2012 Mercedes-benz Sls Amg Gullwing~only 5600 Miles~black On Red~collector Car on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Mercedes previews GLC ahead of June 17 reveal

Mercedes has confirmed that it will unveil its new GLC crossover on June 17, releasing this preview sketch and a few details to give us an idea of what to expect. Set to replace the outgoing GLK, the GLC will slot in between the GLA and GLE (nee M-Class) in the Silver Star automaker's growing sport-ute lineup. Its nameplate shifts to better align with the C-Class sedan and the SLC roadster that's set to replace the SLK. The crossover's design was previewed in slant-back form as the Concept GLC Coupe in Shanghai a couple of months ago, but as you can see from this sketch, it'll initially come with a more conventional roofline. In announcing the livestream of its reveal, Daimler revealed that the GLC will feature a multi-chamber air suspension, Dynamic Select transmission control, and 4Matic all-wheel drive. It also promises to consume 19 percent less fuel than the GLK it replaces. World Premiere Mercedes-Benz GLC With the introduction of the new GLC on June 17th, Mercedes-Benz presents the second generation of its mid-range SUV. The GLC retains its predecessor's outstanding off-road characteristics and combines them with an all-new design. What is more, the GLC takes comfort and agility to a whole new level: With the innovative multi-chamber air suspension AIR BODY CONTROL, unique to the segment, DYNAMIC SELECT and the 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive, the new GLC is tailor-made for all driving situations on and off the road. State-of-the-art assistance systems and improved energy efficiency further support the new GLC's claim of setting a new benchmark in this segment. Compared to its predecessor, fuel consumption was lowered by up to 19%.

Automakers' sound systems: Crank it, don't yank it

Years ago, one of the first things most music lovers did after buying a new vehicle was drive to an aftermarket stereo shop to get the crappy stock components swapped for better gear. And you'd typically get not only better sound but also more bang (and boom) for your buck. But in the past decade or so, the overall quality of OEM audio has dramatically increased, while car electronics became more complex, removing the incentive for most new vehicle owners — and all but the most hardcore DIYer — to start from scratch. In 2010, I did a comparison of the average costs for OEM electronics vs. similar offerings from the aftermarket, and back then automakers' stock premium systems were by far the best bargain — and are probably an even better value now. The premium 14-speaker, 1,200-watt JBL system in the all-new 2019 Toyota Avalon is a prime example of this trend. It's standard on the top two Limited and Touring trims and is available as a $680 audio upgrade on the XLE and XSE. I doubt you can even buy 14 speakers and 1,200 watts of amplification from the aftermarket for 700 bucks, much less have it all installed. And because the system is bundled with Toyota's Entune infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and a surround-view camera, removing the head unit means you would likely lose these features. Another advantage of OEMs and their audio partners is they can design the car around the audio system. In the past, automakers would typically place speakers where convenient for packaging, not for optimal sound reproduction, and audio engineers were forced to compromise. But as with the Avalon's premium JBL audio system, this is starting to change. At a recent behind-the-scenes peek for media into the process of developing the system, Toyota and Harman engineers delved into the minutia of sealing the inner panel of the front doors to create an enclosure for 6x8-inch woofers, making space in the pillars for JBL horn tweeters and extensively measuring the acoustic properties of the interior to tune the sound to the space. I'm met some creative and skilled car stereo installers, but none with a degree in psychoacoustics. The system is also the first to feature Quantum Logic Surround that creates a multi-channel listening experience from two-channel sources. And it includes Harman's Clari-Fi processing that "rebuilds key details lost" in compressed audio formats used by streaming music services and MP3s.

YouTube viewers prefer BMW

BMW owners sometimes get a bad rap as being snobbish, rude drivers, but according to a new study by the online marketing company ZEFR, Bimmer aficionados also have a close relationship with the brand's vehicles. With well over 4 billion YouTube views, the German automaker is the industry's king of the road online. Making the popularity even sweeter for marketers, 95 percent of those clicks are for fan videos, which represents loads of free advertising. BMW isn't the only automaker with such an extensive following. Honda comes in a close second with around 4 billion views, and Mercedes-Benz is just a little behind it. Among all brands, it's the norm for fan-made videos rather than the official ones to get the lion's share of the clicks, generally 95 percent or more. "YouTube has become a treasure trove for connecting with the right people for automakers," Dave Rosner, ZEFR marketing boss, said to Automotive News. Beyond just a popularity contest among brands, automotive videos are big business on YouTube, according to ZEFR's research. Enthusiasts are leading the way, too. Racing is by far the most-watched category with 895,000 clips generating a staggering 8.2 billion views. Classic cars are also a very hot topic with 305,000 videos getting 1.6 billion clicks. Surprisingly, when it comes to watching auto videos, sedans are most popular on YouTube with over 9 billion views, according to Automotive News. Meanwhile, SUVs, performance vehicles, and pickups were each around 3 billion or less. You can check out the full study for yourself, as a PDF, here. Related Video: