Autoblog

A master mechanic and two clerks, among others, are being investigated for intentionally sabotaging Mercedes cars being built at the Sindelfingen factory. Allegedly, repair shops in the area that weren't part of the Daimler corporation were bribing workers with gifts, trips, and cash to alter the cars so that the repair shops could get the contracts to fix them.

The sabotage included scratching the cars, loosening clamps and bolts, as well as -- incredibly -- putting foreign liquids into brake lines. According to Suddeutsche Zeitung, the cars affected were C-, E-, and S-Class. The Stuttgart prosecutor's office estimates the costs to Mercedes in the many of millions, but the greatest irony is this: the workers under investigation were part of the quality control department.

[Source: Suddeutsche Zeitung via Benz Insider]

The new Mercedes-Benz SLC Gullwing supercar has been caught again, and this time, spy photogs have captured what's on the inside. A few grainy shots have surfaced (that look more like magazine scans) showing the dash and console utilizing components pulled straight from the Mercedes-Benz parts bin. The COMMAND knob joins a steering wheel similar to the unit fitted to the AMG SL63, with a flat bottom, three spokes and directional control buttons. The HVAC controls and headlight switch look very M-B too, even if the new supercar won't end up badged a Benz. Rumors hint that the vehicle might simply be badged as an AMG.

As a successor to the SLR McLaren, the SLC is expected to be powered by an AMG 6.2L V8 producing upwards of 550 hp and will share similar proportions to the Ferrari F430. Project C197, as the Gullwing SLC is internally known, is expected to make its debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, with a cloth-roofed convertible R197 version to follow a year later. While much of this could change between now and then, one thing seems certain, the car will be a true successor to the iconic Gullwing, at least in terms of the doors.

[Source: World Car Fans]

What a difference 20 inches and 1,000 lbs makes. The latest occupant of the Autoblog Garage is the Mercedes Benz C63 AMG. You might recall that a few months ago we tried out one of the big dogs from the Benz lineup, the S63 AMG and came away somewhat awed by the technology but distressed by the driving experience. This time around we got the baby brother of the family and found what may well be the best driver's car in the current Daimler lineup. Ever since the C-class was born as the 190E back in the '80s, Mercedes and BMW have had a back and forth rivalry in the high performance compact sport sedan/coupe segment. As the M3 has grown and evolved over the past two decades, so to has the Stuttgart challenger.

Just like the original M3, the lineage started with the four-cylinder 16-valve 190E-2.3-16 and has grown through a succession of V6 and V8 engines. Despite the nomenclature, this latest edition is stuffed full of 6.2L of AMG V8 dripping with power and torque. Can the latest C63 finally topple the M3 from its throne? Find out after the jump.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Aigner CK65 RS Eau Rouge Dark Edition

Carlsson is continuing its line of two-tone Aigner-themed vehicles with the CK65 RS Eau Rouge Dark Edition. Previous versions include the CL-based CK65 Eau Rouge introduced in Frankfurt last year and the S-based CK65 RS Blanchimont. The latest rendition features an upgrades twin-turbo V12 with up to 756 horsepower, 849 lb-ft torque and a top speed of 208 mph. The exterior gets a carbon fiber aero kit, 21-inch lightweight wheels, and Obsidian Black Metallic and Himalaya-Gray paint scheme. Inside, the seats have been upholstered in Aigner leather, and a leather/Alcantara steering wheel, aluminum pedals, and wood trim have been added as well. Carlsson has planned a production run of just ten cars with a price tag starting at over $400,000. More details about the car can be found in the press release after the jump, and we've put together a gallery high resolution photographs below.

[Source: Carlsson]

Ferrari's 056 V8 was good enough to propel the Scuderia to the constructors' title this past season, and good enough to bring erstwhile back-markers Toro Rosso to a solid 6th place by season's end. But it wasn't enough to take Force India F1 – the latest incarnation of Jordan Grand Prix – out from the back of the field all season. Notwithstanding the unfortunate incident that saw Ferrari's own Kimi Raikkonen take Force India's Adrian Sutil out from 4th place at the Monaco Grand Prix with only ten minutes to go, Force India didn't manage a top 10 finish all season, earning a grand total of 0 championship points. So rather than stick with Ferrari, Vijay Mallya – the team's owner, chairman, director and main sponsor – has canceled the remaining year left in his contract with Ferrari and defected to McLaren-Mercedes instead.

The new deal, which was widely anticipated, will see Force India using engines, transmissions, hydraulics, Kinetic Energy Recovery System and a variety of other parts from McLaren Applied Technologies and Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines. The collaboration means McLaren-Mercedes will provide pretty much everything but the chassis, which Force India will have to design itself using its new computational fluid dynamics facility.

This new deal with McLaren tips the balance: whereas Ferrari was supplying an unprecedented two teams with engines this past season and McLaren none, in the coming season each will supply another team, while Toyota continues to supply Williams and Renault to Red Bull, leaving Honda (since the demise of Super Aguri) and BMW as the only engine suppliers not supporting b-squads.

[Source: Force India Formula One Team, Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty]

Ever wonder how expensive it is for a manufacturer to compete in Formula 1 racing? Not surprisingly, it ain't cheap. Each of the successful teams spend hundreds of millions of dollars on their programs, but success is not necessarily tied in to how much dough was spent. For instance, Ferrari, winners of this year's constructor's championship with 172 total points, spent about $2.4 million per point in 2008. McLaren and BMW, numbers two and three respectively, spent a bit more than that figure, but still under a cool $3 mil. Honda and Toyota, though, had budgets nearly as large as the top-tier manufacturers yet scored significantly fewer points. In fact, Honda's meager 14 points cost the automaker over 28 million buckaroos a piece, making theirs the most expensive points of all. On average, teams spent about $4.3 million per point. No wonder the sport is looking to cut its budget as soon as possible. Thanks for the tip, Keith!

[Source: F1 Fanatic]

Click above for hghi-res gallery of the Mercedes white collection

It's November, and while it may not be white outside yet, you know what that means: the holiday shopping season is upon us. And to help all you gearheads get an early start, Mercedes has released a new collection of giftables. And it's all white by us.

The latest additions to the Mercedes-Benz Collection include a variety of items for kids (and grown-up kids, too). Children's items include the Bobby Benz SLK AMG, a ride-on version of the popular roadster... in white. There's also a bobsled (in white) and a variety of kid's clothes (also in white) including a miniature Vodafone McLaren Mercedes racing suit for aspiring champions even younger than Lewis Hamilton. Adults will love the white sweatshirt, white jacket, white mountain bike and more white stuff that joins the collection, and for both kids and adults alike there's a scale GLK diecast model (guess what color). All are available for purchase from participating Mercedes dealers. Follow the jump for the press release outlining the full collection, and click on the thumbnails in the gallery below for images of all the white items on offer.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

If you were this close to purchasing an SLR but recent events concerning a guy named Lehman severely reduced your amount of disposable cash, then allow us to introduce you to the SL Carbonite. For the price of a 2003-2008 Mercedes SL, plus $47,400 for Carbonite's hood, fenders, front and rear fascias, lowered suspension and Mandrus 20-inch wheels, you can have an SL(R) for a song that's a lot less pricey than the Mercedes-McLaren. Carbonite has also said it will only build 20 of these cars per year, which means your money could get you even more exclusivity than the real thing. Of course, what your money can't do is erase the fact that you don't actually have the real thing -- but that hasn't stopped so many others... Check out the high-res gallery of doppelganger shots below.

Newly-crowned Formula one world champion Lewis Hamilton may have to wait a little while longer to get his hands on that bright orange McLaren F1 LM, but what does he drive in the meantime? Gunning for the title all season in the Mercedes-powered McLaren MP4-23, he certainly isn't lacking for a fast ride on the weekends, and he'd surely have his pick of any Mercedes car in the German automaker's vast lineup. But while the Mercedes SLR McLaren might be a natural choice, Lewis chooses to drive the daily grind in a diesel sport-ute. Specifically, a Mercedes-Benz GL320 CDI. "At the track," explains Lewis, "I always drive on the limit, but on public roads I like to relax, kick back and cruise. The GL's perfect for that."

[Source: What Car?]

ASMA's latest adventures in bodykitting have been described as "working their magic," though that magic part seems like a stretch. If you think your Mercedes SL is nice, but would really benefit from some overwrought body mods, ASMA now has a collection of appliques that will fill the void. Ostentatiously ugly, without being outright hideous, ASMA's tweaks include a cow-catcheresque fascia, a ride height reduction, side sills, and a piece-de-resistance rear diffuser that would make a study hall doodler cringe. Of course the wheels have been sized up to something more akin to the hull diameter of a Trident submarine, and they're chrome, natch. Like any good train wreck, we just can't turn away - hit the gallery for more pics.


[Source: emercedesbenz]