Mercedes-Benz TV: AMG premieres at the LA auto show 2012

Two AMG premieres took place at this year's Auto Show in the Golden State. The SLS AMG Black Series and the GL 63 AMG were presented to the public. Mercedes-Benz reporter Torie travelled to Los Angeles to find out all of the important information for you.

Mercedes-Benz 
As of today, we are more than 9 million Mercedes-Benz fans on our global Facebook page. To thank our fans, we have prepared a little something. Finnish Anssi Määttä created a light-artwork video with the CLS Shooting Brake in Helsinki. We hope you enjoy it as well!  

Check it out here: https://vimeo.com/54705499

Auto Review New Audi RS6 Avant unleashed

Latest rapid load-carrier has all the performance credentials to make its nearby rivals look tame

The new RS6 has arrived unusually early, hasn't it?

By tradition, yes, because Audi usually brings forward an RS treatment only when a certain model reaches mid-life. The current A6 is still fresh and just over a year old.

The load-carrying Avant goes RS, and here are some of the key improvements it has received over the outgoing model based on the C6.

The new C7-based RS6 is 100kg lighter than ever, thanks to aluminium making up 20% of the body.

Apart from the lighter body, the new RS6 gets a downsized engine with cylinder deactivation technology and an uprated eight-speed automatic to cut fuel consumption by 40%.

Super! It hasn't gone soft, right?

Here's even better news. Okay, the number of cylinders has dropped from 10 to eight, the engine size has fallen from 5.0 to 4.0 litres and the power has shrunk from 580 to 560hp.

But with higher torque of 700Nm due to two large turbos _ and the lighter body advantage _ the all-wheel-drive RS6 becomes the first ever of Audi's super-fast breed to reach 100kph from standstill _ less than 4sec.

To be precise, the new RS6 does 3.9sec _ a good 0.7sec quicker than before. Thus, it's a whole lot faster and more economical, at 10.2kpl on the average, than before.

It's worth noting that the RS6's new V8 is also being used in other in-house models like the S6, S7, S8 and Bentley's Continental range _ albeit different outputs to suit their specific characters and market positioning.

Other modifications made to cope with such performance in the RS6 are active suspension that lowers the body by 20mm and optional carbon-ceramic disc brakes.

They are particularly essential because buyers can now choose to restrict maximum speed at three levels: 250, 280 and 305kph.

The RS6 appears to be the quickest in its class...

It is. Although its German rivals like the BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG employ twin-turbo V8 engines, both of them are four-second cars, so to speak.

The 560hp/680Nm M5 does 0-100kph in 4.4sec and 525hp/700Nm E63 4.3sec, both equipped with seven-speed dual-clutch automatics.

Don't bother with the Jaguar XFR-S that featured in Life last week.

Armed with a 550hp/625Nm 5.0-litre supercharged V8 and eight-speed automatic (torque convertor style from ZF, just like the RS6), the fast Jag only matches the earlier RS6s in the 0-100kph time. That could be considered quite an achievement for the new RS6 _ at least on paper _ because we're talking about the estate version which was traditionally a tenth slower in acceleration terms than the saloon in the previous generations.

Will Audi make an RS6 in saloon form, you may ask.

The official line is that there will only be an Avant body _ just like in the latest RS4.

That sounds quite fair because the RS6 Avant is already a class act in performance terms and an estate body was always the special bit when it came to an RS (the pioneering RS2 was based on the 80 estate).

Thai fans looking at an RS6 will have to wait till at least mid-2013 to get a hold of one costing in the region of 13 million baht when properly taxed by local authorities.

Active suspension leaves the body 20mm lower.

Auto Review Maserati GranCabrio

THE NEW MASERATI GRANCABRIO TO PREMIERE IN FRANKFURT

Media Source: Maserati

The Maserati GranCabrio, the first four-seater convertible in the Trident carmaker's history, will make its world wide debut on September 15 at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. The introduction of the GranCabrio – the Trident's third prong – completes Maserati's product line-up that now consists of three different families of models: Quattroporte, GranTurismo, GranCabrio.

The GranCabrio represents the very essence of Maserati in terms of open-top cars. It's a Maserati in the purest sense of the word: from the unmistakable style by Pininfarina to the spacious interior, from the craftsmanship of each detail to the driving pleasure and performance. The Maserati GranCabrio enriches all five senses in a shared open-air experience, without sacrificing comfort and performance. A dream car designed and built for men and women who love to live life in an understated – though sophisticated – manner. Like all the made in Maserati open-top convertibles: special cars aimed at refined connoisseurs.

In fact the GranCabrio is continuing the Maserati tradition in open-top cars, joining models that have played such an important part in the Modena carmaker's history such as the 1950 A6G Frua Spyder, 1960 3500GT Vignale Spyder, 1964 Mistral Spyder, 1968 Ghibli Spyder and 2001 Spyder designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the car that marked Maserati's return to the United States. In the footsteps of tradition, the GranCabrio opens a new chapter, because never before have four-seater top-down models ever been produced at the Viale Ciro Menotti Maserati factory. Four proper seats, so that the rear passengers are not merely supporting actors, but co-stars of the journey.

The GranCabrio is powered by a 4.7 litre V8, 323 kW engine and is the convertible with the longest wheelbase on the market. The GranCabrio's roof is strictly canvas-made, emphasizing the link with the Maserati tradition.

The Maserati GranCabrio will be marketed starting next winter, and experienced by customers the world over from the following spring.

Auto Review Peugeot 508

2011 Peugeot 508 GT HDi, turbocharged four-cylinder, diesel, six-speed automatic transmission.

Auto Review Peugeot 508

Alicante, Spain, isn’t the most salubrious of launch venues. It’s a barely comprehensible mishmash of traditional Spanish architecture and grey concrete high rise buildings erected to house tens of thousands of Brits and other Europeans for whom the words class and elegance are conspicuously absent from their vocabularies. But, crucially for a new car launch in February, the weather is extremely agreeable. And the roads are uniformly excellent throughout the country, meaning the assembled hacks can really explore a new car’s breadth of scope – providing the draconian speed police don’t get in the way of proceedings.

Auto Review Peugeot 508

Class and elegance might be complete strangers to most of Alicante’s population but they’re two words being bandied around quite a bit when it comes to the car we’re here to become acquainted with for the first time: the new Peugeot 508. One of my contemporaries, upon discovering that I was attending the first drive of a Peugeot, said he’d rather slash his wrists and, if I’m honest, I was feeling rather ambivalent about the whole thing myself. But after a day and a half of driving the 508 in its various guises, I can report that it’s a car that drags Peugeot into the realms of Audi and Volkswagen for the first time. And that’s quite a statement.Auto Review.

Auto Review Peugeot 508

There’s a clue to Peugeot’s aspirations with this car in its nomenclature. 508 doesn’t replace any 507 – that model didn’t exist. It replaces the unfortunate 407 but not only that, it does away with the barge-like 607, too. What do you mean you’ve never heard of the 607 before? Peugeot reasoned that the strides it had made with the new car made it deserving of going up a number from 4 to 5. It’s a car made from big ideas.

Wisely the French company has ditched any Mercedes pretensions it may have had with the 607 and concentrated its time and resources to produce a medium-sized car that should lay to rest the ghost of the past few years. The problem, in the main, for Peugeot, has been that after three or four years, when the cars are sold on to second owners, they’ve often been ropey. The feeling of nearly-newness that German cars seem to possess at that age just hasn’t been there, so residual values have been hammered. This, in turn, has made private and fleet purchasers alike scared to take a punt on Peugeots in the first place. The 508 just might change that.

Auto Review Peugeot 508

It’s a handsome car and that’s a promising start. Gone is the guppy face of the 407, gone is the bland rear end. In their stead is a front that looks like a close relative of an Audi and out back is a rump that looks like a previous generation BMW 5-Series, only neater in execution. The overall shape is complex and lends the 508 an air of distinction. It’s colour sensitive, mind, and the choice of alloy wheel design does impact on the visual satisfaction – just as those things matter on the lovely RCZ. Get the combination right on either car and it looks brilliant. The SW looks quite lovely, too.

Auto Review Peugeot 508

All the visual flair in the world couldn’t make Peugeot a desirable brand if the build quality remained a joke and this is the one area they’ve properly gone to town. Every parts supplier was tasked with upping its game yet still offering value for money, every aspect of the car’s interior was subjected to a rapid ageing process to make sure the car still looked new after three or four years (fleet vehicle managers were invited to witness this by Peugeot, which shows how serious they are when it comes to perceived build quality) and the design was kept simple and classy. Interior space has been improved over the 407 – in fact the 508’s internal dimensions are on a par with those of the outgoing 607 and there’s plenty of room for passengers front and rear, even if they’re above average height. Boot space in the saloon is a generous 545 litres and the SW offers a cavernous 1865 litres with the rear seats folded flat.

Auto Review Peugeot 508

It almost goes without saying that the 508 is greener than either of the models it replaces. It’s lighter than the 407 (by 35kg) yet longer (by 10cm). It’s quieter, too, thanks to advancements in sound insulation and there are two, more advanced, suspension options available – the majority of examples being supplied with a MacPherson Strut set up at the front with multi-link at the rear, with the range-topping GT models getting double-wishbones at the front end. There’s stop/start available on the e-HDi version, which offers emissions of just 109g/km and, just to give the Germans a few sleepless nights, there’s practically every toy and gadget available on the options list.

Auto Review Peugeot 508

Sitting in the driver’s seat, it’s obvious that the 508 represents a huge leap for Peugeot. The dashboard design is lovely, the instrumentation is smart, the seats are trimmed beautifully and the steering wheel is nice and thick. It’s easily the best cabin in its class and anyone who’s been disappointed that Volkswagen didn’t overhaul the interior of the ‘new’ Passat would be advised to take a seat in the 508. There’s a new, Teutonic feel to everything and, at a stroke, the 508 is no longer competing with Renaults or Citroёns. Instead it’ll be battling it out with the Passat and even the Audi A4 for dominance in the world’s company car parks. If middle management types can see past the badge then Peugeot could just pull it off.

Auto Review Peugeot 508

On the road the 508 delivers in spades, too. A decent raft of engine and transmissions is available from the outset, with more to come in the near future. For now there’s a trio of 1.6-litre petrol engines and diesels come in 1.6, 2.0 or 2.2-litre form, with the 2.2 HDi offering performance superior to that of the 407’s 2.7-litre V6. They’re all quiet, refined and more gutsy than you might expect.

Auto Review Peugeot 508

It feels like a mature, well sorted executive rather than something destined to be a taxi in two years’ time and the driving experience is impressively composed with quick and accurate steering, feelsome brakes and a supple chassis that allows the driver to actually get some enjoyment when behind the wheel. The manual gearboxes can feel a bit clunky but the autos are seamless in the way they shift cogs. In the stop/start e-HDi the only transmission is basically a clutch-less manual and this can take some getting used to. For smooth changes, it’s important to remember to back off the power as you would in any manual otherwise it feels a bit agricultural.

Auto Review Peugeot 508

So, all in all Peugeot appears to have a winner on its hands with the 508. It devoured hundreds of kms of Spanish roads with me at the wheel and not once did I think about being in something else. The RCZ was evidently not a one-off and this company has got its mojo back by tackling its problems at the most basic level and starting again from the ground up. Time will tell if their efforts have been a success but, on the basis of my experiences in both the saloon and the SW, I have a hunch that they’ve cracked it at last. The timing could not have been better, either, because the new Passat and Mondeo are nothing more than mid-life refreshers while the 508 is an entirely new model.

Auto Review Peugeot 508

It deserves to succeed and it’s nice to see a company as big as Peugeot eating humble pie, admitting it has made mistakes in its design language and quality of construction. Instead of empty words, though, they’ve put in the hours, shaken things up and come back from the brink with a truly excellent car that I can highly recommend. And if they launch a coupe version, well won’t that be a desirable piece of kit? Here’s hoping…
Peugeot Australia boss Ken Thomas, has told CarAdvice that Australia will take 508 in the Allure (upper trim) level coupled with the following engines: eHDI diesel (stop/ start technology with 1.6l HDI diesel), the 2.2l HDI diesel GT, the 2.0l HDI diesel and the 1.6l turbo petrol. We will also gain access to the wagon version. The current production schedule should see 508 on sale by the July Melbourne Motor Show. Prices are not yet known but will be competitive.

Auto Review Suzuki Swift X-ITE 2011

Suzuki Germany has just released a number of optional sports accessories for the 2011 Suzuki Swift. Branded as ‘X-ITE’, the accessories allow buyers to customise their Swifts for a more personalised and individual touch.

Auto Review 2011 Toyota Prius

2011 Toyota Prius

Since the debut of the second-generation Toyota Prius in 2003, the quintessential gas-electric hybrid has risen from a niche product to become Toyota’s third-best-selling model in the United States. The third-generation 2010 Toyota Prius, officially unveiled at the Detroit auto show in January 2009, went on sale the following April 
The Prius hybrid inspires a cult-like devotion from its drivers, evidenced by the muted reaction from owners after Toyota recalled the Prius in March 2010 for a potential problem with uneven braking. The reaction was similar when media frenzy developed a few weeks later after a San Diego man claimed his 2008 Prius sped out of control on California’s Interstate 8. As cooler heads prevailed, the consensus was that “unintended acceleration” was driver error, not a defect.

For the 2011 model year, which began arriving at dealers in late September, there are no significant changes to the car. This third edition of the Prius is bigger and more powerful than the model it replaced. The four-cylinder engine grew in displacement from 1.5 liters to 1.8 liters and, combined with a 36Kw electric motor, boosts horsepower from 110 to 134. The result is a reduction in zero-to-60 time by a full second.
Additionally, the body is about four inches longer and about an inch wider. Despite the added power and size, the 2011 Toyota Prius is the only vehicle available today to offer 50 miles per gallon in combined city/highway driving.
Toyota achieved this level of fuel efficiency by keeping the vehicle’s weight down, maintaining the best aerodynamics of any production vehicle in the world, and re-engineering the powertrain to extend the range of all-electric gas-free driving. Clever high-efficiency tricks include an electric water pump, exhaust gas recovery and an optimized regenerative brake system. Underbody covers with splitters aids the aerodynamic efficiency.

Prius Exterior

Compared to the previous model, the 2011 Prius has slightly sportier feel and more aggressive stance—perhaps to disarm criticism that the Prius looks like a corrective appliance on wheels. The logo has been moved from the hood to the top of the point of the grille. The crease in the doors has shifted lower, but a more pronounced angle is added above the door handles. The overall effect is the 2011 Prius stands taller—not as rounded and squat—as its predecessor.
The distinct space-age shape of the Prius is still apparent: a deliberate effort by Toyota to maintain the Prius’s essential and iconic appearance. Its large, diamond-cut headlamps and snub-nose front-end are the starting point for the Prius’s quasi-flying saucer appearance. The angled hood seamlessly flows into the windshield, then to a flowing roofline that is sleek and low. Short overhangs and a sawed-off rear section finish off the hybrid’s futuristic hatchback character.
Of course, beauty is subjective, so the Prius continues to receive mixed reviews on outward show. There are many who think the Prius looks gimmicky, if not entirely ugly. But for many hybrid owners, the distinctive look of the Prius sends a message, which declares that we must take steps to reduce our voracious thirst for oil—with all its negative consequences in terms of the environment and geopolitics. For this camp, the Prius is like a middle-finger-on-wheels aimed at Suburbans, Escalades, and the like.

Bells and Whistles

The second generation Prius had loads of gizmos—including keyless entry, joystick shifter, high-tech energy monitor, and a rearview camera system. The 2011 model has even more technology.
Absent in previous years, the Prius offers heated seats and a moon roof. The sliding glass moonroof, packaged with a slick-looking solar panel, provides power to a new ventilation system that doesn’t require help from the gas engine. Not only does the AC system keep the interior air temperature from heating up when the vehicle is parked (thus reducing the time/energy needed to cool things down), the system can be operated remotely to heat or cool the cabin before getting into the car. (That’s a neat trick even if the rooftop solar panels don’t produce enough energy to power the wheels.)
Three driving modes are available to the driver: Power, Economy and EV. Power improves throttle response; economy reduces throttle response for better gas mileage; and with a flip of the dashboard EV button, the car can go about one mile at low speeds without using any gasoline.
An optional radar system using advanced millimeter waves enables “Lane Keep Assist” to help the driver stay safely within the lane, and the “Pre-Collision System” retracts seatbelts and applies the brakes in certain conditions when a crash is unavoidable. Intelligent parking offers settings to help guide the Prius into parking spaces. A backup monitor, which provides a view of rear obstacles when reverse is engaged, is available with an optional voice-activated navigation system.
Touch Tracer, a touch sensor system on the steering wheel, helps keep the driver’s eyes on the road. Images of the switches and their positions are shown on the instrument panel directly in front.

Prius Interior

The past success of the Toyota Prius has been its ability to combine great fuel efficiency and utter practicality. Five adults can fit comfortably, with more than 16 cubic feet of cargo room left over in back. The 60/40 split rear seats also can be folded flat, creating a surprisingly large cargo space for hauling groceries, strollers, large boxes, and gardening supplies—all at the same time.
Short and tall drivers should feel equally comfortable behind the wheel. The back seat is roomy, beating the Toyota Camry by a few inches and providing a little more legroom than the Civic Hybrid—and a lot more than found in the Honda Insight. The Honda hybrids are cheaper by a few, to a few thousand dollars.
Interior storage spaces are abundant and flexible. The sound system is adequate, but not ground breaking compared to other cars in this class. The stereo’s most-used functions are easy to see, read and use. Many of the Prius’s standard features are either optional or unavailable on comparably priced competitive vehicles.

Modest Price Increases

For 2011, Toyota has dropped the least expensive Prius I trim and added a modest $250 price increase across the lineup. The least expensive is the Prius II with a base price of $22,800 and includes keyless entry, cruise control, dashboard multi-information display and Touch Tracer controls. The Prius III, the most popular 2010 model, starts at $23,800 and adds an AM/FM/CD changer with satellite radio, an eight speaker sound system and Bluetooth hands-free mobile phone system.
The Prius IV with leather trim, heated front seats, auto-dimming mirror, and various lighting and trim upgrades makes a considerable jump to $26,600. The most expensive Prius V, which includes light-emitting diode (LED) headlamps and foglamps and 17-inch alloy wheels starts at $28,070. Additional options for most trim levels include navigation and an advanced technology package.
The 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid challenges the Prius on refinement, and according to some reviewers, offers a better driving experience. Some Prius drivers complain that the hatchback design limits the visibility through the rear window. They refer to this drawback as the “Prius blind spot.”
You have to take a test drive to see how it feels to you. The new generation's rear view has improved a bit, even if the backseat headrests and spoiler continue to partially obstruct the view. Hatchback visibility makes some people crazy and is a non-issue for others. Take a test drive to see what you think.

Auto Review 2011 VÄTH Mercedes-Benz CL500 Coupe

German tuning firm VÄTH handling on the Mercedes-Benz CL500, staring by squeezing more power out of the 5.5-liter V8 engine through the use of sport camshafts, custom stainless steel sport catalysts and air filters. Output is lifted from 388HP to 460HP and 600Nm, while VÄTH also removes the speed limiter allowing the modified CL500 to reach a top speed of 290km/h or 180mph.

The VÄTH fitted the CL500 with a three-way adjustable sports suspension and a high-performance braking system. The coupe now rides on a set of 20-inch forged alloy wheels with 245/30ZR20 tires at the front and 285/25ZR20 at the rear axle.

In addition, visual enhancements also come in the form of a front spoiler lip, a new rear diffuser, and a boot lid spoiler, all made out of carbon fiber. As for the interior, VÄTH’s modifications include carbon fiber trim, a bespoke steering wheel and a new speedometer.

Auto Review BMW M3 Pickup truck

Auto Review BMW M3 Pickup truck 
already track at legendary Nürburgring circuit in Germany tested - BMW M3 a unique one-time pickup has revealed. 

Auto Review Toyota Camry

Toyota Camry - What the Auto Press Says
The 2011 Toyota Camry ranks 13 out of 19 Affordable midsize cars. Ranking is based on our analysis of 79 published reviews and test drives the Toyota Camry, and on our analysis of reliability and safety data.

Auto Review Chevrolet Miray (2011) concept first official pictures

Auto Review Chevrolet Miray (2011) concept first official pictures

Chevrolet has unveiled the Miray hybrid speedster concept today at the 2011 Seoul motor show in Korea. Created as a Chevrolet centennial celebration and marking increased globalisation of the Chevrolet brand, the new two-seater Miray concept looks set to be the star of the 2011 Seoul motor show.

Why on earth wasn't the Chevrolet Miray at the 2011 Geneva motor show!?

Good question. The exciting-looking Miray would certainly have drawn a larger crowd than the Cruze hatchback. But don't forget that GM Korea (formerly Daewoo, and bought by GM in 2001) develops many of Chevrolet's products these days. It makes sense to keep something special for Chevrolet's adopted hometown show.

Thanks for the business history - what about the Chevrolet Miray concept?

The official word from GM Korea is that the Miray (it means 'future' in Korean) represents a new possibilities for the brand, which is officially launching in Korea in 2011 to replace the home-grown GM Daewoo nameplate. It is a fresh look at sports cars for Chevrolet, who currently offer the Camaro and Corvette but lack a small sports car offering.

The Miray is built on an aluminium spaceframe chassis and clothed in carbon fibre panels. Miray's power comes from a 1.5-litre four cylinder turbocharged engine, coupled to a dual-clutch gearbox driving the rear wheels and mounted transversely behind the passengers.  Up front the Mirai packs two 15kW electric motors and a 1.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack to drive the front wheels, offering a hybrid power boost and part-time all-wheel-drive. Double-wishbone suspension at each corner interacts with the road via a showcar-massive wheel and typre package: 245/35x20 up front, 295/30x21 at the rear. Elise & MX-5 owners can feel free to shake their heads in disbelief at this point.

Outside, the styling is influenced by modern combat aircraft, but also incorporates interpretations of the Chevrolet family grille and tail lights. Those front fenders are also intended to evoke links with previous generation Corvettes, as is the 'waterfall' effect of the exterior flowing into the cockpit.  Movable exterior flaps hide a charging point for the plug-in hybrid power cell, and a conventional fossil fuel filler.

Scissor doors grant access to the cabin, which boasts a twin-cockpit design and plenty of carbon fibre trim, along with the usual show car digital displays behind that low speedster screen. The seats integrate with the surrounding carbon-fibre shell, which wraps around into the instrument panel. Those speedster fairings behind the headrests also have an air scarf climate control system for driver and passenger. As well as rear vision cameras in place of traditional mirrors, there's a forward-facing camera which turns the sat-nav screen into a real-time video overlay.

Information displays are back-projected through the dashboard panel in front of the driver and passenger. Miray drivers can live out their fighter pilot fantasies when they start the car, with a steering column-mounted instrument panel rising up and the interactive projection system displaying data akin to a combat aircraft's head-up display.

The Miray is 3991mm long, 1865mm wide, and just 1100mm high. Nice for conceptcarland where it's always sunny and the wind never ruffles your hair but a taller screen would be necessary if the Miray ever makes production - so don't set your heart on the speedster look. There's no word of weather protection either.
GM has not announced plans to build the Miray, but as an unexpected attention-grabber the edgy little speedster has accomplished its mission with flying colours.

By Mark Hamilton  http://www.skyhi-autoreview.co.cc/

Autoreview Renault Samsung SM7 concept unveiled

Autoreview Renault Samsung SM7 concept unveiled

    Following last week's teaser, Renault-Samsung has officially unveiled the new SM7 concept at the Seoul Motor Show.
Designed to preview the production model, the concept features an attractive design with soft lines, a prominent grille, and LED lighting units.
Specifications haven't been announced, but the car reportedly rides on the D platform which underpins the Nissan Maxima / Nissan Teana (JDM). This means engine options will likely include a 2.5-liter V6 with 182 hp (136 kW / 185 PS) and 232 Nm (171 lb-ft) of torque as well as a 3.5-liter V6 that develops 251 hp (187 kW / 254 PS) and 335 Nm (247 lb-ft) of torque.
More information will be released closer to the car's launch, so stay tuned for details.
Source: Renault-Samsung Motors