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Mercedes G63 vs. BMW i8: Our silly drag race between the past and future

You see, we were just trying to conserve resources. We had Milan Dragway rented for a test of the AMS Alpha 10 Audi R8, and there was some extra track time, so we brought these two along. That's called saving money. Or something. Aside from being German, the G63 and i8 couldn't really be much more different – one is a prehistoric military vehicle with a nutty twin-turbo V8, the other a vision of the near future of efficient sports cars. So what did we do? We lined them up against each other, editor-in-chief Michael Austin in the i8 and me in the G-Wagen. Though we had a good idea of the likely winner – note which car the boss is driving – the results were still surprising. Watch for yourself above. Green Humor BMW Mercedes-Benz Coupe SUV Hybrid Luxury Performance Videos Original Video drag race milan dragway

2017 Mercedes SL gets more beauty, power, and equipment

The first gestation of the R231-generation Mercedes-Benz SL-Class was appreciably better than the excellent R230 it replaced, it just didn't look nearly as good. Answering for one of its rare design sins with a facelift for the 2017 model year, Mercedes succeeds in restoring the skin-deep glory the R231 SL deserved from the beginning. They didn't stop at the skin, either, giving buyers plenty of additional technical reasons to make the upgrade. The new design establishes its new beauty with the grille and headlights. The grille has essentially been flipped upside down - it is now wider at the bottom than the top. It is flanked by sleeker headlights pulled out to the edges, and now full-LED lights are standard. The front fascia below gets much more pronounced, especially on the AMG versions with their larger intakes and chrome-trimmed A-wing motif across the horizontal span. Brilliant Blue and Designo Selenite Grey Magno join the color palette. The SL400 becomes the SL450, its 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 juiced up from 329 horsepower to 362 hp, and 354 pound-feet of torque to 369 lb-ft. Both it and the SL550 shed their seven-speed automatics for the new 9G-Tronic automatic. Inside, new designs for the gauge cluster look back at the driver, ambient lighting options have expanded to include polar blue and polar white, and the center console storage ambient lighting throw a brand logo on the two USB ports fitted inside. The roof can be opened at up to 25 miles per hour now, and the trunk separator automatically gets out of the way when you put the top down - no more having to do that yourself beforehand. Turning the page on performance, non-AMG models come offer Mercedes' curve-tilting function with Active Body Control. It counters cornering forces by tilting the body up to 2.65 degrees into a turn; choosing it removes the Eco function from the five Drive Select modes, replacing it with Curve mode. The AMG SL63 and SL65 models come with a mechanical rear differential lock standard - formerly part of a $9,000 upgrade package, an updated seven-speed transmission, and faster shifting via aluminum shift paddles. We'll get looks at the AMG SL63 and SL65 at the LA Auto Show, the refreshed range hits dealerships in late spring next year. Mercedes has a lot to tell you in the press release below, so dig in.

Recharge Wrap-up: liquid-cooled Tesla Supercharger, Acenta+ Leaf

A new video offers a close look at Tesla's updated Supercharger. Recently, Elon Musk spoke about the new charging station with a thinner, suppler liquid-cooled cable that is not only easier to manage, but has the potential to handle larger loads and offer quicker recharging. The first examples have been installed in Mountain View, CA, which we can see in this video. Besides the new cable, the new Supercharger also features a solid "button" on the charging handle as well as vents around the bottom of the unit. The video even shows thermal imaging of the new Supercharger, which shows the cable to be cooler than the cameraman usually records. See for yourself in the video above, and read more at Treehugger. Nissan has added a new trim level to the Leaf in the UK. The Acenta+ slots above the Acenta and just below the range-topping Tekna. It comes standard with the 6.6-kW onboard charger and Mode-3 32-amp (EVSE) cable. Using a fast charger, the Acenta+ Leaf can charge to 100 percent in just four hours. "We're delighted to add a new member to the Leaf family in the UK," says Nissan Motor GB Managing Director James Wright. "More than 9,500 Leafs have already been sold here and Nissan is the undisputed leader in the EV market. This new model delivers exceptional value and showcases the Leaf's incredible technology and engineering." Read more at Next Green Car. Mercedes-Benz Malaysia says its vehicles are compatible with B10 biodiesel blend. Malaysia recently announced a mandate for diesel to be sold blended with 10 percent palm-oil based biodiesel, after which, carmakers like BMW and Mercedes-Benz came forward with concerns over compatibility with their vehicles. "We have evaluated carefully the influence of B10 Biodiesel blends on our current diesel vehicles for the Malaysian market and we are now able to confirm its compatibility," says Mercedes-Benz Malaysia President and CEO Roland Folger. "We have service intervals of 12,000 km to ensure that our customers are not affected by the diesel quality. Our diesel-powered vehicles currently sold in Malaysia were seen to have run both smoothly and safely with the use of the B10 biodiesel blend." Read more from Paul Tan's Automotive News. Renault has honored its leading electric vehicle dealers with the 2015 Renault EV Awards.