2008 Mercedes Sprinter - 120k Miles High Top - $18995 (cleveland Oh) on 2040-cars

Auto blog

European jury picks finalists for 2015 Car of the Year

There are countless Car of the Year awards handed out each year, and naturally, Europe has its own way of doing things. Every year, a panel of jurists representing seven publications in seven different languages and seven different countries get together to name their joint Car of the Year. The panel released a list of 32 candidates back in July, and it has now whittled that list down to seven nominees. The list consists of the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, the Citroen C4 Cactus (shown), the Ford Mondeo, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the Nissan Qashqai, the Renault Twingo and the Volkswagen Passat. Of those seven, only two are available in the US – those being the Mondeo (sold Stateside as the Fusion) and the C-Class. The Passat is an entirely different model in North America, the Qashqai isn't offered here, Citroen and Renault don't even participate in our market and the BMW 2 Series is represented here only by the completely different coupe and convertible. Expect the one and only recipient of the 2015 Car of the Year award to be announced at the Geneva Motor Show this coming March, and while you're waiting, you can place your guesses for the eventual winner in Comments. Featured Gallery 2015 European Car of the Year: Nominees News Source: CaroftheYear.org BMW Ford Mercedes-Benz Nissan Volkswagen Citroen Renault car of the year nissan qashqai citroen c4 cactus bmw 2 series active tourer

Mercedes releases 6x6 G63 AMG specs and pics [w/video]

Mercedes-Benz has finally dropped full details on its insane G63 AMG 6x6. The machine puts 544 horsepower to all six wheels thanks to a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8. A seven-speed gearbox shuttles power to the ground via three sets of portal axles, which helps give this machine a full 15.75 inches of ground clearance. By comparison, the standard G63 AMG sits with just 8.27 inches of ground clearance. The extra lift allows this 6x6 to ford nearly 40 inches of water and run massive 37-inch tires. All told, there are five differential locks on this thing, all controlled by a special "locking logic" that provides the best traction possible for any given situation.
The controls offer up three stages of locking, which we can only assume range from JKLOL to OMGWTF. Right now, AMG says this monstrosity is only a show vehicle, but we imagine it wouldn't take much to convince the team to whip up one of your very own. Check out our full gallery and the press release below for all the nitty gritty. While you're down there, you can also check out the video on the machine one more time.

Mercedes Digital Light puts a light show on the road

Soon full-featured heads up displays, augmented reality, and intelligent lighting will all work together to provide drivers with the safest and most complete picture of the road ahead. Until then, it's one advance at a time, the latest being Digital Light for Mercedes-Maybach customers. Stuttgart engineers designed a small LED with more than a million micro-reflectors for each headlight. Hardware and software control the light pattern, and paint at least nine different graphics on the road in light to warn of safety issues ahead. Digital Light evolved from the intelligent headlights demonstrated on the Mercedes Experimental Safety Vehicle in 2009 — the same ESF2009 that previewed rear belt-bag inflating seatbelts. Back then, the main beams were composed of 100 LEDs, and a brain controlled each LED to create a specific and occasionally complex lighting pattern. The new Digital Light works with all the cameras, sensors, and navigation information employed by an S-Class, and has increased resolution 10,000-fold to roughly HD quality, with a commensurate rise in the complexity of available patterns and representations. Mercedes cites numerous benefits, one being a "virtually dazzle-free main beam," another being high beams that can selectively darken so as not to blind oncoming traffic or pedestrians. Some of the projected symbols include guide lines on the road representing the width of the sedan when navigating a narrow construction zone, an arrow pointing to a pedestrian either in or very near the road, a snowflake when the temperature drops below freezing, and a chevron placed on the center line or shoulder to warn a driver when he's leaving his lane or when there's someone in his blind spot. Digital Light will first go into service with selective fleet customers for the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class this year. Considering the state of current U.S. auto regulations, we wouldn't expect to see it here for a number of years. Related Video: Featured Gallery Mercedes-Benz Digital Light View 27 Photos News Source: Mercedes-Benz via New Atlas, Gizmodo Maybach Mercedes-Benz Technology Emerging Technologies Luxury Sedan mercedes-maybach