Hamilton’s smoking hot Mercedes-Benz up for auction


One of the perks about being a celebrity is that literally everything you touch almost always turns to gold for your fans. Make that triple if you’ve won the Formula One World Championship and once dated, and dumped, the leader of the Pussycat Dolls. So many men are just dying to get into your Nomex shoes.

The celebrity is none other than 2008 Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton. And the gold bar here is, of course, a Mercedes-Benz, a small token of reward for his services to Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. But not because it has Hamilton’s signature embroidered into its seats. The reason? He hooned it.

Thus, the 2010 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG was gloriously kept under Australian police custody for 24 hours after Hamilton got caught drifting it around a corner intersection, tires ablazin’, just two days before the Australian Gran Prix. To his credit, the former world champ pulled over and cooperated very well with the apprehending officers. Watch the video above.

As a result of his over-exuberant driving, the Benz, with a mere 5,000 kilometers on its odometer after a couple days under Hamilton’s hands, is now up for bidding and will likely command up to $150,000.

Maybach Sale Not True, Says Daimler

maybach zeppelin mercedes 540x309 Maybach Sale Not True, Says Daimler
Recent rumors that Maybach has been put on the auction block and Chinese car company BYD may be the lucky buyer are not true, says Daimler. In an interview with Reuters, a Daimler spokesperson belied the sale talks, asserting that Maybach, despite having sold only 200 cars last year, is still crucial to Daimler’s branding.

The rumors may have been due to three reasons. One, Daimler and Chinese BYD has a joint venture in the electric cars market in China. Second, the Maybach brand of cars has grown stale. Spy photos leaked recently to avid car industry watchers however show minor upgrades scheduled for several Maybach lines. Lastly, and more importantly, Maybach couldn’t seem to parallel its Rolls-Royce and Bentley competitions in terms of sales. Rolls Royce is already doubling its production outputs to keep up with demand and Bentley is pushing forward with its plans of greening its Continental cars by 2012.

Industry watchers, however, are saying that the rumored Maybach sale may still come around eventually, if its dismal performance in the market continued.

New York 2010: The 2011 Mercedes-Benz R-class. Cosmopolitan mom likes.

12 2011 m b r class 540x404 New York 2010: The 2011 Mercedes Benz R class. Cosmopolitan mom likes.
Even the rich and famous can be soccer moms. Just in case you’re looking for a luxurious van to transport your team of tenderfoots, and you’ve gots the money to spend, consider the ever-reliable Mercedes-Benz R-class. Mercedes-Benz is currently looking into unveiling the latest of R-class in the 2010 New York auto show.

So what has changed since the 2010 model? Well, not much, save for heavy exterior design changes that give the 2011 model a lot more testosterone than its predecessor. A large and deep front grille and rhomboid headlamps to replace the traditional standing ellipses give the upcoming R-class a bolder, yet sophisticated look.

Just in case you’re wondering if there’s any change to the 2010 engine. Well, none really. The current 268 hp 3.5-liter gasoline engine and the 210 hp 3-liter diesel engine retain much of their prescribed horsepower and torque. They inherited an estimated 24 miles-per-gallon of fuel economy as well.

Even if you wanted to bring along six to seven full-sized adult passengers, they would all be sitting comfortably throughout your journey, save for a stopovers along the way. Still, this mommy-mobile of a Mercedes-Benz will really bring the kids closer to their moms.

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Next-gen electric motors for hybrid vehicles to be produced in Berlin

mercedes berlin 540x359 Next gen electric motors for hybrid vehicles to be produced in Berlin
The Mercedes-Benz plant in Berlin is to produce a new generation of transmission-integrated electric engines for Mercedes-Benz hybrid vehicles from 2012 onwards. As a result of this decision, the site will add a key technology of the future to its production portfolio. The intensive collaboration between the plant and the research and development departments will create excellent conditions for the further development and production of the latest technologies.

Volker Stauch, Head of Powertrain Production at Mercedes-Benz Cars, says: “The electrification of the drive system will play an important part in mobility in the future. The Berlin plant already has a wealth of expertise in the manufacture of electrically controlled components. Through this decision, this site will play an even more important part in shaping the future drive systems portfolio of Mercedes-Benz.”

BRABUS tunes the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabrio

b10aa211 Custom 540x358 BRABUS tunes the Mercedes Benz E Class Cabrio
Exclusive, sporty and highly individual: These three attributes best describe the BRABUS custom program for the new E-Class Cabriolet that will be available in time for the car’s market launch. As for all other Mercedes models BRABUS offers an extensive product lineup for the E-Class Cabriolet that leaves nothing to be desired. The lineup features engine tuning, including the BRABUS 6.1 capacity engine with 462 hp (456 bhp) / 340 kW of power, a dynamically styled aerodynamic-enhancement program, custom-tailored wheels with diameters ranging from 17 to 20 inches, corresponding sport suspensions and striking interior options.

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