1983 Mercedes 300sd Turbo Diesel on 2040-cars

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Sunday Drive: Classic American nameplates and one exciting new German

Our look back at last week's biggest automotive stories focuses first on the Jeep Wagoneer, an unequivocal American classic. Not only did the Wagoneer play a pivotal role in kicking off America's current love affair with the sport utility vehicle, it legitimized the Jeep brand in the mind of consumers looking not just for something to ably take them off the beaten path, but to do so in comfort, with the entire family along for the ride. So it comes as little surprise that Jeep decided to take one vintage Wagoneer, modernize it with a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine, and put the thing on display as part of its annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari. We're in love. Our next two stories focus on Cadillac. First up is news that the striking Escala Concept is headed for production in 2021 to serve as the brand's flagship luxury sedan. The second story involves Caddy's current top rung, the CT6, which gets a new twin-turbo V8 engine as part of its V-Sport package. And finally, we round out this look at last week's headlines with the 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe and Cabriolet. We're mighty keen to try out Benz's new AMG-fettered turbocharged inline-six engine, and the C Coupe looks like a fine point of entry. As always stay tuned to Autoblog this week for all the latest automotive news. Jeep delivers basketful of concepts for the Moab Easter Jeep Safari Cadillac's striking Escala concept is reportedly headed for production Cadillac CT6 V-Sport wants to take prisoners with 550-hp 4.2L TT V8 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe and Cabriolet revealed ahead of New York

2013 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG

Make way for the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG, the most wonderfully preposterous car I have ever driven.
There is absolutely no reason why any two-seat roadster should be fitted with a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 developing 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque, but I sure am glad that Mercedes-Benz doesn't see things that way.
Drop into the leather-lined cockpit of this $213,145 provocateur, floor the accelerator pedal as I did over and over again, and 60 miles per hour falls in a traction-limited 3.9 seconds. Top speed has been electronically held to 186 mph (this apparently saves Gulfstream jet owners from embarrassment). Forget the SL550 and SL63 AMG, the valets will trip over themselves attending to the tycoon driving this thoroughbred - it's the real deal.

Here's today's round of auto plant closures in response to coronavirus

More automakers have shuttered factories, as businesses everywhere work to slow the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus — and as the pandemic slows sales and disrupts parts supply chains. On Friday, the following closures were announced: • Volvo will close its factories in Sweden and the United States from March 26 to April 14. Volvo's U.S. facility, in Charleston, South Carolina, makes the S60 sedan. Its assembly plant in Torslanda, Sweden, turns out the XC90, SC60, and V90. Other Swedish facilities make engines and component parts. A Volvo factory in Ghent, Belgium, that builds the XC40 and V60 closed earlier this week and is expected to remain offline until April 6. Volvo's four factories in China have been reopened after a shutdown earlier this year. • Jaguar Land Rover announced that it will suspend production at its assembly plants in the UK over the coming week. The shutdown is expected to last until April 20. Elsewhere, production continues at the company's factories in India and Brazil, and JLR's joint-venture plant in China reopened at the end of February. • Bentley is closing its factory in Crewe, England, for four weeks, effective today. • Bugatti has put its atelier in Molsheim, France, on hiatus. No date was given for when assembly of its supercars might resume. • Mercedes-Benz on Monday will shut down its SUV factory in Alabama and its van assembly plant in South Carolina. Both will remain closed for a minimum of two weeks. Tesla yesterday revealed that it will suspend operations at its Fremont, California, vehicle assembly plant next week, on order from local officials there. Yesterday's factory closure announcements also included the U.S. assembly plants for Toyota (until April 6), Volkswagen (through March 29), Subaru (through March 29), and Hyundai (no time period specified). They join GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Nissan, and Harley-Davidson, which earlier this week announced the suspension of production at their facilities. Plants/Manufacturing Bentley Bugatti Jaguar Land Rover Mercedes-Benz Volvo coronavirus