Mercedes-Benz CL loses its head

Mercedes-Benz CL-Class AMG Convertible conversion -

With every passing year, there seems to be more convertibles on the market. But if you live in a sunny clime like California's, enough sunshine is never enough. That's where convertible chop-shops like Newport Convertible Engineering step in. The folks at NCE will take just about any automobile and turn it into a custom cabrio to a buyer's specifications. The company's portfolio includes recent conversions of a Dodge Challenger, Toyota Prius, Cadillac CTS, Hummer H2, Toyota FJ Cruiser, and this Mercedes-Benz CL AMG. Unfortunately, from the photos seen here, the soft top doesn't seem to collapse quite flush with the rear deck, leaving something to be desired in terms of aesthetics - to say nothing of rearward visibility. Here's hoping there's a snug-fitting cover lurking in whatever trunkspace remains.

Best look yet at forthcoming Mercedes E-Class wagon arrives from Namibia

2010 E Class wagon testing in Namibia

We find it cool that carmakers cart their rides all over the globe to carry out the most brutal testing in the most out of the way places. They must find it a little frustrating, however, that car mavens with cameras and internet connections lurk in even in the most remote locations .
According to AB reader Tom, he spotted a pair of lightly-camoed Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagons and a sedan "on the desert gravel roads between Walvis Bay and Solitaire in Namibia." The wagons are getting ready for their debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show in a few months, and if the tailpipe application is accurate then the black one is likely a V8 - and yes, this does mean we want a blacked-out wagon E550 wagon. You can check out high-res pics of the trio below.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class gets new direct-injection engines, becomes most fuel-efficient C-Class

Mercedes-Benz unveiled three new engines with direct-injection technology that will make the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class the most fuel-efficient C-Class ever.

First up in the lineup is the new C 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY which is powered by a 170-hp engine with a peak torque of 295 lb-ft. That will accelerate the C 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY from 0 to 62 mph in 8.4 seconds while averaging a fuel-economy of 4.8L of diesel per 100 km (49 mpg in U.S. terms).

Second in line is the C250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY that makes 204-hp with a maximum torque of 369 lb-ft. 0 to 62 mph comes in 7 seconds and fuel-economy is estimated at 46 mpg.

Finally, Mercedes-Benz is offering a C 250 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY model that produces 204-hp and a peak torque of 228 lb-ft. 0 to 62 comes in 7.4 seconds with a fuel-economy of 33 mpg.

Not to break your hearts or anything but everything you just read applies only to the European markets.

Mercedes planning production E-Class shooting brake?

Mercedes-Benz Concept Fascination

Body-styles in Mercedes' staple E-Class range have been taken on a heck of a roller coaster these past few years. The original included sedan, wagon, coupe and convertible variants. Then the latter two were split off as the CLK, but after introducing the CLS as essentially a four-door coupe version of the E-Class, Mercedes opted to bring the two-door variants back into the fold for the current generation. Recent rumors have suggested that Mercedes could delay the wagon and cabrio versions, and even re-introduce the CLK alongside the E-Class Coupe, but with neither of those conjectures looking very likely, the latest report from the rumormongers at Auto Express suggest that Mercedes could be planning yet another body-style for the E-Class range: a three-door shooting brake.
For the uninitiated, a shooting brake is an old-school body-style that melds a station wagon with a coupe, traditionally, such load-lugging solutions have been arrived at by hiring a coachbuilder to turn a sedan or a coupe into a wagon. Think Chevrolet Nomad and you're not far off. And with the German auto industry playing an increasingly intricate game of one-upmanship with segment-busting body-styles, Mercedes apparently looks poised to take things one step further with a fifth E-Class form. The prospect looks even more likely when you consider that the current E-Class' design was previewed in the first place by a shooting brake show car called the Concept Fascination at last year's Paris show. If Daimler decides to give the three-door E the green light, it'd likely carry over the mechanicals and engine options from its two-door counterpart, including four, six and eight-cylinder gasoline and clean diesel powerplants. Whether an AMG version like the sedan is offered or nixed like the coupe's remains to be seen, however, but we could get a look at a production prototype as early as the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, so stay tuned.

Mercedes introduces new range of bicycles

Mercedes Benz has announced an updated and expanded range of bicycles for 2009/2010. The new lineup includes two-wheelers of all shapes and sizes, including a pair of kids bikes. For more grown-up riders, Mercedes offers a range of styles, including the usual choices of mountain bikes and road racing bikes. There is also a new folding bike with a patented folding mechanism that allows it to collapse quickly without tools. In the fully collapsed position the bike takes up a volume of 31 inches by 31 inches by 14 inches, and it even has front and rear suspension.
There are also trekking and fitness bikes, and no Mercedes bike rider would be complete without a set of Mercedes riding clothes. Of course, in typical Mercedes fashion, the technology comes with a price to match. The bikes range from €299 for the kid's bike (around $430 USD) to €4,999 (more than $7,150) for the limited-edition carbon fiber racing bike.