2002 Mercedes-benz C230 Kompressor Coupe 2-door 2.3l on 2040-cars

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Jalopnik and Consumer Reports see who can pull off the best snow drift

The weather throughout much of the United States is pretty awful at the moment with some combination of extremely low temperatures, inches of snow and maybe some ice underneath it all. The folks at Jalopnik and Consumer Reports are making the absolute best out of a difficult situation by heading to CR's snow-covered test track and attempting to make the longest drift in a quartet of very different performance vehicles. Jalopnik brought along a Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S Wagon, a Subaru WRX STI, a BMW 228i and a 1973 Volkswagen Baja Bug (heck yeah!) for the challenge. Also, the track was perfect for this group, with a mix of packed snow in places and still a few inches of unsullied powder in spots too. Ostensibly the goal was to get the tail to step out through a particular corner, but in reality this was more about having hilarious fun in the snow with fast cars. The result just looks like the best time humanly possible in this weather.

Mercedes owners cause traffic jam during 40 minute standoff

Two Mercedes-Benz drivers in the UK refused to give way in a one-lane tunnel causing a frustrating traffic jam for everyone else on the road. The tense standoff occurred on Forlease Road in Maidenhead, England. A woman in a convertible Mercedes entered a tunnel where she had the right of way to proceed, according to The Daily Mail. However an older man, also in a Mercedes, was almost through the tunnel and seemed unable to reverse. In the video, frustrated drivers are seen negotiating, pleading, and arguing with each of the drivers, trying to convince one of them to give up the ground. While traffic was piling up behind the woman's Mercedes, a man in a reflective vest yelled at her in frustration. "There are mums around here trying to get their kids from school," he pointed back at the cars standing still behind her. "Just back up, love! You're being ridiculous." Bystander Brad Haverly shot the video. He told The Mail that the woman wouldn't give up because she had the right of way, even though the elderly driver was too scared and confused to back up. His first attempt almost sent his car careening into the oncoming Mercedes. After 40 minutes the elderly man reversed with help from bystanders. Traffic began to flow through the tunnel shortly afterwards. Both motorists were gone by the time police arrived. News Source: The Daily Mail Weird Car News Mercedes-Benz Driving Luxury Videos traffic traffic jam

Audi, BMW, Daimler buy Nokia's Here digital mapping business

The fight for control of Nokia's Here digital mapping service appears to have drawn to a close as a consortium of German automakers has announced a deal to jointly acquire the business from the Finnish telecom giant. As anticipated, ownership in Here will now be taken over jointly by Audi, BMW, and Daimler, beating out reported rivals bids from the likes of Apple and Uber. Here is one of the largest and most advanced digital mapping and location systems. It started out in Chicago in 1986 as Navteq before Nokia acquired it in 2007, and is now slated to change ownership again. The cloud-based service maintains high-definition digital maps for nearly 200 countries and supports over 50 languages, gathering data from users to update the data continuously. Rather than transition the service into their own proprietary technology, however, the automakers insist that it will remain open "to all customers from the automotive industry and other sectors." Ownership will be shared equally between the three companies, with "none of them seek[ing] to acquire a majority interest" in Here. For another, Here's management is promised to remain independent, and "the consortium will not interfere into operational business." Though the purchase price has not been disclosed, it is rumored to be worth in the neighborhood of $2.7 billion. Assuming it passes regulatory approval, the acquisition is slated to be completed in the first quarter of next year. The German automakers anticipate implementing the service to provide connected vehicles with accurate, up-to-date information on road and other conditions. Examples it outlines include warning other drivers of icy conditions based on outside temperature and ABS activation. It could also warn drivers of impending traffic jams, or even guide traffic through green lights in an urban environment. In the future, the highly detailed maps are envisioned to enable fully automated driving as well. Related Video: AUDI AG, BMW Group and Daimler AG agree with Nokia Corporation on joint acquisition of HERE digital mapping business Ingolstadt, Munich, Stuttgart, Aug 03, 2015 - Acquisition will secure and strengthen HERE as an independent company serving customers from all industries - Real-time maps and location based services will be the basis for the mobility of tomorrow - Transaction expected to close in first quarter 2016 Ingolstadt, Munich, Stuttgart – August 3rd, 2015.