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2024 Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV tops $180,000

The 2024 Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV is staking claim to the "next era of driving pleasure," but that pleasure will come at a steep price. The company officially announced Wednesday that the super-lux, battery-electric SUV starts at $181,050 (assuming the $1,150 destination fee doesn't increase for 2024) — $50,000 more than the standard Mercedes-Benz EQS 580. And you can order one starting today.  While U.S. figures are still partially up in the air, we do have some preliminary specs. To go with its 649-horsepower output, the EQS 680 SUV was rated at 600 km of total range on the WLTP cycle, which works out to about 373 miles. While Mercedes-Benz doesn't have EPA figures to offer, the EQS 580 is rated at approximately 340 miles with the same pack and a very similar (613 km) WLTP-certified range. 0-60 comes in just 4.1 seconds on the way to a top speed of 130 MPH. Charging the EQS 680 SUV back up from 0% will take a bit longer — nearly 13 hours on a Level II AC charger — but DC fast charging (10-80%) takes just 31 minutes at its max throughput rate of 200 kW.  The Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV is available with five different two-tone color combinations. All of the two-tone options will feature the lighter color on the bottom half of the SUV, since the darker tone up top better accentuates the vehicleÂ’s aerodynamics. Maybach-specific design details include vertical metal-look lines in the EQSÂ’ faux grille and a Mercedes-Benz star ornament on the hood.  ThereÂ’s a Maybach logo on the D-pillar and the taillights have a unique running light pattern. Mercedes-Benz says 21-inch wheels are standard for now; larger 22-inch wheels, as well as a sixth two-tone paint option, will come later. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Infiniti shows Q30 interior ahead of Frankfurt debut

Infiniti is supposed to debut the all-new Q30 hatchback at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, but as the show is still a couple of weeks away and the company has elected to release yet another image, we aren't sure there'll be all that much to see come Sept. 15. With that in mind, then, we give you the first images of the entry-level hatch's cabin, and they're, um, wow. We knew the Q30 had a lot in common with the Mercedes-Benz A-Class but as these images show, this is far more than a common platform. The steering wheel, instrument cluster, switchgear, and shifter are direct from the Mercedes parts bin. From the looks of the images, the Q30 will even have a Mercedes-style key. This might not garner much attention in the budget ranks – take the Scion iA and Mazda2, for example – but this degree of parts sharing in the premium market is sure to raise some eyebrows. It's also a rather bewildering move for Infiniti. The company is, in effect, selling a Mercedes-Benz to any new customers it attracts. That'll certainly make a Q50 a hard sell when it comes time for an upgrade. Now, in Infiniti's defense, there are some differences in the layout here. The triple nozzle-style HVAC vents have been replaced with a more conventional pair of outlets, and the instrument cluster hood extends over the built-in navigation screen. That design decision, in particular, will certainly appeal to critics of the tacked-on-tablet look offered by Mercedes. The analog buttons for the multimedia system have also been tweaked, with the result looking far cleaner than the mess of buttons offered on Mercedes' products (we wouldn't be shocked to see this layout arrive on a facelifted A-, CLA-, or GLA-Class in the near future, though). Beyond those changes, though, there are multiple Mercedes design hallmarks here, including the location of the controls for the seat adjustments. You can check out the Q30's cabin in both right- and left-hand drive varieties courtesy of the images above. And for comparison's sake, we also included our most recent gallery of the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class at the bottom of the page. Have a look and be sure to scroll down for the official press release. September 1, 2015 Countdown Frankfurt: First ever Infiniti Q30 active compact opens its doors before world premiere ? Q30 – The first global Infiniti compact ? Q30 interior design echoes daring expression of exterior ?

Man makes record-setting drive across the US in 28 hours, 50 minutes

Records, as the say, are made to be broken. Whether that's cramming the most hot dogs down your gullet, running a faster mile, or yes, driving across the United States, odds are that there's someone out there wants to eat more, run faster or drive harder. Speaking of that last example, the record for driving from a set location on the east coast, in particular the Red Ball Garage in Manhattan to the Portofino Hotel in Redondo Beach, CA, has been one that has fascinated gearheads since a guy named Cannonball Baker made the trek from New York to LA in 53 hours, 30 minutes, in 1933.
The competition saw its glory days when Car and Driver's Brock Yates came up with the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash (more affectionately known as the Cannonball Run), although the record was most recently set by Alex Roy and his 32-hour, seven-minute trek behind the wheel of a BMW M5 in 2006. Now, there's a new champion, who made the trip from east to west in a scarcely imaginable 28 hours and 50 minutes, behind the wheel of a 2004 Mercedes-Benz CL55 AMG. That's works out to an average speed of 98 miles per hour over the course of 2,813.7 miles.
His name is Ed Bolian, and Jalopnik has a writeup of the epic voyage that details everything from the history of the Cannonball Run to Bolian's preparation and trouble finding co-drivers, to the trip itself. It is well worth a read.