2004 Mercedes G500 2 Owner Super Clean Truck on 2040-cars

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Automakers suspend some business in Russia following invasion

These Russian GAZ Tigr infantry mobility vehicles were destroyed by Ukrainian fighters in Kharkiv on Monday. (Getty Images)   Global auto and truck makers, including Sweden's Volvo Cars and Germany's Daimler Truck, on Monday suspended some business in Russia following that country's invasion of Ukraine. Russian forces invaded Ukraine last week, marking the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War II. Many firms have idled operations in Russia following Western sanctions against Russia. Energy giant BP Plc, Russia's biggest foreign investor, abruptly announced over the weekend it was abandoning its 20% stake in state-controlled Rosneft at a cost of up to $25 billion. On Monday, Swedish automaker Volvo Cars said it would suspend car shipments to the Russian market until further notice, becoming the first international automaker to do so as sanctions over the invasion continue to bite. In a statement, the company said it had made the decision because of "potential risks associated with trading material with Russia, including the sanctions imposed by the EU and US." "Volvo Cars will not deliver any cars to the Russian market until further notice," it said. A Volvo spokesman said the carmaker exports vehicles to Russia from plants in Sweden, China and the United States. This came as Russia warned Sweden and Finland not to join NATO or risk facing “serious military-political consequences." Volvo sold around 9,000 cars in Russia in 2021, based on industry data. Earlier on Monday, RIA news agency reported Volkswagen had temporarily suspended deliveries of cars already in Russia to local dealerships, citing a company statement. VW had no immediate comment when contacted by Reuters. VW previously said it would halt production for a few days this week at two German factories after a delay in getting parts made in Ukraine. Daimler Truck said on Monday it would freeze its business activities in Russia with immediate effect, including its cooperation with Russian truck maker Kamaz. Mercedes-Benz Group is also looking into legal options to divest its 15% stake in Kamaz as quickly as possible, the Handelsblatt newspaper reported. A Mercedes spokesperson told Reuters business activities would have to be re-evaluated in light of the current events. Mercedes-Benz Group, formerly Daimler AG, was the parent company of Daimler Truck before the truck maker was spun off.

Ford and Mercedes join Renault in French emissions investigation

The French government is investigating certain models from Ford, Mercedes-Benz, and Renault because they allegedly produce more nitrogen oxide than the country's pollution rules allow, according to Automotive News, citing a French newspaper. After VW's emissions scandal, French regulators began checking more vehicles for evidence of defeat devices and excessive real-world pollution. According to Automotive News, the Mercedes S350 allegedly showed inconsistent results across these tests, and a Ford C-Max had NOx levels five times over the limit. The Renault Captur crossover, Espace, and an unnamed utility vehicle also had results that were too high. The French testing for this investigation includes an on-road emissions check that's not part of the EU's normal evaluations, which some automakers claim is unfair. "Unofficial on-road testing has varying conditions and can produce significantly different results," a Ford of Europe spokesman told Automotive News. Renault representatives met with French officials on January 18 to explain the situation. The company later submitted a plan to recall 15,800 examples of the diesel Captur, and said it would offer a voluntary software upgrade for about 700,000 other vehicles, according to Automotive News. Representatives from Ford and Mercedes will meet with the government soon, too. Renault's stock price plunged last week after investors heard that French regulators searched three of the automaker's sites as part of the emissions investigation. The stockholders feared an environmental scandal like the one currently embroiling Volkswagen. There's one major difference – as of now, there's no evidence Renault equipped any of the polluting models with defeat devices. Related Video:

Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet is the ultimate safari machine

Update: A Mercedes representative has informed us that the Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet will not be available in the United States. The text has been updated to reflect this. Vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6x6 and G500 4x42 are all well and good, but they have one key issue: They simply aren't extravagant enough. Now we know that sounds insane because one of those vehicles has six driven wheels and the other is available in tennis-ball green. But they must not be decadent enough because Mercedes went a step further with the new Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet. While the most obvious change here is the soft-top, which will make this perfect for the wealthy to view wildlife on private safaris, we should start under the hood. The previous two monster G-Wagens made do with lowly V8s. This one features a twin-turbocharged V12 making 630 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque. Like its predecessors, this G650 uses a four-wheel-drive system with front, center, and rear differential locks, and sends power to solid portal axles front and rear. These axles move the differential and drive axles above the wheel centers for additional ground clearance. Inside, the rear passengers will be in the lap of luxury, even while the driver is navigating particularly harsh terrain. The soft top can be electrically raised or lowered, as can a glass partition to the driver's compartment. The two individual rear seats can be fully reclined, and leg rests deploy from below, taking full advantage of the truck's long wheelbase. This would likely make for an amazing vehicle for stargazing. The passengers also have access to folding tables, 10-inch LCD displays, and heated, cooled, and illuminated cup holders. Only 99 of these G650s will be built. Mercedes will show the SUV at this year's Geneva show, and it will hit the market this fall. Mercedes hasn't announced pricing, but expect it to be exorbitant. Not that matters for American buyers, since a Mercedes representative told us it won't be offered in the States. For buyers in countries where the G650 will be available, they will have the option of four interior color schemes, three soft-top colors, and four paint hues. Related Video: