Autoblog

Apparently Mercedes-Benz will finally offer a glass roof on its SLK hardtop convertible, similar to the one fitted to the little coupe's big brother, the SL. The two-piece roof looks very similar to the SL's, with the only discernible difference from the standard SLK being a slightly tweaked C-pillar. Aside from that, nothing else will change except that occupants can finally enjoy scenic surrounds while being isolated from uncomfortable climes.

[Source: World Car Fans]

click above to view more high-res images of the #0001 Shelby GT500KR

The gavel will fall for a number of #0001 production vehicles this Saturday at the 2008 Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, including the first Corvette ZR1, Dodge Challenger and Ford Shelby GT500KR. Ford has announced a new addition to this particular Shelby GT500KR that's destined for the Barrett-Jackson stage, which we expect will add thousands of dollars to the bidding war that's guaranteed to ensue. The auction model will feature a fully glass roof, just like the new Glass Roof Mustang we showed you at the Detroit Auto Show. The giant, tinted transparent roof will let a little extra light in while keeping the UV rays out. The GT500KR's racing stripes have also been permanently etched into the glass roof so as not to break up the pair of lines that stretch from bumper to bumper.

Though the GT500KR is already considered a rare car due to its limited production volume, the fact that this particular one is the first production example and will be sporting an exclusive feature makes it as rare as rare can be. We'll eager to find out if it will sell for more at auction than the first Shelby GT500 and Shelby GT Mustang that were auctioned off at Barrett-Jackson the past two years, respectively, both of which went for around $600,000. We should also note that Ford and Carroll Shelby donate the auction money for these cars to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

[Source: Ford]

Ford is giving potential Mustang buyers a third choice alongside its coupe and convertible in the form of a glass roof option that will be available on 2009 V6 and GT models. The $1,995 option consists of a special tinted glass that reduces infrared rays and heat, as well as a manual roller blind can completely block incoming sunlight.

This new option comes on the heels of a heavy decline in Mustang sales as the current model it enters its fourth year on the market. Nearly 30% fewer Mustangs were sold this November than last year, and overall sales for the year are down nearly 19%. This new option, and hopefully a Mach 1 or Boss model, just might give Mustang sales a kick in the pants in its last year before a refresh for 2010.

More details about the glass roof option are available in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Ford]

click image above to view all the new live shots in our high-resolution photo gallery

Calling it a crossbreed between the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee, Jeep today took the covers off the Bluetec diesel-powered Trailhawk concept. The Trail Rated off-roader is intended to provide a means for transporting four people off-road, and the three-panel removable glass roof allows the rock-crawling to commence with the open sky above. A chopped roofline and fat fender flares almost give it a low-slung appearance, and the interior shows off some clever touches such as rear-mounted speakers that dismount to provide portable audio.

This concept would probably make more sense if Jeep hadn't just released the Wrangler Unlimited, a user-friendly way (at least when compared to previous Wranglers) to accomplish the same task.

Check out the new updated gallery with all of today's live shots.



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