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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.

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Daimler rebuffs Geely offer to buy stake

Wed, Nov 29 2017

HONG KONG/BEIJING - Daimler AG has turned down an offer from China's Geely to take a stake of up to 5 percent via a discounted share placement, as the German automaker has long been reluctant to see existing shareholdings diluted, sources with knowledge of the talks said. A stake of that size would be worth $4.5 billion at current market prices. Although Daimler declined the offer, it told Geely it was welcome to buy shares in the open market, the sources added. Carmakers in China have embarked on a flurry of dealmaking, as they scramble to boost production of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles ahead of tough new quotas to be imposed by Beijing, which wants to reduce urban smog and lower the country's reliance on oil. People with knowledge of Geely's thinking said the company was keen to access Daimler's electric car battery technology and wanted to establish an electric car joint venture in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province. Geely, which also owns Swedish car maker Volvo, is still hopeful it can secure a deal in some form over the coming weeks, they added. The two automakers met in Beijing in recent weeks at Geely's behest. There, the Chinese firm, formally known as Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, offered to take a stake of between 3 percent and 5 percent if Daimler would issue new shares at a discount, the sources said. It was not immediately clear what kind of discount for the shares Geely had in mind or whether Geely was interested in buying the shares on the open market. A spokesman for Geely declined to comment. A spokesman for Daimler said the company was "very happy with our shareholder structure at present", but added that it would welcome new investors with a long-term interest in the company. Shares in Daimler were up 1 percent in early Wednesday trade, in line with the broader market.DAIMLER ALREADY TIED TO BAIC, BYD Geely, which has a market value of some $32 billion, is the leading domestic brand in China with a 5 percent market share, according to an analysis by Nomura Securities. A stake of 5 percent would establish it as Daimler's third-largest shareholder behind the Kuwait Investment Authority and BlackRock, who hold 6.8 percent and 6 percent respectively, according to Reuters data.

Continental Automotive recalls 5 million airbag control units

Thu, Feb 4 2016

Takata isn't the only supplier having airbag problems. Rival manufacturer Continental Automotive Systems announced a recall of 5 million airbag control units fitted to vehicles from Honda, Fiat Chrysler Automotive, Mercedes-Benz, and even a certain Chrysler-based Volkswagen. This sweeping recall has actually been in progress for some time, although the exact scope is only now becoming evident. In October of 2015, Mercedes-Benz recalled 2008 and 2009 model year C- and GLK-Class vehicles because their Continental-made airbag control units could corrode. Such a condition could cause the airbags to deploy without cause or warning, or in the event of a crash, not deploy at all. You can read all about it in our post from last year. Now, Continental's recall is going wide. Alongside the already recalled C and GLK, you've already heard about the 2008 and 2009 Honda Accord airbag recall, which we reported on yesterday. Now, Fiat Chrysler is announcing the recall of the 2009 Dodge Journey, as well as the 2008 and 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Town and Country, and their rebadged counterpart, the Volkswagen Routan. Yes, one manufacturer is recalling another manufacturer's vehicle. The models listed above only amount to about 580,000 vehicles out of 5 million bad airbag control units. And since Continental will notify manufacturers who will then issue their own recalls, it's extremely likely that more brands and vehicles will be ensnared. Stay tuned. Related Video: News Source: NHTSA via Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Fabian Bimmer / Reuters Recalls Chrysler Dodge Fiat Honda Mercedes-Benz Safety Crossover Minivan/Van Sedan FCA

Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet | Autoblog Minute

Wed, Feb 15 2017

The Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet is the latest limited run of G-Class luxury. Maybach Mercedes-Benz SUV Luxury Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video

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

Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class for Sale