2009 Mercedes-benz S550 4matic on 2040-cars

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Mercedes recalls 2,600 S-Class models in two campaigns

If you're the owner of a 2015 S-Class, you may get a notice soon from your local Mercedes dealership to bring in your pride and joy. But only if you own one of the specific models being recalled in two separate campaigns. The larger of the two affects the Mercedes-Benz S550 4Matic, Mercedes-AMG S63 4Matic, and Mercedes-AMG S65 coupes – all from the 2015 model year and manufactured between January 27, 2014, and April 2, 2015. Those models could have had their front seat belts installed on the wrong side, so the driver's side belt may have been fitted to the front passenger seat, and vice versa. Since the seat belt mechanisms are designed for specific sides of the vehicle, they may not lock as required, and the child seat restraint on the passenger side might not work, either. As a result, Mercedes is recalling 2,580 such units in the United States to have those belts inspected and replaced as necessary. In parallel, the Silver Star automaker is also calling in four – that's right, just four – examples of the 2015 S550 Hybrid. In those few units, the fuel pump may not be able to restart the internal combustion engine when needed, and the vehicle could stall. You can read both of the recall notices from the NHTSA below. RECALL Subject : Incorrect Seat Belt Position/FMVSS 208, 209 Report Receipt Date: OCT 14, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V657000 Component(s): SEAT BELTS Potential Number of Units Affected: 2,580 Manufacturer: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. SUMMARY: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2015 S550 4Matic Coupe, AMG S63 4Matic Coupe, and AMG S65 vehicles manufactured January 27, 2014, to April 2, 2015. In the affected vehicles, left-side front seat belts may have been installed on the right-side and vice versa. As a result, the installation angle may be incorrect, affecting the seat belt locking behavior. Additionally, the child seat restraint function for the passenger seat would not be available. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection," and FMVSS number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies." CONSEQUENCE: If the seat belt is installed improperly, it may not properly restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury. REMEDY: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the installation of the seat belts, correcting them as necessary, free of charge.

Firing of M-B boss upheld

Ernst Lieb, the disgraced former CEO of American operations for Mercedes-Benz, will not be getting any more money from the Silver Arrow'd teat. His wrongful dismissal suit against MB's parent company, Daimler, was tossed out of a German appeals panel. This, followed the initial rejection by a lower court last year.
According to court documents acquired by Automotive News, Lieb was found to have "accepted payments of substantial value to which he - as he was aware - had no claim."
Lieb took over American operations from former CEO Paul Halata in September of 2006. Reports surfaced in October of 2011 that Lieb was dismissed from his posting at MB, with a variety of rumors swirling. Eventually, news broke that financial wrong doing was responsible for the German's firing.

2016 Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG Sport bridges the gap between C300 and C63

Mercedes-Benz is looking to its new C-Class for the second member of its new AMG Sport line, unveiling the C450 AMG 4Matic at today's 2015 Detroit Auto Show. Like the GLE450 AMG Coupe that debuted in early December, this particular C-Class bridges the gap between the standard C300 and the new Mercedes-AMG C63. Considering this, the C450 builds on the standard C400's 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6, rather than getting a bespoke, high-performance engine. Output is up from 329 horsepower to 362 ponies, while torque is turned up from 354 pound-feet to 384 lb-ft. The result of these upgrades is a zippy 0-60-mile-per-hour sprint of 4.9 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. Those figures are identical to the Audi S4, while the BMW 335i xDrive is just a smidge quicker to 60, getting there in 4.8 seconds (the Bimmer is, however, limited to just 130 mph). Shuffling the 3.0-liter's grunt to a 4Matic all-wheel-drive system is the responsibility of Mercedes 7G-Tronic automatic gearbox that, despite not being a member of AMG's Speedshift dual-clutch family, still has its own mind for performance. Along with a quick-shifting, automatic Sport Plus mode, the C450 has a full manual shifting mode that, notably, will not automatically upshift, even when the engine is bouncing off the rev limiter. The C450 AMG hasn't only had its straight-line abilities boosted. Mercedes saw fit to include an AMG adaptive sport suspension with three-stage adjustable dampers, which have been pilfered from the C63 AMG. Paired with the aforementioned all-wheel-drive system, which can send up to two-thirds of its power to the rear axle, it's a fair to say this particular sedan should be one of the brand's more agile and entertaining. Beyond the mechanical bits, Mercedes has beefed up the exterior and interior aesthetics for its second AMG Sport model. The exterior has been touched up with new, staggered 18-inch, five-spoke wheels (or optional 19s), a more aggressive front fascia, a new rear bumper with a matte iridium diffuser, distinctive AMG badges and plenty of chrome and gloss-black elements. The cabin, meanwhile, is home to black MB Tex upholstery with red contrast stitching on the dash and doors, while AMG-specific upholstery lines the sport seats. The flat-bottomed, three-spokes steering wheel, meanwhile, is finished in Nappa leather. We'll have more on the 2016 C450 AMG Sport, including live images, coming soon from the floor of the 2015 Detroit Auto Show.