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Mercedes G 500 4x4 is mighty mean and bright lime green

The Mercedes-Benz G500 4x42, finally ready to meet the crowds at the Geneva Motor Show, might just be the best factory-prepped expedition off-roader on the market, should Mercedes choose to build it. The short story is that some well-heeled admirers of the G63 AMG 6x6 said, "It's nice, but can you take it down a notch?" And by "notch" they meant "an axle." So the G500 4x42 gets just two portal axles instead of three, and a slew of other features. The 4x4 squared offers up a standard G-wagen body, but instead of the 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 from the G63, there's a new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 422 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. Compared to the standard G500, the track is 11.8 inches wider, the street-cred rims being 22-inchers on 325/55 R-series tires. When it's time to get dirty, they can be swapped for an optional set of 18-inch wheels with 37-inch beadlock tires. With that setup and the same wheelbase as the G500 LWB, ground clearance and fording depth are more than doubled to 17.7 inches and 39 inches respectively, the angle of approach goes from 36 degrees to 52 degrees and the angle of departure leaps from 27 degrees to 54 degrees. Breakover angle is bumped from 21 degrees to 47 degrees, a two-piece stainless steel undertray protecting the sensitive bits when you push it. The only parts that get a raised eyebrow are the carbon fiber wheel arches and bumpers, which might behave badly when they meet an immovable granite object. To escape the sensation of driving the Taj Mahal in urban environments, there's a twin spring-and-damper setup at each wheel. One of the spring-damper combos is electronically controlled and adjustable, and when called into action via the Comfort or Sport mode, takes control of wheel action; even when passive, it will kick in to automatically to stiffen the body if it detects evasive maneuvers. On top of all that, to remind you that you're in a Mercedes the interior is fitted out with Designo leather trim and diamond-quilted microfiber. Mercedes is going to gauge its Geneva reception before deciding to build it, a hurdle we're sure will be overcome. Car and Driver drove it and verified it's the real deal, with pricing - if it's built - speculated to land between the G63 AMG and G65 AMG. The press release below has all the details. Related Video: Near-series show car G 500 4x42: The G-Class Squared Stuttgart, Feb 21, 2015 -- Only a G-Class can be better than a G-Class.

Next Mercedes-AMG E63 to produce around 600 hp

"Sources" have told Autocar that the coming Mercedes-AMG E63 will get "something in the range of" 600 horsepower from a "next step" development of the 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 currently in the C63 sedan. Since the standard E-Class isn't due for introduction until the 2016 Detroit Motor show, we're probably a year away from finding out if "something in the range of" actually means a square 600 hp when the car the AMG E63 is revealed. Right now the E63 S is powered by a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 it shares that engine with the CLS63, S63, SL63, and G63, and all but the G63 get 577 hp from that engine. The 4.0-liter V8 in the C63 S is rated at 503 hp in the S model, the same as the dry-sump version of that engine that gets 503 hp in the AMG GT. Point being the jump to 600 hp isn't outrageous, and would keep up with the numbers rumored for the next BMW M5. New turbos will likely be responsible for much of that power, with AMG's powertrain chief having told Road & Track that the present turbos are doing all the work they were designed for. Depending on where the much lighter AMG GT3 road car comes in, the next AMG E63 should be the most powerful V8 model in the range. There'll be plenty of other doodads besides, like a new nine-speed automatic, 84-LED adaptive headlights, remote controlled parking, smartphone-activated NFC-based unlock and vehicle start, Vehicle-to-X communication, adaptive cruise control that recognizes speed limit signs, and a massive advance in the suite of Mercedes Intelligent Driving features. Related Video: News Source: Autocar Mercedes-Benz Luxury Performance Sedan mercedes-amg e63

Five B-Class F-Cells go from SF-LA using public hydrogen stations

California's hydrogen islands in Los Angeles and San Francisco finally got the bridge they needed to become the "Hydrogen Highway." With the completion of a permanent public station in Coalinga built by FirstElement Fuel, 205 miles north of LA, 183 miles south of SF, fuel-cell-vehicle owners can complete the road trip without worry. Mercedes-Benz did just that with five B-Class F-Cell customers, spending three days covering 1,000 miles and filling up only at public permanent stations in Burbank, Coalinga, West Sacramento, and Emeryville. Mercedes says there are ten stations in California now, but more than 40 are scheduled to open in 2016, and about ten more every year after that through 2023, when there should be 123 open stations. The company's US fuel-cell fleet is 70 strong and has covered more than two million miles in the five years they've been on the roads here. On average that means each car has driven just 5,714 miles per year, but that number should go up now that they can stretch their hydrogen stacks. The press release below has more information. Nearly 1,000 fuel cell electric miles: Crossing California on Hydrogen - Five Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL complete emission-free drive from Los Angeles to Northern California while only filling up at public hydrogen stations - "California Hydrogen Highway" is connecting the dots - U.S. F-CELL customers have accumulated over 2 million miles since 2010 Stuttgart, Oct 27, 2015 - Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL customers ventured beyond Southern California last week for the very first time, while only filling up at existing public hydrogen stations along the route from Los Angeles to San Francisco. The opening of a new hydrogen station in Coalinga along the I-5 corridor made this opportunity possible. A team driving five B-Class F-CELL refilled at four permanent hydrogen fueling stations located in Burbank, Coalinga, West Sacramento and Emeryville, accumulating nearly 1,000 miles over the course of their three day trip. Three F-CELL customers were accompanied by a team from Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America based in Long Beach. The purpose of this unique road trip was to highlight the growing hydrogen station network and to show that the vision of the California Hydrogen Highway is becoming reality. Early adopter Loki Efaw who has been an F-CELL driver since 2011 believes fuel cells are the future: "I don't want a car that only takes me to work and back before I have to plug it in.