2023 Mercedes-benz C-class C 300 on 2040-cars

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Drive like a prince: Join us for a walk through Monaco's car collection

Small, crowded, and a royal pain in the trunk lid to drive into during rush hour, Monaco sounds like an improbable location for a huge car museum. And yet, this tiny city-state has been closely linked to car culture for over a century. It hosts two major racing events every year, many of its residents would qualify for a frequent shopper card if Rolls-Royce issued one, and Prince Rainier III began assembling a collection of cars in the late 1950s. He opened his collection to the public in 1993 and the museum quickly turned into a popular tourist attraction. The collection continued to grow after his death in April 2005; it moved to a new facility located right on Hercules Port in July 2022. Monaco being Monaco, you'd expect to walk into a room full of the latest, shiniest, and most powerful supercars ever to shred a tire. That's not the case: while there is no shortage of high-horsepower machines, the first cars you see after paying ˆ10 (approximately $11) to get in are pre-war models. In that era, the template for the car as we know it in 2023 hadn't been created, so an eclectic assortment of expensive and dauntingly experimental machines roamed whatever roads were available to them. One is the Leyat Helica, which was built in France in 1921 with a 1.2-liter air-cooled flat-twin sourced from the world of aviation. Fittingly, the two-cylinder spun a massive, plane-like propeller. Government vehicles get a special spot in the museum. They range from a Cadillac Series 6700 with an amusing blend of period-correct French-market yellow headlights and massive fins to a 2011 Lexus LS 600h with a custom-made transparent roof panel that was built by Belgian coachbuilder Carat Duchatelet for Prince Albert II's wedding. Here's where it all gets a little weird: you've got a 1952 Austin FX3, a Ghia-bodied 1959 Fiat 500 Jolly, a 1960 BMW Isetta, and a 1971 Lotus Seven. That has to be someone's idea of a perfect four-car garage.  One of the most significant cars in the collection lurks in the far corner of the main hall, which is located a level below the entrance. At first glance, it's a kitted-out Renault 4CV with auxiliary lights, a racing number on the front end, and a period-correct registration number issued in the Bouches-du-Rhone department of France. It doesn't look all that different than the later, unmodified 4CV parked right next to it. Here's what's special about it: this is one of the small handful of Type 1063 models built by Renault for competition.

New GMC Canyon, Ford Bronco Heritage Editions and Nissan Z | Autoblog Podcast #743

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Producer Christopher McGraw. They kick off the podcast with news. Ford launched retro-themed Heritage Editions for its 2023 Bronco and Bronco Sport lineup. GMC unveiled the 2023 Canyon, complete with a ZR2-based AT4X trim. Some rare, vintage American cars were stolen and destroyed in England. Chris loves sleeping in cars, and tells us how to turn a car into a camper for less than $100. Next, our hosts talk about what they've been driving from the Autoblog test fleet, including the new Nissan Z (which Chris slept in), Mercedes EQS 450 and VW Atlas. Finally, they reference a recent Autoblog Reddit AMA for a unique "Spend My Money" format. They help one participant pick a sub-$40,000 sports car, and another choose a JDM sports car to import to the U.S. when they move back from Japan. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #743 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Heritage Editions join 2023 Bronco, Bronco Sport lineups 2023 GMC Canyon revealed with new ZR2-based AT4X trim Thieves steal and demolish two classic American cars in the U.K. Turn your car into a comfortable camper for less than $100 Cars we're driving 2023 Nissan Z ... Can you catch some z's in it? 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ 2022 Volkswagen Atlas Spend My Money: Reddit edition Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Mercedes dropping Shooting Brake from next CLS-Class

If you've been admiring the Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake from afar and held out hope that the next version might make it to over to our side of the pond, we've got bad news for you. Not only will the next rendition of Benz's sleek wagon not make it to North American showrooms, it won't be offered anywhere. According to Car, the German automaker has pulled the plug on the next CLS Shooting Brake. The five-door bodystyle was slated to form part of the third-generation CLS-Class lineup, whose design has already been finalized. But though there was reportedly great enthusiasm for the shooting brake within the company, lukewarm response from the vital North American and Chinese markets meant that plans for another wagon variant were scrapped altogether. Mercedes first rolled out the CLS four-door coupe in 2004, pioneering the popular new segment before BMW followed with its Gran Coupe models and Audi its Sportbacks. The second-generation model arrived in 2010, with a Shooting Brake following in 2012. Stuttgart even followed up with a smaller CLA Shooting Brake as well. With the third-generation model now on its way, however, the CLS is going back exclusively to four doors and a trunk. Of course that doesn't mean Mercedes won't be offering any oddball long-roofed models. It simply appears to be filling those niches with slant-backed versions of crossovers like the new GLC and GLE instead. So if you're looking for a vehicle with a Silver Star on the nose and an unconventional roofline at the back, you're going to have to settle on riding higher. Related Video: