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2015 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Review

"It's about great cars on great roads." The late David E. Davis, Jr., said this of Winding Road when he took the reins as editor-in-chief in 2006. Our mission at that magazine was to not just review cars, but to describe the emotional experience of piloting brilliant machines down beautiful roads. "The art of driving," per David E. This all comes flooding back into my mind as I pull out of a Shell station onto Angeles Crest Highway, just south of the 210 freeway in La Canada Flintridge, CA. I'm in the 2015 Mercedes-AMG C63 S. I've got a full tank of fuel, the whole day to myself, and I'm staring down one of the finest driving roads in the country. Prior to this moment, I spent two days bombing around the greater Los Angeles area in this sinister-looking C63 S. This car is a villain, and looks appropriately so in black paint with the $750 AMG Exterior Night Styling pack. The C-Class as a whole is far more upscale in this latest generation, with its long hood, cab-rearward design, and short rear deck. "Baby S-Class" is not an exaggeration. Thankfully, the addition of AMG bits don't detract from the new C's more premium aura. Where a BMW M3 just looks like a brash 3 Series, the C63 is more like a C400 with a trick up its sleeve. The 4.0-liter V8 is an exceptional engine. Start the engine, and there's no question you're blessed with the power of AMG. Any worries I had about the new, twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 not providing enough aural delight are gone, especially with the $1,250 AMG Performance Exhaust. At start-up there's a low, burbly sound quality, typical of a V8. At full throttle, it's loud, angry, and passionate. I will always miss the naturally aspirated, 6.2-liter M156 V8 from the last C63, not only for its noise, but for its character. That said, I eagerly welcome Mercedes' new turbocharged techniques. The 4.0-liter V8 is an exceptional engine. In C63 S guise, the M178 lump makes 503 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, the latter of which comes on in full force as low as 1,750 rpm. That's a ton of power for the 3,935-pound C63. But it never feels like there's too much to handle. Power comes on progressively, and when I mash the throttle on a straight stretch of pavement, the car is composed and controlled. And quick. Seriously quick. Zero-to-sixty-in-under-four-seconds quick. The balance between viciousness and grace is perfectly met in this new C63.

2015 Austrian F1 Grand Prix switches to alternating current

It's called the Red Bull Ring, guests are welcomed by a statue of a leaping bull, and dominating its layout demands powerful cars that can run it hard. Perhaps all that aggression is what led both Mercedes-AMG Petronas cars to run off the track in the final qualifying session on their final hot laps, a little too aggressive on the charge. Lewis Hamilton was first into the gravel at Turn 1 when he lost his car under braking, but he was still fast enough to get pole ahead of teammate Nico Rosberg, who spun at Turn 8. Rosberg started second. Or perhaps it wasn't the red bull but the scarlet horse that caused The Silver Arrows to muck it up: Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel had Mercedes' attention all weekend, and he'd line up in third just 0.355 off Hamilton's time. Williams truly rediscovered its power, Felipe Massa going fourth fastest, teammate Valtteri Bottas in sixth. Between them was newly-minted Le Mans winner Nico Hulkenberg, yet again – can we say that enough? – pulling the still-not-updated Force India to fifth place on the grid. Max Verstappen led the Renault-powered top-ten duo in his Toro Rosso in seventh, Infiniti Red Bull Racing driver Daniil Kvyat behind him in eighth. Kvyat, however, would start down the order because of a ten-place grid penalty for needing a fifth Renault engine. After that it's back to Mercedes Ferrari power, Felipe Nasr in the Sauber in ninth, Romain Grosjean in with Mercedes power in the Lotus in tenth – but fellow Lotus driver Pastor Maldonado actually started in tenth because of Kvyat's demotion. Before we get to the race, can we take a moment to talk about the shenanigans and gaudy penalties? Kimi Raikkonen waved the Ferrari flag in Canada after a season that's been full of "We didn't get it right this time," and we thought he was back. But no. In Austria the refrain returned, the Finn kicked out of Q1 after another miscommunication with the team – he qualified 18th. If the scenario plays to form, we'll now wait for team boss Mauricio Arrivabene to issue a clarification that suggests Raikkonen missed a step. Daniel Ricciardo parachutes ten spots back for the same reason as his teammate Kvyat, needing a fifth Renault power unit, dropping him to 18th on the grid and forcing him into a five-second time penalty when he comes in to pit.

2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC250 Quick Spin

The 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC is an all-new luxury crossover that replaces Benz's compact GLK. We're driving it right now, and will have a full first drive soon. But before this, we were granted some early access on a drive from Lithuania to Latvia – just enough to form some initial impressions. As part of Mercedes' expansion with new models (and old models taking on new names) the GLC will no longer be the entry-level CUV for Mercedes – that title has been assumed by the GLA crossover. The GLC moves up not only in the hierarchical range, but grows 4.6 inches in the wheelbase, and is more roomy overall. Most evident, the GLC gets completely new styling, something that is immediately clear upon first glance. Mercedes says the 2016 GLC represents the future design direction for all its SUVs. Continuing the "Sensual Purity" design language of the new S-Class and C-Class, our Euro-spec GLC prototype is curvier, cleaner, and more modern than the more rugged-looking GLK. Mercedes says the US will have standard front and rear bumpers optimized for off-road use, with a 28-degree approach and departure angles for all variants. Despite boasting four doors, the GLC has a coupe-like silhouette. Our model's LED headlights, chrome-finished dual exhaust pipes, and large wheels (up to 20-inches) add to this sporty aesthetic. The real story however, is on the inside, where the GLC mimics the striking interior of the C-Class. Based on our model's open-pore wood, flowing center console, and brushed metallic and piano-black finishes the GLC boasts the nicest interior in the class. With a few short hours spent evaluating Benz's new ute – and evading endless Baltic speed traps – we were able to get some immediate impressions. There's a lot to like here. Driving Notes The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is rated at 241 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. But what the driver actually experiences will depend on the five different driving modes. A simple toggle switch on the center console by the MMI touchpad and scrollwheel moves you through the various modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus, and Individual. Each mode represents a marked difference in steering feel and throttle response. Eco and Comfort modes are fine for driving around town, but lack any semblance of sportiness. Sport and Sport Plus improve feedback, but the GLC never feels quick in any mode. It does feel nimble, and the drive is more car-like than SUV, which bodes well for the majority of US customers.