor -- the new 2011 SLS AMG -- will also be offered in a track-ready version.The car, likely dubbed the SLS AMG GT3, is designed to compete in the FIA’s GT3 racing class alongside competitors like the Audi R8 LMS, BMW Z4 GT3, and the Aston Martin DBRS9. Overall, the car looks largely stock, although it is treated to taller side sills and bumper fascias for aerodynamics, a gigantic rear spoiler, and sliding Plexiglas window inserts. We’ve yet to see an...

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Paul Yaffe-Built 2006 Yellow Road Glide

Paul Yaffe-Built 2006 Yellow Road GlideAlan Powell pushes for perfection. He is a gentleman of distinct means and style, not appearing to settle for anything less than precisely what he wants. He is a self-made entrepreneur, a former Army Ranger, music, entertainment and sports marketing man and corporate branding mogul. In his spare time, when he’s not buying and selling companies, he likes to ride big, heavy, crazy cool customs. “It’s just who I am,” said Powell, whose own identity is unmistakable. The 42-year-old Chairman and CEO of AP & Associates, a strategic planning and multi-cultural marketing company, looks like he should...

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The 2011 CTS-V Coupe begins production in the summer of 2010 as Photos

The 2011 CTS-V Coupe begins production in the summer of 2010 as PhotosCadillac is already displaying a 2011 model, the CTS-V coupe. The equation is: V goodness, mixed with killer features, all stirred in the the coupe bodystyle that was revealed last month at the LA Auto Show.The CTS-V coupe will debut at the Detroit Auto Show next week, and we’re quite sure Cadillac has high expectations for this speed and luxury sedan. The two-door version looks damn sexy from where I’m standing, and the first thing to mention is: Germans, be warned, you got serious competition on your hands from Cadillac. The one-inch wider track at the rear axle is...

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