Autoblog

Mercedes-Benz reveals Super Bowl ad with Kate Upton, the Devil and... Usher?

Zach Bowman — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:29:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Mercedes-Benz, Celebrities

And not just any Devil, either. The Dark Lord as portrayed by none other than Willem Dafoe has an offer of wealth, fame and fancy dance moves for the hero of the newest Mercedes-Benz Super Bowl Commercial. The spot follows one guy as he fathoms the full width and breadth of the devil's influence, from rubbing shoulders with Kate Upton to challenging Usher to a dance-off and everything in between. The whole scenario hinges on piloting a new CLA around town. So, does our man succumb to temptation or does he hold out against the forces of evil? You'll have to watch the video below to find out.

This isn't the first time Kate Upton has showed up in a Mercedes-Benz commercial. The last time we saw the swimsuit model on our screens, she was tormenting a team of guys as they slaved to wash her CLA. You can refresh your memory by checking out that video here.

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz reveals Super Bowl ad with Kate Upton, the Devil and... Usher?

Mercedes-Benz reveals Super Bowl ad with Kate Upton, the Devil and... Usher? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz CLA stars in sweeping short with supermodel Karlie Kloss

Zach Bowman — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Mercedes-Benz, Celebrities, Luxury

The Mercedes-Benz CLA earned itself a spot on our list of the top five unveils of the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, and for good reason. The German luxury compact is the first small car from the Silver Arrow that looks suitably premium inside and out. Nowness.com has turned out a new video of the CLA featuring super model Karlie Koss in the lead role. We aren't entirely sure what the premise is, but from what we can tell, it looks as if the CLA comes to life and proceeds to be a giant jerk.

After Koss stops to take a closer look at a white horse, the CLA gives the supermodel the old stop-and-go treatment before leaving her on the side of the road. Eventually, the sedan makes nice, but Koss has to ride shotgun instead of taking the controls herself. You can check out the video below to see for yourself.

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz CLA stars in sweeping short with supermodel Karlie Kloss

Mercedes-Benz CLA stars in sweeping short with supermodel Karlie Kloss originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG 2.0 turbo good for crazy 185 HP per liter

Matt Davis — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Hatchback, Mercedes-Benz

We have just joined the journalist hordes in Affalterbach for some early peeks at AMG's imminent future, and the downsizing trend is really catching on, even here with Mercedes-Benz and its traditionally big-engined high-performance arm.

The biggest news was the smallest news: a really hot-looking high-performance A-Class model dubbed A45 AMG that will take it to the soon-to-be tested BMW M135i and future Audi RS3. Specific numbers are not out, but engine bosses tell us to expect around 370 hp and 300 pound-feet of torque. The engine is all-new: a twin-scroll turbocharged 2.0-liter called M133 and based loosely on the Daimler 2.0-liter turbocharged unit. If those figures are accurate, that would mean the M133 has the greatest true series-production power-per-liter rating in the world. This is the first AMG engine not built at Affalterbach, but at Daimler's state-of-the-art four-cylinder assembly plant at Kölleda, but the "one man, one engine" approach remains unscathed.

Word has it that the United States and Canada most likely will not get this wee AMG, but we hear this same powertrain with strengthened seven-speed dual-clutch transmission will come to us in a four-door CLA 45 AMG version, and possibly also in a smaller crossover vehicle based on the modular chassis beneath the A- and B- Class ranges.

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG 2.0 turbo good for crazy 185 HP per liter

Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG 2.0 turbo good for crazy 185 HP per liter originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Jun 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW 1 Series sedan detailed

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, BMW, Luxury

The engorged dimensions of the BMW 3 Series have been a source of enthusiasts' ire for years now. The 3er's growth isn't all that shy, especially of late: the sedan is 10.6 inches longer and 8.3 inches wider than it was in 1975, or for a more modern perspective, the brand new 3 Series is 6.5 inches longer than it was in 2002. It took 27 years to gain 4.1 inches, but only 10 years to stretch another 6.5. To address the size and heft, a report in Autocar says BMW is planning a rear-wheel-drive 1 Series sedan to be "the spiritual successor to the E30-generation 3 Series four-door."

Talk of 1 Series models being spiritual successors to 3 Series models isn't new - part of the clamor around the 1 Series M was that it channeled the light flickability of the first M3s. A 1 Series sedan would serve three purposes: get a light, small, RWD model back in the lineup, give the company a clear competitor to the upcoming Audi A3 sedan and Mercedes-Benz CLA, and help BMW get closer to its sales target of two million cars in 2020.

The sedan would sit on a derivative of the platform used in the current 3 Series, and be different from the front-wheel-drive platform underpinning the forthcoming 1 Series GT. Four- and six-cylinder engines and BMWs xDrive AWD system are in the planning mix, as is an electric version. Autocar says 2015 is a potential sale date for the sedan, which would put it one year after the next-generation coupe and convertible officially bow.

BMW 1 Series sedan detailed originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 May 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz CLA is official name of small four-door coupe debuting in Beijing

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, Mercedes-Benz, Beijing Motor Show, Luxury

We will now know the "baby CLS" - the small four-door "coupe" built on the MFA platform supporting the Mercedes-Benz A-Class (pictured above) and B-Class - as the CLA. It will debut at April's Beijing Motor Show, and it's just one of the five variants that Mercedes has planned for its MFA underpinnings.

When it hits the streets in 2013, advance reports indicate that both front- and all-wheel-drive versions will be available. Power will come from a range of gas and diesel engines with anywhere from 110 to 150 horsepower (there's even a potential AMG model with more than 300 hp on the way), mated to seven-speed dual-clutch and six-speed manual transmissions.

Of note, though, over its long gestation, the CLA has been referred to as the CLC, but the CLA and CLC are different cars. The CLC is the Concept Style Coupe, said to be based on the A-Class concept, which was a two-door hatchback, yet also said to be an evolution of the F800 concept, which was a sedan. The CLA will make its debut in China, but the CLC will be unveiled in Los Angeles at an Mercedes-sponsored art festival called "Transmission LA: AV Club." The Beijing show and the art festival overlap, so we'll find out which car is which and what they both look like soon enough.

Mercedes-Benz CLA is official name of small four-door coupe debuting in Beijing originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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