2012 Mercedes Benz Slk 350 Mars Red/black Sport Pkg, Navigation, Only 4700 Miles on 2040-cars

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Maybach officially discontinues all models for 2013

The word "Maybach" has joined the long list of synonyms for the word "kaput." Mercedes-Benz released the price list for the 2013 models of its super-luxury sedans, with the price column simply stating "Discontinued" for each one of them.
The 2012 models, should there be any left for 11th-hour buyers, maintain the increased MSRPs that Daimler slapped on them late last year after it was known the brand would be terminated next year. But you might still be able to wrangle that $100,000 rebate if you ask nicely, or in Russian, or have Rick Ross ask for you.
It shouldn't be too long before we see the ultimate version of the next generation S-Class, the S600 Pullman, that will replace Maybach. Intriguingly, it's said the Pullman will be offered with every S-Class engine, even the four-cylinder diesel.

Mercedes harkens back to tortoise and hare for AMG GT Super Bowl spot

With just six automakers scheduled as advertisers during this year's Super Bowl, they sure aren't trying to keep things a surprise ahead of the kick off. After already teasing its spot days ago, Mercedes-Benz is the latest to fully reveal a minute-long commercial for the game. The whimsical ad modernizes Aesop's age-old fable about the race between the tortoise and the hare with a dose of muscle from the 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT S. The spot, titled Fable, starts exactly as you would expect, with a forest full of animals congregating to watch the boastful hare race the steady tortoise. Although, this race apparently takes place in Germany because the turtle eventually stumbles upon the AMG factory and its latest twin-turbocharged sports coupe. The commercial isn't quite as gripping as Mercedes' 2013 Super Bowl ad for the CLA-Class with Kate Upton and Willem Dafoe as the devil, but the new one might be an opportunity for much of the audience to see the GT for the first time. See for yourself, above.

Daimler employees can set email to auto-delete during vacation

The Internet has shrunk the world in terms of the way people communicate by making it possible to send an email from Oslo and have it show up in Cleveland almost immediately. But that instant contact has wrecked the work/life balance for many. They get home from a long day at the office, yet they can never fully put their feet up and relax because another hour or more of checking and replying to emails awaits. However, German automotive giant Daimler is putting an end to that churn, at least while its employees are on vacation.
About 100,000 Daimler employees in Germany are eligible to opt-in to a new program called Mail on Holiday, according to The Atlantic. When the workers go on vacation, they can switch it on, and the service auto-deletes all of their incoming email. "Our employees should relax on holiday and not read work-related emails," said Wilfried Porth, board member for human resources, to The Financial Times as cited by The Atlantic.
Mail on Holiday puts a thumb on the scale of work/life balance in favor of a little more free time. The system means that Daimler employees shouldn't even be tempted to check their email on vacation because there's nothing there - and it also avoids them coming back from a relaxing holiday only to find a mailbox packed full of hundreds of unread messages. These days, people are absolutely obsessed with their work, often to the detriment of their health, not to mention spending time with their families and friends. On one hand, Mail on Holiday sounds like the sort of vacation breakthrough we'd need to truly unplug and unwind, but on the other hand, it makes our skin crawl just thinking about the lack of communication. What's your perspective? Have your say in Comments.