Autoblog

Drop the Hammer: Getting schooled with AMG Driving Academy at Lime Rock

Chris Paukert — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Etc., Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

AMG Driving Academy at Lime Rock - Click above for high-res image gallery

The world's sickly economy not withstanding, selling luxury vehicles is easy. From the suppleness of a swatch of leather to the exquisite graining on a piece of rare wood veneer to having every electronic gewgaw available at one's fingertips, what defines a luxury car is essentially self-evident. To a substantial degree, everyone knows quality and true luxury when they see and feel it. The same cannot be so easily said when it comes to matters of high performance.

Selling luxury may be easy, but as AMG has figured out, selling high-performance is a heck of a lot more fun.

As one of the globe's premiere aspirational brands, Mercedes-Benz would appear to have the luxury selling routine knocked. But the company's AMG performance division has become an increasingly prominent part of its portfolio and bottom line, and these vehicles attract a different sort of customer and require a different marketing approach. Thankfully, as AMG has become increasingly important to Mercedes, its product line has risen in quality and dynamic performance. But while luxury and quality are easily conveyed, how do you sell four-wheeled thrills?

The thing is, as an automotive marketer, you can preach how great your sports car is until you're blue in the face, but until you're able to really show people how superior your vehicle is, you're never going to win them all over. And if you're like AMG, your offerings have become way too fast and capable to be safely exploited on public roads. So what's Mercedes to do? Why, give current and potential owners the chance to explore the dynamic limits of both their automobiles and themselves in a fun, legal, educational, and most importantly, safe environment. Enter the AMG Driving Academy.

Mercedes has offered its AMG driving program overseas for some time now, but this year is the first time they've brought the experience to the States. With events at Connecticut's storied Lime Rock Park, Florida's Palm Beach International Raceway, and California's legendary Laguna Seca, the venues Mercedes has chosen are certainly top-notch. But what about the experience? We had to find out for ourselves.

Gallery: AMG Driving Academy at Lime Rock Park

Continue reading Drop the Hammer: Getting schooled with AMG Driving Academy at Lime Rock

Drop the Hammer: Getting schooled with AMG Driving Academy at Lime Rock originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz releases SLS-inspired C63 AMG

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:27:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Wagon, Europe, Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Performance Package Plus - Click above for high-res image gallery

Question: What's hotter than a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG? Well, that would be the new C63 AMG with Performance Package Plus, of course. The new super sedan from Daimler gets a 30-horsepower injection over the standard AMG model, pushing the pony count all the way to 487 - just a baker's dozen shy of the race-spec C-Class DTM model. Watch out, Caddy.

Modifications to the 6.3-liter V8 engine include new forged alloy pistons borrowed from the SLS AMG supercar and a new set of crank rods coupled with a lightweight crankshaft. A titanium-colored intake manifold and recalibrated computer module complete the package. Performance? How about zero to 62 in just 4.4 seconds and naught to 125 in under 14? Yeah, that'll do nicely.

An upgraded brake package with composite rotors is included to help the driver reign in all that speed, and Mercedes says the new PPP will be available on both the sedan and - get this - wagon bodystyles. Exterior modifications are limited to a carbon fiber spoiler for the sedan, and the interior is upgraded with an AMG steering wheel in nappa leather and seats swathed in Alcantara. No word yet on whether this beast is headed Stateside, but sales are scheduled to start in Europe before the end of the year. Hit the jump for the official press release and check out the two high-res images in our gallery below.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Performance Package Plus

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz releases SLS-inspired C63 AMG

Mercedes-Benz releases SLS-inspired C63 AMG originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMG-fettled Mercedes E-Class Coupe to favor agility over power?

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:58:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Europe, Mercedes-Benz

2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe - Click above for high-res image gallery

Exact details are few and far between, but for those that value handling over tire-smoking POWA, this is great news. Autocar is reporting that the next AMG-fettled Mercedes-Benz E-Class will rely on weight-saving materials and techniques, as well as fine-tuning of suspension pieces to increase agility. You know, as opposed to the regular AMG way of doing things, which is lobbing yet another salvo into the breach of the sky's no-limit horsepower war. The next AMG E-Class Coupe will actually be a Black Series model, meaning that not only will there be no "regular" AMG E-Class Coupe (for now), but you really ought to start saving your pennies now. Err, saving your bundles of Grants and Franklins.

According to Autocar, there's also not going to be any Black Series C-Series cars because the limited edition AMGs must be based on two-door models (though we'll see how long that actually lasts). There will, however, be a new C63 - and unlike the upcoming Black Series E-Class Coupe, there will be better driving through more power. The current C63 is AMG's weakest offering with "only" 453 horsepower on tap. The new version will belch thrust to the tune of 500 to 525 ponies. Phew, we were worried there for a moment that AMG had lost its power uber all mind. One last thing: even though it will fit, there's no plan to use the highly lauded seven-speed dual-clutch Speedshift transmission from the E63 and SL63 in the C63. Pity.

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe

Photos Copyright (C)2009 Jonathon Ramsey / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Autocar]

AMG-fettled Mercedes E-Class Coupe to favor agility over power? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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edo competition takes on the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

Drew Phillips — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 13:36:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Sedan, Performance, Mercedes-Benz

edo competition Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG - Click above for a high-res image gallery

We are used to seeing über cars like the Ferrari Enzo and Maserati MC12 go under edo competition's surgical knife, so we were a little surprised to see a mere sedan like the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG receive edo's tuning treatment. The German tuner clearly saw plenty of potential left in the C63's 6.2L AMG V8, however. As they state in their press release, "457 horsepower and 442 ft-lb are not enough."

To bring the C63 AMG up to supercar standards, edo competition adds a full exhaust system, including headers and high-flow cats, new air filters, and a recalibrated ECU. the alterations are good for 555 horsepower and 501 ft-lb torque. Edo claims the AMG now hits 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.3 seconds and reaches a top speed of 199 mph. Exterior modifications are limited to new 19-inch wheels and tires, but the tuner says that it's open to customers' individual requests. Full details in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: edo competition C63 AMG

[Source: edo competition]

Continue reading edo competition takes on the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

edo competition takes on the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 01 Aug 2009 13:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gold(finger's) Mercedes C63 spotted in... where else? Dubai

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, Specialty

Click above for a high-res gallery of the gold C63

This United Arab Emirates-registered gold-mirror-finish Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG was caught at the Bling on Wheels Show, otherwise known as the valet area at the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai. While we have nothing untoward to say about someone who decks out his/her ride in any manner desired, we are always intrigued when someone looks to have spent the worth of a car - on top of the price of the car itself - on "beautification."

There is some debate as to whether this is a real paint job or a wrap, but parking your gold-wrapped C63 next to a genuinely chrome SLR would be shamefully ludicrous. A C63 AMG goes for about 300,000 AED (about $82,000 USD). Unless gold paint bubbles out of the ground as well, a liquid gold paint job has to cost a good portion of that. And all for a C63? Really? We won't ask whether it looks good... we'll just guide you to the gallery of high-res images below. Hat tip to AB reader Chad.

Gallery: Mercedes C63 in Dubai Gold

[Source: MB World]

Gold(finger's) Mercedes C63 spotted in... where else? Dubai originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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V�th V63RS latest tuning option for AMG fans

Drew Phillips — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Sedan, Mercedes-Benz

Click above for high-res gallery of the Väth V63RS

There's no shortage of Mercedes-Benz tuners, and we're used to having news tips in our email box regarding BRABUS, Kleemann, Lorinser, Carlsson, etc. That's why we were curious when we received a tip about a company taht we'd never heard of called Väth. The German aftermarket company has products for the entire Mercedes-Benz lineup, the latest of which is the V63RS Clubsport based on the C63 AMG that you see here. Väth essentially leaves the exterior untouched and focuses on the performance including an upgrade of the V8 to 585 bhp and 509 lb-ft torque that will power the car to a top speed of 202 mph. Other upgrades available include a sport suspension, high performance brakes, 19-inch wheels, and sport seats. Complete cars are available at a hefty 125,000 Euros, although components can be purchased individually, as well. Just like the BRABUS Bullit Black Arrow we showed yesterday, black seems to be the color of choice.

Gallery: Vath V63RS Clubsport

[Source: eMercedesBenz.com]

V�th V63RS latest tuning option for AMG fans originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes offers up C63 AMG as Official Safety Car of DTM

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Mercedes-Benz

Click above for a high-res gallery of the M-B C63 AMG DTM safety car.

The Mercedes-Benz SL63 might have the honor of being picked as the official safety car for Formula One, but the equally badass, slightly more affordable and dangerously practical C63 AMG has been chosen to run ahead of the DTM racers, minus its 250 km/h speed limiter.

While the DTM safety car might look exactly like its production counterpart, save the roof-mounted lights and decals, the suspension, brakes, cooling system and exhaust have all been modified. To help keep the stock 457 hp, 6.2-liter V8 from running too hot while trying to avoid a DTM car-shaped enema, the radiator has been upgraded, along with a larger transmission oil cooler and two engine oil coolers mounted behind the front bumper's large air dams. Additionally, the rear axle cooling fins have been optimized to provide better airflow and benefits from a remote oil cooler.

The AMG C63 DTM safety car will make its official debut this weekend at the second race of the season in Oschersleben, Germany.

Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG DTM Safety Car

Continue reading Mercedes offers up C63 AMG as Official Safety Car of DTM

Mercedes offers up C63 AMG as Official Safety Car of DTM originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New AMG Safety and Medical cars stand guard at every F1 race this season

Alex Nunez — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 12:56:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Wagon

Click either image for a high-res photo gallery of the AMG F1 Safety/Medical cars

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the new AMG Safety and Medical cars that will stand watch over every F1 race this season. The CLK Safety Car of last year has been retired, and in its place is a modified SL 63 AMG. Beyond the usual Safety Car markings and lighting, this 525-horsepower SL sports a front fascia that's modified to allow for extra cooling requirements, composite brakes, carbon fiber body panels, as well as a redesigned rear diffuser insert. Since the SL won't be used for open-top cruising, the entire top mechanism has been ditched, and its roof remains in the upright position. That, plus additional weight reduction measures, shave a hefty 485 pounds (220 kilos) off the AMG SL, making it lighter than the production version even when you take the emergency lighting, communications gear, and other Safety Car-specific mods into account.

The Safety Car will be joined by the 457-horsepower C63 AMG Estate Medical Car. The Medical Car carries a team of four and a full suite of emergency equipment as it shadows the competitors on Lap 1 of each race (generally the diciest) and is intended to be the first vehicle on scene in the event of an accident. Like the SL63 Safety Car, the Medical Car wears a revised front fascia and rear diffuser, both of which are required for the car to meet its enhanced cooling needs. It too uses the AMG Performance Braking System, with composite brakes providing maximum stopping power. As you'll see in the attached gallery, both cars feature a pair of monitors in the instrument panel that allow the safety and medical teams to follow the race from inside the vehicles so they can be ready to move the moment an incident occurs. Look for both machines next weekend as the 2008 F1 campaign kicks off in Australia.

Gallery: SL63 AMG F1 Safety Car

Gallery: C 63 AMG Estate F1 Medical Car

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

New AMG Safety and Medical cars stand guard at every F1 race this season originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Mar 2008 12:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frankfurt Preview: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate hauls ass...and your stuff!

Alex Nunez — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 11:55:00 EST

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Performance, Wagon, Mercedes-Benz

Click image for photo gallery

Carscoop scooped everybody over the weekend by publishing the first official(ly leaked) shots of the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate. The sister to the recently-announced sedan, this is the flagship that will sit atop the C-Class wagon range. It sports AMG's 6.2L V8 tuned to produce 457 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque. That's enough to give the wagon a 4.6-second 0-62 time and an electro-nannied top end of 155 MPH. Outside, it gets all the AMG visual goodies, which make it look like quite the menacing little family truckster. Pretty awesome, kids, and it lets you bring up to 53 cubic feet of stuff along for the ride. Look for it later this month in Frankfurt, where it'll make its grand entrance along with the rest of the C-Class Estate lineup. We're looking forward to what the tuners like BRABUS do with this.

[Source: Carscoop]

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Estate

Frankfurt Preview: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Estate hauls ass...and your stuff! originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Sep 2007 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy shots: Mercedes C63 AMG Wagon and SL63 AMG

Siddharth Raja — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 13:54:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Wagon, Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes engineers have been busy testing several new prototypes at Colorado's Mt. Evans roadway, with both the upcoming C63 wagon and the facelifted SL roadster spotted on the high-altitude pass. These shots were taken by Doug DeMuro who you may remember also sent in the pics of Ralph Lauren's all-black Bugatti Veyron driving near the designer's ranch near Ridgway in Colorado.

Mercedes took the wraps off the new C63 sedan at the start of this month, and the forthcoming wagon variant is in line to get the same performance upgrades. This means the new sports wagon will be powered by a 457hp hand-built 6.2L AMG V8 developing peak torque of 600Nm. The spy shots reveal the new C63's bonnet power bulge, pumped wheel arches and the front bumper side vents. Previous versions of the AMG prepped C-wagon were never sold in the US, but the fact that Mercedes engineers are testing it in Colorado means we might see it Stateside.

Another new model spotted on Mt. Evans that same day was the facelifted SL roadster, which is likely to feature a new SL63 variant as well. The prototype reveals a new front-end design for the SL with different shaped headlights, plus a new bumper and grille, but we'll have to wait until it's launched next year to see how it all pans out.

Big props to Doug for sending these in!

Gallery: Spied: Mercedes C63 AMG Wagon and SL63 AMG

Spy shots: Mercedes C63 AMG Wagon and SL63 AMG originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Jul 2007 13:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 04:34:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Mercedes-Benz

Click the photo for a high-res gallery of the new C63 AMG

Mercedes-Benz has announced the latest edition of its M3 challenger - the new C63 AMG. The new uber-C has an AMG hand-built 6.3L V-8 with 451 hp and 443 lb-ft of twisting force. As with other Germans from Audi and BMW, the C63 has it's terminal velocity electronically capped at 155 mph, although the acceleration is capped only by physics with 60mph available in 4.5 seconds.

All that twisting force is transferred from the crankshaft to the drive-shaft via AMG's Speedshift Plus 7G-TRONIC transmission, which can be manually manipulated by paddles on the back side of the steering wheel. The programming on this application adds the ability for the engine to automatically open up the throttle during downshifts to match revs and smooth things out. The electronic stability control also now provides the driver the ability to select the activation thresholds for the system to activate. More details from Stuttgart after the jump.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Gallery: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

Continue reading Officially Official: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

Officially Official: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Jul 2007 04:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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420 HP, DSG-equipped M3 Concept coming to Geneva?

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 08:02:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Geneva Motor Show, BMW

Over the past three or four days, there have been a lot of rumors running through the tubes of the interwebs about BMW's surprise unveiling of a concept version of the M3 uber-coupe during next week's Geneva motor show. We had been holding off on posting anything about it, but thought that if it does come to fruition, you might like to know in advance.

The latest bit of news comes courtesy of Motor Authority, that points to last year's unveiling of the M5 in Geneva just as sales were about to begin a few months later. According to MA, the M3 will be powered by an all-new 4.0L V8 that will send 420 HP through a newly developed dual-clutch DSG-like transmission. Knowing that lightweight materials are essential to beat out rivals like Audi's RS4, the upcoming IS-F and the forthcoming C63 AMG, BMW may employ carbon fiber in some of the M3's body panels.

Our crew is beginning to pack our bags, power adapters and photo equipment for our jaunt to Switzerland, so rest assured that if BMW does drop the M3 next week, you'll be looking at pictures and reading the details shortly after the veil is lifted.

[Source: Motor Authority]

420 HP, DSG-equipped M3 Concept coming to Geneva? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Feb 2007 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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