I ask you, ladies and gentlemen (because I know both of you read this blog even if you keep mum about it much of the time) what exactly is the point of this new device I found from Mercedes-Benz called the Airscarf?

The Airscarf is actually about what it sounds like, in that it’s a heater port that’s up near your neck, and is designed to blow a continuous stream of warm air down and around your neck.  Like a scarf made of air.  Air. Scarf.  Airscarf.

I mean, I understand that it’s Mercedes-Benz.  It has a reputation for luxury surpassing most others and those it doesn’t surpass outright it’s in direct competition with.  But a hot air port designed to blow hot air around your neck?  I know from experience that, most of the time, I wind up shutting my car heater off after a few minutes anyway because that dry heat on my face gets almost painful after a while.  But to have it blowing constantly around my neck?

That’s one gadget I’d love to be able to shut off after a while, Mercedes luxury or no.

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Cash for Clunkers may be dead and gone but that doesn’t mean the government is going to stop giving out incentives for those who chose the green route. The latest announcement is regarding the Mercedes-Benz S400 which has the ability to net you up to $1,150 worth of tax credits.

The reason for this incentive is the IRS’ Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit which gives out tax credit for energy efficient cars. And, since the S400 features a whole slew of energy efficient technologies like regenerative braking and a lithium-ion battery in additino to its EPA rating of 19mpg city and 26mpg highway it makes sense why you would get such a credit.

via greencarcongress

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Mercedes-Benz is currently considering whether or not to start making its popular C-Class sedans right in Vance, Alabama. The plant is already responsible for making the M, GL and R-Class so the German giant could definitely make the C-Class at Vance too. Let’s not forget that Mercedes poured $290 million into the expansion of the plant earlier this year but never said what the purpose of the investment was.

And if you’re reading this from Sindelfingen, Germany, the current home of the C-Class then you should know Mercedes plans to save all those 3,000 jobs by shifting SL production from Bremen to Sidelfingen. And don’t worry Bremen Mercedes builders, your jobs will be saved too. It looks like the it’s a win-win-win situation but we’ll see more once Mercedes-Benz goes public with the changes!

via WGAL

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Just as the Mercedes S400 is set to be shipped to U.S. dealers, Mercedes Benz has unveiled another future model in the Mercedes S500 Vision Plug-in Hybrid at the Frankfurt Auto Show. With the eventual coming of this new hybrid Mercedes vehicle, expect the Mercedes S500 to invade the luxury hybrid ring soon.

The S500 features economical fuel consumption, burning only 3.2 liters for every 100 KMS. Add as well the lower CO2 emissions for something as big as the S500 and a V6 petrol engine with fuel injection and you get the flexibility due from luxury hybrid cars today.

From the looks of it, while we are praising the coming of the S400, the S500 looks promising as well. The only difference is we don’t have an idea when it would come out or how much this would cost in the market.

(Source) Automo Blog

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Now honestly, who doesn’t love Mercedes-Benzs? More importantly, hybrid Mercedes-Benzs? Lucky for us, it was recently made known that the S400 Hybrid has in fact begun shipping to US dealerships and is now available for purchase.

The S400 Hybrid reportedly gets 19mpg/26mpg for city/highway respectively which is none too bad considering the car features a 3.5-liter 6 cylinder engine. Don’t expect to drive this vehicle off the lot for cheap, however, as it starts at $87,950.

via autoblog

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Okay, we’re all looking for some really big news to bust out of the Frankfurt Auto Show, so let’s sail right into the news we’re expecting to hear:

Mercedes-Benz plans to show a hydrogen-powered fuel cell version of the B-class.  It’s the first such production car to offer this, and the first two hundred will be available for purchase in early 2010.

Toyota is presenting an electric plug-in version of the Prius, as we’ve already mentioned here.

Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi are all out of the show, citing cost containment measures.

General Motors / Opel  is showing the new Astra compact..

Renault, a name you don’t hear often, will be showing the Megane and some new electric concept vehicles.

And of course, there’s lots more news afoot, but from the sounds of things, the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show is going to be a doozy of a show, with plenty to see and do and talk about.

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Mercedes Benz celebrates the 75th Anniversary of its Silver Arrows at Pebble Beach in style by presenting a historical showcase of competition racecars. The display will be in the limelight this coming August 13 to 16 at the Mercedes-Benz Star Lounge and the Concours’ famed 18th fairway.

Among the featured Mercedes Benz vehicles include the five authentic Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows like the W 25, two W 154s, a W 194 and a W 196 R Streamliner.

In addition to the Silver Arrows display, the Mercedes-Benz Star Lounge at Pebble Beach features an exhibit of nine generations of the E-Class, starting with generation one, the series 136 model 170 from 1947, to the Ponton of the 1950s and Fintail from the 1960s, up to the current ninth generation 212 series — 2010 E-Class and E63 AMG.

(Source) Press

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German tuning firm Carlsson has recently announced that they are are ready to bring a tuning kit for the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class to market.

The kit is entitled the RS and will feature aethstetic changes such as a new grill, stainless steel trim and a body kit. Additionally it will feature LED daytime running lights, 22-inch allow wheels and and suspension work for improved handling.

In terms of power, Carlsson will throw in a a sport air filter and an updated ECU thus upping the vehicle’s horsepower from 388 to 435.

via WorldCarFans

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To stirr up hype surrounding their soon-to-be released energy efficient vehicles Daimler has released a press releasing showing off their new Road to the Future campaign. This press release doesn’t tell us much in terms of stuff we didn’t already know but below is a list of the release’s highlights, courtesy of AutoBlogGreen:

Mercedes-Benz will offer 58 BlueEFFICIENCY models for sale by the end of 2009 (there are 49 vehicles in the image above, in case you were wondering).

Daimler is using a three-pronged approach to increasing efficiency: better internal combustion engines, more efficient hybrids, and bringing electric and fuel cell vehicles to market.

More information, including updates on “the development of electric mobility,” will be coming at the Frankfort Motor Show this fall. Mercedes unveiled its “Road to the Future” concept at the 2007 show.

Full press release after the break. Be warned, it’s lengthy!
(more…)

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Mark this down as one of the worst kept secrets of all time — Mercedes-Benz recently stepped forward to officially announce that they will be manufacturing an all-electric version of their SLS AMG who’s pictures were leaked a few days ago.

Don’t expect the car to lose all of its power just because it’s an EV as it will feature a seperate motor for each wheel making for a maximum output of 392 KW or 526 HP. This compares to its 6.3-liter V8 brethren with 563HP and 479 pounds of torque. Furthermore, Mercedes has said the car will have a 0-62MPH sprint in just 4 seconds.

Now all we need to know is a price point and release date.

Read (AutoBlogGreen)

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This month will be a month for fashionable swimwear and Mercedes Benz vehicles as the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim kicks off. Obviously the main sponsor for the event, guests will be treated to the various swimsuit collections to have.

Also, the event will showcase the latest 2010 Mercedes Benz E-Class vehicles right at the Raleigh Hotel which is expected to fill up with people of various purposes for the said event. Among the expected E-Class models include the new 2010 E-Class vehicles ranging from the E63 AMG to the E-Coupe.

The event will run from July 15 to 19.

(Source) Press

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First revealed back in September of last year, Mercedes-Benz’s S 400 hybrid vehicle has been a much sought after vehicle. Today we are proud to announce that we have gotten our hands on some more details regarding the car.

We now know that the S 400 will feature a lithuim-ion battery that will power the car’s 15 kW electric motor. Don’t worry though as it will be paired with a 279HP 3.5-liter V6 engine for added power. Together, this combination is said to provide up to 385 Nm of torque and make for a top speed of 250 km/m. Furthermore, the S 400 is said to get around 30 mph which is none to bad for a car of this stature.

If reports back in February stay true, we shall see the Mercedes-Benz S 400 hybrid later this summer.

Read (WorldCarFans)

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Sirius has announced an introductory three-month trial for Mercedes Benz Certified pre-owners, allowing them to enjoy the benefits of the satellite radio service that is offered by the factory installed device in the latest Mercedes Benz models.

Called the “SIRIUS Everything” package, this special feature can be availed of as a monthly subscription after the three-month trial period. But while that can be decided on later, check out if the service is something you would love to have on your car for the mean-time. You have three months to decide!

“We are delighted buyers of SIRIUS-equipped Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned vehicles will now be able to experience all that SIRIUS’ exceptional service offers,” said Mark Webster, Manager, Pre-Owned Operations, Mercedes-Benz USA.

(Source) Press

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People over at Alpharetta were treated to a fun event and a first-hand glimpse of the 2010 Mercedes Benz E-Class. The new vehicle from the German car company features the latest safety, efficiency and comfort technology from Mercedes-Benz. Groundbreaking safety features perform such functions as monitoring driver alertness, preparing the vehicle to minimize damage in a collision, and automatically adjusting high beam brightness. In addition to the sedan and wagon, the E-Class will be available as a two-door sport coupe for the first time in 15 years.

Not only is the E-Class loaded with innovations and an updated, aerodynamic design; the starting price is also $4,600 lower than for the 2009 E-Class models.

General Manager Randy Powell said, “RBM-North was delighted to be able to give our local community a preview of the exciting new 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. It’s the perfect car for anyone looking to combine luxury and value – and I believe there are a lot of consumers these days who fall into that category. We are thrilled at the great turnout for this event, and we really feel that we’ve become a part of the community. We look forward to many more events like this one, where we can offer something for everyone in the family to enjoy.”

(Source) Press

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Daimler finally launched its own hybrid car version, the Mercedes Benz S Class which will come either in electric or petrol. The new hybrid Mercedes is now available in Europe, options that should give aspiring car owners of choosing between fuel consumption or electric power, the latter of which has been which many are talking about as of late.

The “CO2 champion of luxury cars,” as Mercedes bills it, nonetheless cranks out 186 to 189 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer, remaining one of the biggest polluters on the road, well above the European average of around 160 grams.

“For years, the German automobile sector did not believe hybrids had a chance…..but at a certain point, under market pressure, the industry changed its mind,” said Stefan Bratzel, professor at a specialized auto center in the western city of Bergisch Gladbach.

Despite being branded as anti-environment for its continued production of fuel-powered cars, the new Mercedes Benz S Class electric version should somehow even the odds. At least this time, car buyers can be given the choice, something that is obviously a business prerogative when it comes to choosing which car is wise to buy considering the current world economic situation.

(Source) Auto India

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