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Mercedes goes boating again with G63 AMG-inspired Cigarette

Cigarette Racing has another Mercedes-Benz AMG-themed boat headed out to sea. After The SLS AMG-inspired 46-foot Rough Rider in 2010 and the C63 AMG Black Series-inspired 50-foot Marauder in 2012, this year's Miami Boat Show will introduce the 42-foot Huntress, theme provided by the G63 AMG.
The latest Cigarette homage is less overly racy than the ones before, befitting a watercraft modeled off a performance SUV, but don't let the looks fool: there are five Mercury Racing Verado 350SCi outboard engines, each one of them packing a supercharged inline six-cylinder with, natch, 350 horsepower. Those 1,750 horses will be good for 78 miles per hour when you've got some saltwater underneath you.
If you're in South Florida this week, Booth B-23 at the Miami Convention Center could be your best place to see it. Otherwise, like the 536-hp G63 AMG, it could be hard to catch. There's a press release with more information below.

Mercedes-Benz C350 Plug-In Hybrid promises 20 miles EV range, 5.9 seconds to 60

Mercedes-Benz has introduced its first hybrid C-Class to the US market with the new C350 Plug-In Hybrid. Despite its fuel-saving purpose, though, this C is not short on firepower. MB paired a 208-horsepower, 258-pound-foot, turbocharged four-cylinder with a 80-hp, 251-lb-ft electric motor for a potent overall output of 275 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. That translates a 0-60 time of just 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 130 miles per hour. For those that aren't interested in such frivolous numbers, though, the C-Class can still impress in more environmentally friendly ways. It can cover 20 miles to a charge and will hit speeds of up to 80 miles per hour (although not likely at the same time). Naturally, fuel economy figures aren't available at this early stage. Beyond those powertrain changes, the C350 Plug-In is still the same relaxed, luxurious baby S-Class, with a class-leading interior that should really benefit from the quiet ride provided by an electric powertrain. Take a look at our full gallery of live images of the new C-Class hybrid, straight from the Detroit's Cobo Hall. Featured Gallery 2016 Mercedes-Benz C350 Plug-In Hybrid: Detroit 2015 View 12 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2015 Drew Phillips / AOL Green Detroit Auto Show Mercedes-Benz Hybrid Luxury 2015 Detroit Auto Show mercedes c350 plug-in hybrid

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 ...