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Mercedes-AMG GT3 photos hit the web

Yesterday, the first shot of the next-generation Audi R8 hit the web hours before its official debut. Today, it appears the same thing is happening with photos of the Mercedes-AMG GT3, thanks to French website Le Point. Surprisingly for a vehicle designed as a single-minded track machine, Mercedes is injecting some serious style into the GT3. The rounded, vertical slats in the grille evoke the look of the original 300SL racer. In profile, the styling of the roadgoing AMG GT is retained but with the addition of a circuit-hugging body kit and huge wing at the rear to keep in planted. The interior is similarly purposeful. Along with these leaked photos, Le Point claims that the GT3 ditches the standard GT's twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 in favor of a naturally aspirated 6.3-liter V8 sourced from the SLS AMG GT3. The aluminum platform underneath is also taken from the regular GT, but practically every exterior panel is reportedly replaced with carbon fiber to cut weight. The racer also keeps the double-wishbone suspension at all four wheels. While these specs are still unconfirmed, Mercedes definitely has a beautiful track machine on the way with the GT3. We look forward to seeing it in person in Geneva.

2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 PHEV offers the best of both worlds it's ready to conquer

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class just keeps growing – both in terms of dimensions and in terms of variants. Nevermind the S-Class Coupe for a moment and focus only on the sedan: in North America alone, you can get the big Benz in S550, S600, S63 and S65 spec, and at the Los Angeles Auto Show this year, Daimler has rolled out the new Maybach version as well. But if it's a more environmentally friendly way to woosh around town in serene luxury that you're after, you'll want to look at the new S550 Plug-In Hybrid. Joining Daimler's growing range of battery-powered models alongside the E400 Hybrid, B-Class Electric Drive and Smart ED (the latter soon to be replaced by an all-new version), the S550 PHEV is the German automaker's first plug-in hybrid. It was first announced over a year ago and made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year, but now the US-spec car is making its North American debut in LA. Promising "the performance of a V8 and the fuel consumption of a compact model," the S550 PHEV pairs a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 to an 80-kW electric motor, the S550 PHEV packs a combined 436 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque to reach 62 in just 5.2 seconds, top out at 130 miles per hour or drive up to 20 miles on electric mode alone. On the European combined cycle, it'll return an impressive 84 miles per gallon, all the while never skimping on the luxury. Scope it out in our gallery of photos from the show floor in LA and delve into the details in the press release below. First PLUG-IN HYBRID with a star: S550 PLUG-IN HYBRID The new Mercedes-Benz S550 PLUG-IN HYBRID blends an ultramodern hybrid drive configuration with the unique innovations and the luxurious equipment and appointments of the S-Class. The luxury sedan impresses with exceptional dynamism and efficiency. Thanks to standard pre-entry climate control it also offers unique climate comfort. The first certified three-liter luxury sedan in the world is a further milestone on the road to emission-free mobility. "The S550 PLUG-IN HYBRID is the first luxury sedan with the performance of a V8 and the fuel consumption of a compact model. The greatest challenge in this is to translate efficiency into superior performance. In this respect there is a highly interesting parallel with our successful Formula 1 racing car, which likewise has a turbocharged V6 engine and a high-tech hybrid drive," says Prof. Dr.

Aston Martin and Mercedes will share F1 safety car duties

LONDON — Aston Martin is set to join Mercedes next season as a provider of Formula One's official safety cars, according to media reports on Tuesday. Racefans.net reported that Aston Martin would supply safety and medical cars at 12 of the 23 scheduled races in key markets, with the existing Mercedes cars used at the rest. It said Aston Martin's new DBX SUV, which uses a Mercedes-AMG V8 engine, would be used as a medical car. There was no official confirmation from Aston Martin or Mercedes. Sources indicated to Reuters that the report was accurate, however. Mercedes has been the official provider of the cars, which are deployed in the event of an incident or bad weather to keep the field lapping safely, since 1996 but that deal runs out at the end of this year. A shared supply would make sense for both carmakers, who already have close ties. Aston Martin's executive chairman Lawrence Stroll also owns the Racing Point team, who will race as Aston Martin from next season with four times world champion Sebastian Vettel arriving from Ferrari. Mercedes, a part of Daimler, is set to raise its stake in Aston Martin to up to 20% by 2023. Toto Wolff, principal of the Mercedes factory team, also has a private stake in Aston Martin. Related Video: Motorsports Aston Martin Mercedes-Benz F1