2003 Mercedes-benz Sl500 Base Convertible 2-door 5.0l on 2040-cars

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Mercedes-AMG considering turbo fours, hybrid sixes for future performance sedans

Think of the letters AMG and you'll probably end up picturing a performance sedan with a big V8. Such has become, after all, the Mercedes turning division's calling card. But with the introduction of its 2.0-liter turbo four, AMG is working at turning that notion on its head.
The highly potent engine produces 355 horsepower and is presently installed in the A45 AMG hatchback, CLA45 AMG sedan and GLA45 AMG crossover, giving Benz's smallest family a full range of performance models. But that might not be the full extent of the high-strung four-pot's use.
Speaking with AMG boss Tobias Moers, Britain's What Car? magazine reports that Affalterbach is considering slotting the same engine into larger models, particularly performance sedans like the C-Class. As we recently reported, Mercedes is already preparing to up the power from the turbo V6 in the C400 to slot a C450 Sport in below the C63 AMG. The C450 is expected to offer around 367 horsepower where the CLA45 AMG et al pack 355, but the lighter weight of the four-cylinder engine would likely offset the truancy of those extra dozen horses. Of course such a prospect would be much further down the pipeline than the C450 Sport which is expected to arrive much sooner.

Artist imagines eerie world where cars have no wheels

The wheel ranks right up there with the telescope and four-slice toaster in the pantheon of inventions that have moved humankind forward. But what if a circle in three dimensions had never occurred to anyone, and we all had just moved on without it? Perhaps we'd be driving around in Lucas Motors Landspeeders with anti-gravity engines. Or maybe we'd have the same cars we do today, just without wheels.
That's the thought experiment that seems to have led French photographer Renaud Marion to create his six-image series called Air Drive. The shots depict cars throughout many eras of motoring that look normal except for one thing: they have no wheels. The models used include a Jaguar XK120, Cadillac DeVille (shown above), Chevrolet El Camino and Camaro, and Mercedes-Benz SL and 300 roadsters.
Perhaps one day when our future becomes our past, you'll be able to walk the street and see with your own eyes the rust and patina of age on our nation's fleet of floating cars. Until then, Monsieur Marion's photographs will have to do.

Driving the C8 Corvette, and previewing GM's electric future | Autoblog Podcast #617

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by West Coast Editor James Riswick and Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. First they dive right in to the experience of driving the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette, followed by their review of the Mercedes-Benz GLE 350. Then they talk about the week's news, beginning with the whole slew of electric vehicles General Motors surprised us with at its EV Day. Next, they discuss the possibility of Porsche building a hybrid 911, as well as news about Ford's electric Transit van making its way to the U.S.. Last, but not least, they take to the mailbag to help a listener pick his next car in the "Spend My Money" segment. Autoblog Podcast #617 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Driving the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Driving the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 GM EV Day: Cadillac Celestiq and Lyriq, GMC Hummers and more A hybrid Porsche 911? Ford Transit electric commercial vans coming to U.S. Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: