Advertising:

There's nothing better than the sound of a big-bore V8 in the morning. That is unless you can lower the car's top at the touch of a button and enjoy it all the more, like we did in the 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG. The new 6.2-liter engine, designed from scratch by the powerhouse AMG division of Mercedes-Benz, features a wildly "oversquare" design; that is, the diameter of the cylinder bores (102.2mm) is larger than the stroke (94.6mm) of the pistons. In other words, you can almost distinguish each discrete explosion as the high-compression (11.3:1) engine bellows through the free-flow dual-tipped exhaust. For gearheads, it's one of those uniquely identifiable exhaust signatures that can only come from an engine of that design.The new V8 is, or will be, at the heart of several 2007 AMG-equipped offerings, and in this application, it produces 475 horsepower at 6,800 rpm, and 465 pound-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm. That represents a 30-percent and 24-percent increase over the 2006 CLK55's 5.4-liter output.Surrounding the magnificent new engine is an updated version of the CLK Cabriolet, suitably wearing new badges and bodywork, and new 18-inch wheels surrounding fade-resistant composite-construction front brakes discs. Once again, it appears that the U.S. market will not enjoy a coupe version of the CLK in AMG dress, although we drove one of those as well.Big power, big smile Our drive route comprised a healthy mix of freeway, sweeping rural highways and farm roads that showed off the engine's particularly wide-ranging abilities. Most of the time, the engine loafs around town, shifting at say, 2,000 rpm, using just about an inch or two of the throttle pedal. But that doesn't mean the car is slacking. On the contrary, even at moderate engine speeds below 4,000 rpm, the 6.2-liter V8 is more than capable of propelling the 4,100-pound car with authority. Indeed, the torque plateau begins at just over 4,000 rpm and tops at 5,000.Only when the road straightens out can a driver use all the throttle. When he does, the world goes all streaky and blurry 'round the edges as the tachometer slowly sweeps toward its rev limit just over 7,000 rpm. Speed seems to build exponentially because there are so few shifts occurring, and each gear feels like it lasts twice as long as one would expect from a seven-speed transmission. Most of that's due to the rather tall (2.65:1) final-drive ratio in the rear end, but the effect is one of limitless acceleration. Mercedes claims a 4.7-second 0-62-mph (100 km/h) time (in 2nd gear), and the shift from 3rd to 4th doesn't occur until you've surpassed 100 mph. That's some tall gearing.The car is electronically limited to a top speed of 155 mph, but doing the math reveals a real potential for just over 200 mph in 5th gear, assuming it could push that wall of air. The other byproduct is that fantastic soundtrack issuing from the tailpipes. When the conditions are right, you can actually hear spent gases rushing through the system like the great big air pump that it is.

Auto Services in Idaho

Wright Service & Repair ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service

Address: 17 W Lincoln Ave, Aberdeen

Phone: (208) 397-5389

Windshield Rescue Inc ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Windshield Repair

Address: 295 S Holmes Ave, Iona

Phone: (866) 290-4620

Westside Body Works ★★★★★

Automobile Body Repairing & Painting, Truck Body Repair & Painting, Wheel Alignment-Frame & Axle Servicing-Automotive

Address: 459 N Five Mile Rd, Nampa

Phone: (208) 995-2265

Valley Transmission ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Auto Transmission

Address: 8708 E Sprague Ave, Hauser

Phone: (509) 924-6600

Perfection Tire & Auto Repair ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Tire Dealers

Address: 10721 E Sprague Ave, Hauser

Phone: (509) 924-4244

Panhandle Towing and Recovery, LLC ★★★★★

Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Towing

Address: 15 Bent Twig Ln, Bonners-Ferry

Phone: (208) 267-3424

Auto blog

Mercedes-Benz Concept GLC Coupe comes to China ready to fight BMW's X4

Sun, Apr 19 2015

There's little denying that small crossovers are hot right now. Not only are automakers scrambling to exploit the popularity of the market, they're doing so by offering unique twists on the traditional two-box body style – enter the coupe-like four-door CUV. BMW, for example, has the X4, and now, Mercedes-Benz is bringing a challenger of its own. While it wears the concept name, the new GLC Coupe clearly foreshadows a production model that'll duke it out with the aforementioned BMW. If the vehicle shown above is any indication, when that fight happens, Mercedes will enter it with design on its side. The sheetmetal is muscular, with strong lines on the profile and the hood, while major themes in the front, back and sides are reminiscent of higher-end Silver Arrows. While we doubt the production GLC Coupe will be much of a trail bomber, fore and aft scuff plating is there to give the impression it can handle itself off road. Also, we feel obligated to give Mercedes bonus design points for the diagonally stacked quad exhausts at the back. It's worth noting that the Concept GLC Coupe's styling previews not one but two production vehicles, as it's logical to assume the design language featured here will have a strong influence on the next GLC (the crossover formerly known as the GLK). Not only will the GLC Coupe have aesthetics on its side, at 15.5-feet long and riding on a 111.4-inch wheelbase, it's larger than its rival from Munich, too, although only just. The X4 is two inches shorter overall and has an extra 0.8 inches between the axles. The Benz is wider, too, at 78.7 inches, compared to 74.1. Lending credence to the Concept GLC Coupe's production status, Mercedes released a pretty substantial array of technical details on its new four-door, coupe-crossover. With a twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter V6 punching out 367 horsepower and 387 pound-feet of torque, we're betting this would be the AMG Sport variant, rather than your everyday GLC. 4Matic all-wheel drive is a must-have in this segment, and it's present here, while a nine-speed automatic transmission is responsible for distributing power. The Concept GLC Coupe will be shown this week at the 2015 Shanghai Motor Show. Check back then for more. Mercedes-Benz Concept GLC Coupe The next coup Stuttgart / Shanghai. In a flowing transition, Mercedes-Benz lands the next coup: the Concept GLC Coupe is a near-production-standard study that carries the successful GLE Coupe formula over into a more compact segment.

Experience the New York Auto Show by drone

Fri, Apr 10 2015

The Autoblog team recently returned from wildly running around the Javits Center to cover all the news and debuts at the New York Auto Show. Sometimes, it's nice to take a more serene look at the exhibition floor, though, and the event's organizers are providing that exact opportunity by flying a drone through the hall. Combined with the down-tempo music, this clip feels like a form of automotive meditation. If you're going to miss the show in the Big Apple, the drone also provides a good overview at the exhibition floor, especially at the stands from Lexus, Buick, Dodge, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and BMW. Plus, it's a fun way to see some vehicles from a completely different angle than they ever appear on the road. Related Video: News Source: New York International Auto Show via YouTube Auto News New York Auto Show BMW Buick Dodge Honda Lexus Mercedes-Benz Toyota Videos drone 2015 ny auto show

Lewis Hamilton owns 15 cars, uses tow trucks to keep the mileage low

Thu, Aug 2 2018

No matter how you feel about Lewis Hamilton off the track, it's impossible not to respect his talent behind the wheel. Currently, Hamilton is the second most successful Formula One driver of all time. His 67 wins and four championships place him only behind Michael Schumacher's 91 wins and seven championships. With all those winnings, Hamilton has racked up a decent personal fortune, much of which he uses to buy cars. Except he doesn't drive them quite as much as you might think. According to The Sunday Times, Hamilton's net worth of just over $207 million makes him one of the richest sports figures in the UK, just behind David Beckham. In a recent interview with the British newspaper, Hamilton gave some details on his personal car collection. His first car was a used Mini Cooper, soon followed by a Mercedes-Benz C200. Both have long since been replaced by a pair of original Shelby Cobras, a 1967 Shelby GT500, a Ferrari 599 SA Aperta, two LaFerraris (a red coupe and a white Aperta), a McLaren P1 and a Pagani Zonda 760 equipped with a manual transmission. All in, Hamilton has about 15 cars split between homes in Monaco and Los Angeles. Unsurprisingly, he has a Mercedes-AMG Project One ( a car that shares more than a little with his F1 W09 EQ Power+ race car) on the way. Hamilton has some hot takes on his personal collection. "The Zonda is terrible to drive," he said. "It's the best-sounding car I own, but handling-wise it's the worst. I got it in manual because I didn't like the tiptronic version. The tiptronic Pagani offered was worse than the Smart Roadster I had." He also says his Shelby Mustang is a "beautiful car, but a heap of junk." In order to keep the miles down (and valuations up), Hamilton apparently has a tow truck on retainer in Los Angeles. When he's finished driving one of his Ferraris, he'll have the car towed back to his place. Classic cars are becoming a solid and serious investment, and Hamilton doesn't want to squander his wealth like some other athletes. That said, there are a couple more cars Hamilton would love to own, including a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (the one with the gullwing doors) and a Ferrari 250GT California Spyder (the one from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"). Related Video:

Mercedes-benz Clk-class Amg 63 on 2040-cars

Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class for Sale