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Mercedes C111 concept in commercial spoof A Fistful of Wolves

A Fistful of Wolves is a spoof of fashion advertising, commissioned by Mercedes-Benz to spread a cheeky word about Berlin Fashion Week. Yet, in the lampooning of sartorial gobbledygook, plenty of automotive advertising gets doused with cold water, too - like the ads that subscribe to the importance of being earnest (looking at you Matthew McConaughey and Kate Walsh), or the ones that try to convey just how unimaginably cool you'll be once you've jumped into the three-year-lease hole (looking at you, um... Mercedes-Benz and every other German luxury brand). We appreciate a brand that can make fun of itself, though. Led by Australian Justin O'Shea driving the Mercedes C111 through Berlin, it's beautiful satire as O'Shea tries to be fashion-forward while his friends go on about their daily lives, wondering why he never seems to be listening until he's offered cake, or why he's trying to walk in slow motion. Check it out in the video above. News Source: Mercedes-Benz via YouTube, Car and Driver Celebrities Humor Marketing/Advertising Mercedes-Benz Coupe Concept Cars Videos spoof

Weekly Recap: Automakers rethink the definition of luxury

Variety is the spice of life, but it's becoming a prerequisite for luxury carmakers in the ultra-competitive US market. The Detroit Auto Show was strong evidence of this reality. It's not enough to offer attractive and well-appointed cars and SUVs anymore. Luxury brands that want to be competitive need to invest in everything from high-powered supercars to clever hybrids. To be relevant, you need to be green and mean – and everything in between. As General Motors product chief Mark Reuss said after the reveal of the 640-horsepower Cadillac CTS-V: "We are not leaving anything on the table." He was speaking for Cadillac, but he might as well have been speaking for the luxury car market. The CTS-V debuted in Detroit about an hour after Lexus surprised showgoers with the reveal of the RC F GT3 race car and then announced ambitious plans to return to competitive racing. That almost overshadowed the fact Lexus had just revealed another potent addition to its growing F line, the 467-hp GS F. View 20 Photos But for luxury brands, it's not just about maximum horsepower for well-heeled enthusiasts or decadent amenities for the Grey Poupon set. Strong competition from all corners has forced automakers to refine and expand their lineups in ways unforeseen even a few years ago. Case in point: Mercedes-Benz finally has an answer to the BMW X6, rolling out the GLE coupe in Detroit. The X6, which blends coupe-like styling cues with some of the functionality of an SUV, debuted in 2008. Back then it was a punchline, but seven years and more than 260,000 sales later, the X6's success has compelled Benz to respond. Mercedes – one of the strongest proponents of diesel technology – also debuted the C350 plug-in hybrid sedan, which promises a range of 20 miles on electricity, though fuel economy figures were not announced. The car pairs Mercedes' well-received 208-hp turbocharged four-cylinder with an electric motor for total output of 275 hp and 443 pound-feet of torque. Meanwhile, Infiniti will add the Q30 hatchback to its lineup by the end of the year, new president Roland Kruger reiterated in Detroit. It's expected to be joined by a crossover variant, and the additions will help strengthen Infiniti in the United States and abroad. "While we're expanding our product line, we're also expanding our market reach," he said. That's something echoed by Jaguar executives, who are preparing to launch the brand's first crossover, the F-Pace, in 2016.

'55 Mercedes Gullwing racer expected to sell for $6 million

RM Sotheby's has a Gullwing up for auction. Not just any Gullwing, but one of just four prepared by the factory for racing. And it's expected to fetch $6,000,000, (give or take a million) when it crosses the auction block next month in New York. Chassis number 5500640 is billed as "the rarest and most desirable W198 Gullwing ever presented for public auction," and it's not hard to see why. It was used for both racing and testing purposes, including an entry in the notoriously grueling Tour de France by none other than Sir Stirling Moss. He placed it second only to the Marquis de Portago in his Ferrari 250 GT TdF, often outperforming the Ferrari in stages of the event. It was in the possession of one owner since 1966, who stored it for 40 years before passing it on to his son in 2008, who in turn underwrote a comprehensive three-year restoration project and has now put it up for auction. Gullwings are invariably the most sought-after post-war production Mercedes when they come up for auction. The highest price one has ever garnered, according to the records at Sports Car Market, was $4.62 million paid in early 2012 at Gooding & Company's Scottsdale auction. This example, however, stands to far surpass that amount to set a new record. It's just one of several notable lots consigned for the Driven By Disruption event, set to take place on December 10 in New York. Alongside it, RM has the Lamborghini Concept S (valued at over $2.4 million), a 1962 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato (over $16m), and a 1956 Ferrari 290 MM driven by Juan Manuel Fangio ($28m). In short, it ought to be a significant sale, and we'll report the results once they're in.