1996 Mercedes-benz Sl500 Base Convertible 2-door 5.0l on 2040-cars

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Our love of SUVs is killing people in the streets

Americans are fond of supersized fast-food meals and colossal convenience-store fountain drinks, even though they're clearly bad for our health and U.S. adults keep getting fatter. We also like large vehicles, and our love affair with SUVs is killing people in the streets. According to a recent investigation by the Detroit Free Press/USA Today, the increase in SUV sales over the past several years coincides with a sharp rise in pedestrian deaths in the U.S. — up 46 percent since 2009, with nearly 6,000 people killed in 2016 alone. With SUV sales surpassing sedans in 2014 and pickups and SUVs currently accounting for 60 percent of new vehicle sales, it's no wonder Ford announced in April plans to cease U.S. sales of almost all passenger cars. And this followed Fiat Chrysler's move to virtually an all-truck, -SUV and -crossover lineup. While the Freep/USA Today investigation found that the simultaneous surge in SUV sales and pedestrian deaths comes down to vehicle size, it also points to a lack of action on the part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), even though it knew of the dangers SUVs pose to pedestrians. Also blamed are automakers dragging their feet on implementing active safety features. Using federal accident data, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) determined that there was an 81 percent increase in single-vehicle pedestrian fatalities involving SUVs between 2009 and 2016. Freep/USA Today's analysis of the same data by counting vehicles that struck and killed pedestrians instead of the number of people killed showed a 69 percent increase in SUV involvement. As far back as 2001, researchers at Rowan University forecasted a rise in pedestrian deaths as Americans began switching to SUVs. "In the United States, passenger vehicles are shifting from a fleet populated primarily by cars to a fleet dominated by light trucks and vans," the researchers wrote, with light trucks comprising SUVs.

Gullwing America turns SLS AMG Roadster into stunning 1955 300 SC redux

Gullwing America specializes in what it calls "retro styling meets modern technology." It's next demonstration of that is the convertible above, a stylized recreation of the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SC (inset) supported by the structure of a 2012 SLS AMG Roadster. Commissioned by a client in Eastern Europe, the resulting car is called the 300 SLC.
The hand-formed aluminum bodywork required just a few changes to the SLS AMG Roadster, namely reworking the headlights into a stacked arrangement of LEDs and relocating the pop-up spoiler behind the cabin. The retro grille and long, straight hood evoke the past, the custom exhaust, height-adjustable suspension, 21-inch wheels up front and 22-inch wheels in back, however, stray a little further from history. The 300 SLC will come with a hardtop and be one-of-a-kind, making it even rarer than its inspiration, of which 92 were made.
If you have any more questions, they can probably be answered in the high-res photo gallery above and press release below.

2021 Mercedes-Maybach S 580 revealed as the biggest, most luxurious S-Class

The Mercedes-Maybach GLS-Class made a splash recently as the company's ultra-luxury crossover. But if you're a well-heeled individual looking for the true peak of Mercedes luxury, there's no replacement for the 2021 Mercedes-Maybach S 580, the biggest, fanciest sedan the company can produce. You'll be able to identify the land yacht thanks to a number of styling tweaks. The grille gets slender vertical chrome bars, and the lower intakes feature a chrome mesh. Topping the grille is a Mercedes hood ornament. The hood is restyled, too, with a center ridge running front to back with a line of chrome trim. Besides these styling tweaks, the Mercedes-Maybach has had its wheelbase stretched a full seven inches, with the space going to rear passenger room. The stretch also included rear quarter windows. Just behind those windows are illuminated Mercedes-Maybach badges. The car can also be optioned with an array of exclusive wheels and two-tone paint. The two-tone paint jobs can take up to a week to complete. Of course, the interior is what really sets the Mercedes-Maybach apart from the "average" S-Class. All examples come standard with Mercedes Designo leather upholstery, and even the headliner is finished in leather. Like other S-Class models, there is an air freshener function, and Mercedes has saved a special scent specific to the Maybach. The front seat backs are covered in wood trim to enhance the design. Rear occupants get individual 11.6-inch screens for entertainment, as well as a removable tablet for controlling various car functions. Passengers get to enjoy a 1,750-watt, 30-speaker Burmester sound system, which won't be interrupted by outside noises thanks to additional sound deadening materials around the rear arches, thicker laminated quarter windows and active noise cancelling. Foam-filled tires and laminated glass around the rest of the car are options. Speaking of options, there aren't many, but they're also quite lavish. The one we expect to be quite popular is the executive rear seating. It replaces the rear bench with two reclining chairs complete with power leg rests. These leg rests even feature massage functions, a first for the S-Class. The seats come with climate adjustments and several massage settings. The option also adds seatbelt airbags and frontal airbags for the rear passengers. Other interior options include a refrigerator, champagne flutes and electrically assisted rear doors for easier entry and exit.