The salesman who sold Lindsay Lohan her Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG must have been present when Britney Spears recently rolled into the dealership. According to celebrity site TMZ.com, Britney Spears just picked up a shiny new white SL65. That means once again a young accident prone distracted driver gets a twin-turbo monster (hooray!) with which to aim at unsuspecting bystanders. Wherever will she fit the baby seats? Surely an SL350 would have suited Ms. Spears for her frequent Starbucks runs, but why should anyone think with reason? Now we’ll just wait for it to show up on eBay after getting repaired from impacting a stationary object (or human being). You never know, someone might be able to get a sweet deal on this car second-hand. Just watch out for the Frappuccio stains.

[Source: AutoBlog]

Lindsay Lohan’s choice of automotive accessory always seemed like the work of a good salesman. Why else would a reckless young woman in need of a transportation appliance choose a twin-turbo 6.0L V12 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG over, say, the perfectly reasonable SL500? They are both convertibles after all, and isn’t that all that matters? Regardless, it made for more interesting news when she stuffed the 604-hp beast into a tree. When we last saw Miss Lohan’s personal vehicle, she had abandoned it on the side of Sunset Blvd in Hollywood. Apparently the front end has been repaired by a shop in Texas, and they have it up for sale on eBay. Confirmation that the car belonged to LiLo came via comparing the car’s license plate to the one on the car captured in papparazi photos, not to mention the parking slip from the Chateau Marmont Hotel.

[Source: eBay]

Just because BMW declined Mercedes’ public offering to develop engines together doesn’t mean that the 3-pointed star and the roundel can’t work together at all. Mercedes has a B-Class car arriving in 2011, and it needs motors. BMW and Peugeot have developed 4-cylinder direct injection lumps that power the MINI, and Mercedes is eying the cutting edge powerplants for its new compact car.

The new B-Class would take the place of the current A- and B-Class cars cars, and come in five flavors: 3-door, 5-door, SUV, coupe, and convertible. BMW announced just this month that it would be ending its partnership with Peugeot on those engines, so it is unclear how Mercedes would get them in 4 years time. Regardless, Mercedes is due to make a decision about what powers the new B-class by next month.

[Source: AutoBlog]

This one kind of crept up on us, but it appears Mercedes-Benz has released a new race-spec version of the SLR supercar dubbed the GTR. It’s been revealed that the limited edition 722 SLR released last year was in fact a homologation special designed for a potential FIA GT race car, and the new GTR is a production version of the future racer.

The GTR is loosely based on the 722, but tips the scales at just 2860lb (1300kg), which means it’s roughly 660lb (300kg) lighter. The mechanical package remains largely unchanged but, with the lighter body, the 650hp supercharged V8 should see it reach 62mph from rest in just three seconds flat. Top speed remains at 210 mph.

To shed all that weight, engineers stripped the cabin and replaced most of the parts such as the door panels and dash with carbon-fiber. They also installed a set of 19-inch OZ wheels, removed the front grille and installed a huge rear wing and diffuser.

Only 21 new GTRs will enter production and the first one has already been spotted at a Mercedes-Benz dealer in Germany by HDennis who posted these pics of the car on Supercars.net

Thanks for the tip, Richard!

[Source: Supercars.net]

You may remember that despite a promise back in January of 2006 that its E320 BLUETEC would meet emissions standards in all 50 states, Mercedes-Benz announced eight months later that its new diesel sedan wouldn’t be sold in California and the contingent of states that have adopted its stricter emissions standard. Mercedes went back and tweaked the BLUETEC design and today marks the first day that the E320 BLUETEC sedan goes on sale in California. It’s the first diesel powered model that meets California’s strict emissions standards and certainly won’t be the last. Mercedes-Benz is offering the car only as a lease vehicle for 2 years/24,000 miles for roughly $600 per month.

Merc chose to lease the car because only about 100 units will be available. This will be expanded next year along with the rest of the diesel lineup when the M, R and GL Bluetec diesels arrive in August. By January next year the E320 Bluetec will be available in all of the other states that have adopted California’s stricter emissions standards. These include New York, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

The E-class is expected to go in for a redesign for the 2010 model year and will also be offered with a Bluetec diesel option when it arrives in mid-2009. Click here to view several spy shots of the next E-class including a couple of its interior.

[Source: AutoBlog]

There’s no doubt that Mercedes’ new C-Class has been a big hit. But so far, the models we’ve driven have been pretty upmarket.

Many have had large engines and high specifications, not to mention price tags that would make most buyers think twice about taking the plunge. So, does the newcomer make as much sense in less opulent form?

Starting at £24,117, the C200K still isn’t cheap, especially when you add £1,195 for the Elegance package and £1,095 for the automatic gearbox on our car. But it certainly feels every inch a Mercedes.

From its scaled-down S-Class looks to the richness of its paintwork and the heavy thud as you close the door, the baby Benz ticks the right boxes.

Inside, that feeling continues. The dashboard is clearly laid out and made of high-quality materials, while all the switches, buttons and rotary dials have a slick operation. Space is decent in the front, and rear legroom is good.

While Elegance trim adds classier cabin lighting and a multifunction steering wheel, the base SE still comes with essentials such as climate control,
16-inch alloys and Bluetooth.

As with all C-Classes, it has adaptive dampers, too. The set-up combines with the 205/55-section tyres to deli­ver a class-leading ride. Bumpy surfaces are ironed out with ease.

It also offers great body control in corners. Enthusiastic drivers, however, may prefer the Sport version; this gets lowered suspension, 17-inch wheels and a racier look, with an AMG body­kit and a less traditional grille.

Under the bonnet, the C200K has a 184bhp 1.8-litre supercharged four-cylinder engine, which is tweaked to produce 20bhp more than its predecessor. Economy is also up 4.5mpg to an excellent 39.8mpg combined.
The Elegance has a six-speed man­ual transmission as standard, but our car got the optional five-speed automatic gearbox. While it could be more responsive, it shifts smoothly. Factor in the virtually silent engine, and pro­gress is both swift and relaxing.

So, compared to top-spec versions, does this entry-level C-Class still add up? Well, provided you don’t specify too many options, yes. It’s an excellent compact luxury car that promises to be very satisfying to own.

Rival: BMW 320i SE
Across both ranges, the 3-Series and C-Class are now very closely matched, so your choice will come down to the badge you prefer. The BMW offers more driver appeal, but thanks to its adaptive dampers, the Mercedes beats it for comfort.

The Mercedes McLaren SLR Roadster is without doubt the ultimate incarnation of the incredibly powerful Mercedes drop-top.
Carrying a price tag of £350,000, a 626bhp 5.5-litre supercharged V8 and a 207mph top speed, it’s the most expensive and fastest convertible the firm has ever produced.

And as the Roadster will be the only SLR variant to be produced at McLaren’s Woking factory this year, it effectively replaces the Coupe too. So can it offer even more appeal?

Featuring a classy fabric hood the Roadster looks just as striking as its Coupe brother. Requiring a manual twist of a lever to release, the hood folds away electrically in less than ten seconds.

Structural changes include A-pillars reinforced with steel and two fixed roll-over bars. Top speed is 207mph (roof-up) and as you’d expect, acceleration is shattering. With the roof-down, more of the V8’s roar and supercharger whine enters the cabin too.

Roof-up rear visibility is poor though, and as it’s very wide, the SLR is difficult to place. The ceramic brakes also take some getting used to as the pedal lacks feel. Grip is impressive though – the Roadster spears into corners and slingshots around them.

With dull, heavy steering the SLR lacks the finesse of rivals like Pagan’s Zonda. But it’s still an amazing machine and price-tag aside, even more appealing than the Coupe.

To: AutoExpress