2008 Mercedes-benz Ml550 4-matic, Loaded, Just Serviced on 2040-cars

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Gordon Murray, F1-driven production and .. the Pontiac Fiero

Gordon Murray's design and engineering chops are unquestionable. But does his carmaking approach owe something to the short-lived Pontiac Fiero, a scrappy little car program that emerged from GM against serious resistance? Murray had a Formula One career that ran from 1969 to 1991, with stints at Brabham ('69 to '86) and McLaren ('87-'91), that resulted in several shelves' worth of trophies for the cars he was instrumental in designing. He moved on to McLaren Cars, the consumer side of things, where, during his tenure from 1991 to 2004, he helped design the McLaren F1 and the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, two cars that took learnings from his two decades in Formula One. What do all of these cars have in common? Three things: They are light. They were built in limited numbers. And they were (and are) exceedingly expensive—when the McLaren F1 debuted in 1994, it stickered at $815,000. Murray went on to establish Gordon Murray Design in 2007. GMD has created some interesting concept vehicles, such as the diminutive T.25 city car (94.5 inches long, 51.1 inches wide and 55.1 inches high), and the OX, a lightweight truck for the developing world that packs like an IKEA shelf and is working toward realization through a worthy crowdfunding campaign established by the Global Vehicle Trust. Now he has created a vehicle manufacturing company, Gordon Murray Automotive, that will use manufacturing methods that he developed under the moniker "iStream." Unlike a unibody, there are the "iFrame," a cage-like construction made with metallic components, and the "iPanels," which are composite. The panels aren't simply a decorative skin; they actually provide structure to the vehicle. Presumably this has something of the F1 monocoque about it. Going back to the three elements, (1) this arrangement results in a vehicle that can be comparatively light; (2) Murray has indicated that his manufacturing company will be doing limited-run production; and (3) to launch Gordon Murray Automotive they are going to be building a flagship model, about which Murray said, "With our first new car, we will demonstrate a return to the design and engineering principles that have made the McLaren F1 such an icon." Which seems to imply that it will be on the pricey side. According to the company's verbiage, "iStream forges an entirely new production method that defies conventionality with its Formula One-derived construction and materials technologies." It also sounds a whole lot like ...

2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA priced from $31,300*

Mercedes-Benz has kindly let loose the price of the 2015 GLA-Class, telling Autoblog.com that the base 208-horsepower GLA250 in two-wheel drive will go for $31,300 *not including a destination charge of $925. That makes for $32,225 in total to get one off the lot, a price predicted as early as last year and in our recent First Drive. The other two available models can push power to all four wheels, and after the destination fee is applied the GLA240 4Matic (pictured) will be $34,225 while the 355-horsepower GLA45 AMG will change lives and wallets to the tune of $49,225.
On the base scale, that puts the GLA250 just a few hundred dollar bills above the more powerful, rear-wheel drive BMW X1 and a stack of hundreds below the less powerful, front-wheel drive Audi Q3. If you're keeping in-house score, the GLA250 comes in at $1,400 above its sedan platform-mate with the same engine, the CLA250. At the high end, however, the competition doesn't have anything that can touch the AMG trim. Not that it should matter all that much - Mercedes needed something to keep these buyers in the family, and now they have it. If any of them should need even more power and more money spent, then there's always that 394-hp Brabus flavor. We'll have more info and details on each trim when Mercedes unleashes the shebang in the not-too-distant future.

Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe is ready to tackle BMW's X6

Under the chiseled hood of the GLE 450 AMG sits a 3.0L, twin-turbo V6 with 362 hp and 384 lb-ft. Years after the polarizing BMW X6 originally hit the market, Mercedes-Benz has finally unveiled its slope-roofed challenger, and much like Munich's Sport Activity Vehicle, we think the new GLE Coupe will split opinions rather dramatically. While it clearly shares its form factor with BMW's X4 and X6, the GLE Coupe's styling is all Mercedes, borrowing the more organic shapes used on the company's most recent new model, the AMG GT. Strips of chrome and the iconic silver arrow logo bisect a large, rectangular grille, while the fascia on the GLE 450 shown above features three rather dramatic lower air intakes. The headlights, meanwhile, fit in with MB's latest styling language. In back, slim, wraparound taillights share some resemblance with the new S-Class Coupe. The cabin is recognizable and looks to be of extremely high quality, with the featured vehicle showing off quite a lot of carbon-fiber trim. A thick-rimmed, flat-bottomed steering wheel dominates the driver's area, while a large, tablet-like display crowns the center stack. The same sort of touch-controlled interface and input dial found on the new C-Class controls the information on that screen. Under the chiseled hood of the GLE 450 AMG, the first of Mercedes' AMG Sport models, sits a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6. Unlike the 329-horsepower unit in the C400 and E400, the force-induced V6 generates 362 hp and an equally robust 384 pound-feet of torque. It's mated up to a new nine-speed automatic transmission and Mercedes' 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. A new version of the popular Airmatic suspension is being offered with the ADS Plus continuously variable dampers while Mercedes is also fitting its Active Curve System, complete with active roll stabilization. Mercedes doesn't provide many additional details on the GLE Coupe range, as it were. We know about the 450 AMG, but it's not clear whether there will be a GLE 400 or non-AMG 450, or if Mercedes will move it down market and offer a GLE 350 to compete with the X6's xDrive35i. There's also no mention of when or where the new model will debut, although previous reports point to the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. Prices and an on-sale date, meanwhile, have not been revealed. Scroll down for the full press blast from Mercedes-Benz on its newest model, the 2016 GLE Coupe. Premiere: Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe A sportier choice Stuttgart.