Autoblog

Florida bank offers free Benz with new $1M account

Chris Tutor — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:32:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

The rich have all the fun, don't they? With your bank account, you get, what, free checks? Overdraft protection? A toaster maybe?

If you had a cool million sitting around, just taking up space, you could get yourself a free Mercedes-Benz. Not just a base C-Class either.

Open a five-year CD of at least $1 million at C1 Bank (formerly Community Bank) and you'll have your choice of a 2012 SLK350 Roadster, E350 Sedan, ML350 or an E350 Cabriolet. And, as a further bonus, your new car will come with tags, title, license and taxes all paid.

Small print? Oh, you betcha. First, you're limited to two vehicles per household. Second, unlike most CDs, at the end of its five-year life, you will cash out for exactly what you put in. Basically, you're letting the bank hang on to your $1 million for five years in return for that $60k-ish Mercedes you're driving. Instead of 1.2-percent APR you would normally collect at the end of the CD's life, you're getting a car up front.

Pull your money out early, and you'll get back what you put in, minus the cost of the car and a $3,000 early withdrawal fee.

Still, if you can spare a million for five years, and were about to buy a Mercedes anyway, it could be a good deal.

For details (and more small print) check out the press release by scrolling below.

Continue reading Florida bank offers free Benz with new $1M account

Florida bank offers free Benz with new $1M account originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 May 2012 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes to bring Magic Sky Control to side windows?

Chris Paukert — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:31:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Government/Legal, Technology, Mercedes-Benz

We've had the chance to sample Mercedes-Benz's so-called Magic Sky Control technology in both the SL and SLK roadsters, and it's a pretty clever party trick. The technology can turn the overhead roof panel in either of the two-seaters from transparent to opaque by energizing the light-blocking crystals sandwiched in the glass. By electrifying the crystals, they reorder themselves, varying the amount of light that's let through the glass roof panel.

We've seen similar electrochromic glass technology before in the Ferrari 575 Superamerica, but that appears to have been a one-and-done effort in Maranello, whereas Mercedes-Benz is reportedly keen to spread the technology around to more of its lineup. And not only are Benz engineers looking at more models, they're apparently shifting their focus to side glass - in particular, rear side glass. In fact, Benz's Viano Vision Diamond concept van debuted with the technology at this week's Beijing Motor Show. We can see Hollywood lining up already - this technology has real merit for keeping the paparazzi at bay.

But blocking out TMZ's long-lenses isn't the only issue - there's not-inconsiderable concern of law enforcement. Window tinting standards vary wildly from state to state here in the U.S., as well as country to country globally, something that could prove to be a major hurdle for the German automaker's legal team.

Mercedes to bring Magic Sky Control to side windows? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 [w/video]

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, New Car Reviews, Luxury

Sport, Compact, Light? Two Out of Three Ain't Bad

Sportlich, Leicht, Kompakt. If your German is as spotty as ours, that stands for " Sporty, Light, Compact," and it's telling that those are the three letters used by Mercedes-Benz as an adopted moniker for the small hardtop/convertible coupe that it released all the way back in 1996. Thing is, it never really stood out as any of those things: Sporty, but certainly not powerful. Light, but, at a hair over 3,000 pounds, far from featherweight. Compact? Sure, a 94-inch wheelbase sounds about right, but the car has gotten bigger with every successive generation and has never seemed small behind the wheel the same way as, say, a Mazda MX-5 Miata.

If the Mercedes-Benz SLK350 isn't a quick and nimble little sports car, what is it? It's been a sales success for the most part, peaking in 2005 with 11,278 units sold in the United States, though those numbers have fallen in recent years. And it's also been labeled time and time again as a so-called "chick car." Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course, but those two words are a veritable death knell to the heads and hearts of driving enthusiasts the world over (though curiously the Miata has largely earned an exemption).

With keys to the latest 2012 SLK350 in hand, we pondered this latest compact roadster from Mercedes-Benz with a critical eye. Has the SLK grown into a proper sporting mount, or does it still wear the dreaded chick-car stereotype? As it turns out, the answer is a little bit of both.

Continue reading 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 [w/video]

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, First Drives, Luxury

A Simple Black Dress With A Leather-Wrapped Baseball Bat

Yes, it's a tired trope. But if there's a pair of well-off empty-nesters, the husband drives a Mercedes-Benz SL and the wife has an SLK. Stereotypes become stereotypes for a reason: As often as not, they're true.

But to dismiss this latest SLK as yet another Executive Assistant-spec coupe/cabrio is to miss three important letters on the boot: A, M and G. Yet again, the crew from Affalterbach have butched up the smallest offering in the Benz lineup, taking the proverbial velvet hammer to the "Chick Car" cliche. The rear wheels of the 2012 SLK55 AMG are driven by V8 power and its brakes and suspension bits have been beefed up for the occasional back road bonanza or high-speed highway assault. And unlike the BMW Z4 that's simply begging for the M treatment, Mercedes actually has die Hoden to build a testosterone-infused droptop. And we can't thank them enough.

Continue reading 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 to start at $55,675*

Chris Shunk — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 15:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Convertible, Performance, Mercedes-Benz

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster has received a substantial makeover for 2012, with reworked powertrains and more masculine sheetmetal. The SLK350's new 3.5-liter V6 helps back up that fresh dose of manliness with 302 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, thanks to the addition of direct injection. Having driven the roadster, we found the upgrades help make the car more entertaining to drive, and now we can put a price tag on these refinements.

Mercedes-Benz has announced that the 2012 SLK350 will start at $55,675 (*including $875 in destination charges). That's a $1,500 increase over the 2011 model - a fair shake considering the updates. For comparison's sake, the folding hardtop SLK350 carries an MSRP that's $4,800 more than the Audi TTS Roadster and $950 more than the BMW Z4 sDrive35i. It does, however, continue to price out lower than the similarly powered Porsche Boxster S, which starts at $58,600. The SLK350 goes on sale on June 1.

If $55,675 is too rich or too powerful for your blood, you can opt to wait until February for the SLK250. Unfortunately, Mercedes hasn't announced pricing for the SLK250, but we do know that it will feature a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 201 horsepower and 229 lb-ft of torque. Now, about that AMG...

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 to start at $55,675* originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class

Rex Roy — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, First Drives

On Top Of The World With Merc's New Magic Roadster

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK - Click above for high-res image gallery

We usually see women behind the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class. Who can blame them? It's a cute little car. The original SLK debuted in 1996 with a four-cylinder powerplant and all of 136 ponies. What it lacked in the motivation department it made up for with its Vario-roof retractable hardtop. Not since the 1957 Ford Skyliner could a car stop so much traffic while parked.

The SLK gained some testosterone with its first facelift in 2000. While the exterior was still rather tame, the chick car jokes ceased in 2001 with the introduction of the 354-horsepower SLK 32 AMG.

Things continued to get better with the all-new 2004 edition and its sleeker styling that paid homage to Mercedes' Formula One designs and the beastly McMerc SLR. The reality that AMG could stuff its hand-built 5.4-liter V8 under the hood made the second-generation SLK a serious performance car.

For 2012, the SLK officially begins its third generation, and you can see the difference from 100 yards. Especially from the front view, the roadster looks more mature and substantial. The split-grill design reconstitutes the 190 SL's design from the late 1950s in a handsome, modern manner. The bolder aesthetics continue in the rear, which features large arches over the rear wheels and LED taillamps. And it keeps getting better on the inside...

Continue reading First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK...

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK: First Drive

Continue reading First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class

First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster unwrapped in Stuttgart

Michael Harley — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 09:59:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Europe, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK - Click above for high-res image gallery

We were in Suttgart, Germany, this past weekend as Mercedes-Benz took the wraps of its all-new 2012 SLK Roadster. While completely redesigned, there's no mistaking the two-seater for anything but a Mercedes-Benz - and that's exactly what the designers had in mind, says the automaker. Gone is the SLR McLaren-inspired front hood, replaced with an aluminum unit capped by a more traditional upright radiator grille. Reappearing after an absence are the side grilles on the front quarter panels, reminiscent of those on the Benz roadsters in the 1950s (and SLS AMG, more recently). Slightly longer and wider than its predecessor, it's an attractive package. Plus, it cheats the wind with a slippery drag coefficient of just 0.30 (the outgoing model had a 0.32 Cd).

The big news on the hard-paneled automatic drop-top ("Vario-roof") is the innovative and uber-cool "Magic Sky Control" center panel. Unlike opaque solid steel roofs or heavily tinted glass panels (both are offered on the new SLK), the German engineers have come up with a optional trick glass panel utilizing LCD-type technology that goes from mostly clear when voltage is applied, to mostly opaque when it loses its charge. (Getting technical, it drops measured sun "intensity" from about 1050 watts with an open sky to just 200 watts when closed in "clear" mode. Switch it to "opaque" mode, and the intensity drops to about 45 watts.) While it cuts UV, infrared and visible light significantly, the panel never goes completely opaque. The roof transition takes only a few seconds (it is quicker from dark to light), initiated by a quick tap of an overhead switch.

Initially, the sole engine choice for our shores will be a direct-injected 3.5-liter V6 (SLK350) rated at 302 horsepower. Later, a turbocharged and direct-injected 1.8-liter four-cylinder will debut (SLK250), making 201 horsepower. We'll likely have to wait a bit longer for the SLK55 AMG, but it promises to be an enthusiast's delight. We'll get a closer look at the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK next month at the Geneva Motor Show.

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster - European Preview

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster unwrapped in Stuttgart originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK pops its auto-tinting lid [w/video]

Noah Joseph — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 09:25:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK - Click above for high-res image gallery

The thing about innovation is that to follow up, you tend to need another dose of innovation to keep people interested. Case in point: Mercedes-Benz having shoes to fill with its little SLK. The original was one of the first cars on the market with a modern retractable hardtop, taking after its costlier forebearer, the SL. And fourteen years later, with nearly everyone fitting folding tin roofs to their convertibles, the Stuttgart has launched the third-generation model with Magic Sky Control.

The innovative roof, as we've reported in the build-up to its release, adjusts the tinting of the glass panels automatically. It's an option, and buyers can still get a solid metal folding roof or a fixed-tint glass one if the electronic trickery is too much. Naturally, though, that's not all that's new about the new SLK.

The latest compact roadster from Stuttgart sits on a new platform with new styling. Whereas the outgoing model aped the SLR with its Formula One-style nose, the new SLK takes its cues from the SLS AMG with its more upright grille. The new shape is also more aerodynamic, and Mercedes has incorporated a new transparent panel between the rear roll hoops that tilts to optimize airflow and keep turbulence in the cabin to a minimum.

The SLK will launch in the North American market in SLK350 guise, packing a 3.5-liter V6 good for 302 horsepower and a 5.4-second sprint to 60 mph. The 1.8-liter, four-cylinder, 201hp SLK250 will follow, as is expected the naturally-aspirated 5.5-liter V8 SLK55 AMG. The new SLK gets its official launch later this month at the head office in Stuttgart in celebration of the company's 125th anniversary, with its public debut slated for the Geneva Motor Show in March. Follow the jump for a video and full press release, but be sure to check out the high-resolution photos in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Officially Official: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK pops its auto-tinting lid [w/video]

Officially Official: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK pops its auto-tinting lid [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz releases own spy shots of SLK testing "magic" roof in Death Valley

Steven J. Ewing — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 15:59:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Technology, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK testing in Death Valley - Click above for high-res image gallery

We love it when automakers go through the trouble of releasing their own spy shots. Our spy photographer friends, however, could easily see this as their own hard work being done for them. In any case, what we have here is a brand new set of photos of the next-generation Mercedes-Benz SLK testing in the Death Valley heat, prepping for its debut in 2011 (Geneva Motor Show, perhaps?).

One of the new features that Mercedes-Benz will debut on the 2012 SLK is its Magic Sky Control roof. This glass-paneled hardtop contraption can automatically be tinted to control how much light shines through the roof in an effort to keep the interior cooler on bright, sunny days when the top isn't down. We'd expect this sort of technology to make its way onto the Big Daddy SL roadster after the SLK's launch, and could even be used on side windows for the rest of Merc's product line.

Scroll through our image gallery below to see high-res shots of the SLK testing in Death Valley. Mercedes-Benz's prolific press release is available after the jump, as well.

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK Testing in Death Valley

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz releases own spy shots of SLK testing "magic" roof in Death Valley

Mercedes-Benz releases own spy shots of SLK testing "magic" roof in Death Valley originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK caught training for Z4 fight

Steven J. Ewing — Mon, 10 May 2010 19:25:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Mercedes-Benz

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery

The engineers in Stuttgart are hard at work prepping the next-generation SLK roadster, which should launch next year as a 2012 model. The smallest offering from Mercedes-Benz doesn't look all that far from being show-worthy either, which leads us to believe that the SLK could possibly make an appearance at the Paris Motor Show later this year.

Details on the new SLK are slim, but rumor has it that an all-new twin-turbocharged V6 is in the works for the AMG-badged roadster, producing somewhere in the area of 476 horsepower. That's pretty insane, especially considering that the current (and already potent) SLK55 AMG makes due with just 355 horses.

Obviously, the refreshed exterior design takes a lot of cues from the Big Daddy SLS AMG supercar, but new interior spy shots show that the updated cockpit will also be more akin to the Gullwing, as well. Note that the center stack features the Command head-unit integrated into the flat dash, with the radio and HVAC controls placed on a separate console below. We like what we see, especially since the current SLK interior is rather drab - not nearly as nice as what you'll find in the new BMW Z4.

Scroll through the gallery below to see new spy shots of the next-generation SLK from all angles.

Gallery: Spy Shots: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK

[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK caught training for Z4 fight originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 May 2010 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK out in the wild

Zach Bowman — Fri, 07 May 2010 08:27:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Performance, Europe, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

A few eagle-eyed spies have laid their peepers on what appears to be the next iteration of the Mercedes-Benz SLK. The shooters managed to nab the car with significantly less camouflage than we're used to seeing, allowing the interwebs a quick look at what the car's new nose job should look like. From what we can tell, the Silver Arrow's designers have decided to pull from the same gene pool as the SLS AMG when it comes to the car's new fenders, fascia and hood.

Usually that would be a good thing, though we're having a hard time swallowing that new upright grille. Yes, the language looks right at home on the new Gullwing, but on the baby SLK we're getting whiffs of Dodge Caliber from the look. We're hoping that's something we stepped in.

Regardless of whether or not you can get behind the new face of the SLK, rumors of what will find its way behind those new headlights will likely set your heart a flutter. The whispers cruising around the web right now say the company is mulling a new twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 good for an insane 476 horsepower.

[Source: World Car Fans]

Spy Shots: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK out in the wild originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 May 2010 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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