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Jalopnik and Consumer Reports see who can pull off the best snow drift

The weather throughout much of the United States is pretty awful at the moment with some combination of extremely low temperatures, inches of snow and maybe some ice underneath it all. The folks at Jalopnik and Consumer Reports are making the absolute best out of a difficult situation by heading to CR's snow-covered test track and attempting to make the longest drift in a quartet of very different performance vehicles. Jalopnik brought along a Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S Wagon, a Subaru WRX STI, a BMW 228i and a 1973 Volkswagen Baja Bug (heck yeah!) for the challenge. Also, the track was perfect for this group, with a mix of packed snow in places and still a few inches of unsullied powder in spots too. Ostensibly the goal was to get the tail to step out through a particular corner, but in reality this was more about having hilarious fun in the snow with fast cars. The result just looks like the best time humanly possible in this weather.

Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury fully revealed, tea set and all

Mercedes has officially unveiled its Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury concept following a leak of most of the details last week. As we learned last week, the unusual looking sedan-SUV crossbreed is fully electric with four motors producing a whopping 750 horsepower. Combined with an 80 kWh battery, Mercedes estimates it should have a range of over 200 miles on the European test cycle. It also can handle extremely fast charging from DC chargers outputting 350 kW. Mercedes claims this allows it to gain 60 miles of range in 5 minutes. But there are a number of interesting details that weren't leaked. Many of them have to do with the car's Chinese inspiration, which is perhaps not that surprising for a car that makes its debut in China. The body style is the first influence, which Mercedes says combines the sedan and SUV, the best-selling car classes in the country. On the inside, there are a pair of cues inspired by China. The first is the ebony wood trim that Mercedes calls "Magic Wood." The company says it's very similar to that used in Chinese furniture. In the back, between the two highly adjustable white leather seats with rose-gold stitching, is a complete tea set. And not only does it contain all the containers for tea, but it actually has a variety of teas on offer. They're there to be used in conjunction with the car's relaxation modes that combine lighting, music and scents to set the mood. It's hard to say whether this concept will spawn a production model, since the body style is unlike any currently offered by Mercedes-Benz. But with the crossover SUV market staying hot, and competitors such as Audi and BMW bringing out extra-large SUVs, we wouldn't be surprised if Mercedes eventually offers at least a Maybach-level version of its GLS-Class, if not its own model. Related Video:

Does Alex Rodriguez' Mercedes dealership have a PR problem?

Alex Rodriguez, in case you haven't heard, is seemingly the new Most Hated Man In Baseball, ostensibly replacing commissioner Bud Selig (for now). Rodriguez was slammed with a 211-game suspension due to his role in the MLB's latest steroid scandal in which "A-Roid," as fans have taken to calling the former superstar, was cited with steroid use and attempts to hide his involvement by "engaging in a course of conduct intended to obstruct and frustrate" the investigation, according to the MLB's official report.
Why is this on a car site, then? Because Rodriguez' name is attached Alex Rodriguez Mercedes-Benz in League City, TX. An Ad Age report cites Mercedes-Benz USA in saying that A-Rod owns "about half'" of the dealership. Mercedes, for what it's worth, isn't going to any to any lengths to distance itself from its dealership or its controversial namesake, saying, "We never promoted the fact that A-Rod owned a dealership, so there's really nothing to 'distance' ourselves from. And since his activity is not illegal but rather prohibited by MLB, there's nothing actionable here."
With the scandal still a fresh piece of news and A-Rod's pending appeal, it's difficult to tell what sort of effect, if any, his name will have on the dealership's sales. Ad Age contacted the GM of Alex Rodriguez Mercedes-Benz to get the dealership's view, but no calls were returned. According to Mercedes, any name change is up to Rodriguez and his partner(s) at the dealership. Somehow, though, we think A-Rod has other things to worry about beyond his dealership's name.