2009 Mercedes-benz Sl-class Base Convertible 2-door on 2040-cars

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Geely plans to launch hundreds of satellites to guide autonomous cars

BEIJING — China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group said on Tuesday it was investing 2.27 billion yuan ($326 million) in a new satellite manufacturing plant, where it plans to build low-orbit satellites to provide more accurate data for self-driving cars. Geely, one of China's most internationally-known companies due to its investments in Daimler, Volvo and Proton, is building the facilities in Taizhou, where it has car plants. It aims to produce 500 satellites a year by around 2025, with around 300 highly-skilled staff, it said in a statement. Geely's technology development arm, Geely Technology Group, launched Geespace to research, launch, and operate low-orbit satellites in 2018. Geespace will begin the launch of its commercial low-orbit satellite network by the end of this year, Geely said. Geely said low-orbit satellites would offer high speed internet connectivity, precise navigation, and cloud computing capabilities to cars with autonomous driving technology. Geely, which sold 2.18 million cars last year, is among global automakers from Tesla to Toyota to pursue autonomous driving technologies. It is building low-orbit satellites to meet demand for high-speed connectivity capabilities that can deliver fast software updates. From around 2025, Geely's cars will have more functions to connect to the satellites. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.     Green Plants/Manufacturing Mercedes-Benz Volvo Emerging Technologies Autonomous Vehicles

2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK250 Bluetec gets 33 mpg, priced from $38,950*

It's been more than a year since we first saw the 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK250 Bluetec unveiled at the 2012 New York Auto Show, but it looks like the compact diesel crossover is finally starting to roll into dealerships. Those wanting to buy a diesel GLK will only have to pony up an extra $1,500 over a base, gas-powered GLK350, as the GLK250's starting price is listed at $38,590 (*not including $905 destination charge).
The turbocharged 2.1-liter four-cylinder diesel produces 200 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, and Mercedes-Benz has also provided some fuel economy numbers for this model, with claimed EPA estimates of 24 miles per gallon city and 33 mpg highway. There is no listing for the GLK250 on the EPA's website yet, but the figures represent significant increase over the GLK350's lackluster 19 mpg city and 25 mpg highway figures, which are for the rear-wheel drive model. The GLK250 comes standard with the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system - a $2,000 option on GLK350 - meaning that if you want an all-wheel-drive version of the 2013 GLK, it's actually cheaper to opt for the diesel model. Head over to the Mercedes-Benz site for the full 2013 GLK-Class configurator.

2016 Mercedes-AMG GLE63 S Coupe 4Matic brings big power to go with massive name

Mercedes-Benz hopped into the luxury crossover coupe market with both feet with the recently debuted GLE-Class Coupe. While the existence of beauty in this segment is still up for debate, the Merc really gives the BMW X6 a direct competitor. With the newly unveiled 2016 Mercedes-AMG GLE63 S Coupe 4Matic, the engineers from Affalterbach are now also turning their sights on their rivals from BMW's M division. Don't let the name fool you. The GLE63 AMG Coupe eschews the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 from the C63 AMG in favor of an even bigger power source. This crossover uses the company's thundering 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with stop/start that pumps out 577 horsepower and 561 pound-feet of torque – 10 hp and 8 lb-ft more than the X6 M. The deep well of muscle means the sprint to 62 miles per hour takes just 4.2 seconds; faster than you can say the coupe's mile-long official name. The AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic gearbox routes all of that grunt to all four wheels with a 40:60 front/rear split. The styling of this beast gets a special nod from AMG by being the first CUV from the company to get its A-wing grille. Even if the rest of the design can be polarizing, this portion looks fantastic. The airfoil in the bumper is supposed to look like a stylized A, and from some angles, the wing almost appears like its just floating there. Each side of the GLE63 features black wheel arch flares, and around back there's a small lip spoiler on the tailgate. It's complimented by a new rear apron that has air outlets at each corner, integrated tailpipes and a diffuser in the center. Being a Mercedes-AMG, buyers sit in the lap of luxury inside. The seats are covered in Nappa leather with AMG crests on the headrests. The performance brand's moniker can also be found on the three-spoke steering wheel, and the instrument panel even gets covered in black Nappa. Obviously, if this isn't enough for potential buyers, Mercedes has a ton of options on hand. They include performance-oriented items like a sport exhaust system, 22-inch wheels and carbon fiber engine cover, but there're also more opulent choices like the fragrance mister and a high-end Bang & Olufson sound system. Scroll down for all the details on the much more powerful GLE Coupe. The new Mercedes-AMG GLE63 S Coupe 4MATIC Driving performance reinterpreted Affalterbach/Detroit.