1998 Mercedes-benz Sl500 Base Convertible 2-door 5.0l on 2040-cars

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Mercedes completes production of G63 AMG 6x6

Considering its 19-foot length, it sure was short-lived. A flash in the pan, really, in so far as a 4-ton beast could possibly be. But the Mercedes G63 AMG 6x6 is reportedly wrapping up its short production run this month. Based on a military variant of the legendary Gelandewagen but built for civilian consumption, the G63 AMG was – and will likely forever remain – the ultimate version of Benz's ultimate off-roader. It features six driven wheels on three axles with five differentials, all powered by AMG's stalwart 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8. Mercedes rolled out the 6x6 on all its half-dozen driven wheels barely over a year ago, and despite its half-million-dollar sticker price, demand soared. But after selling about 100 of them, the German automaker is putting it to pasture, ensuring its rarity in the annals of off-roader history. In its place, Benz will now begin production of the (relatively and slightly) less bonkers G500 4x42, which employs a tamer 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 driving a more conventional four wheels, and ditches the pickup short-bed for an enclosed wagon body-style, but keeps its eccentric big brother's jacked-up ride height. Those looking for the last word in power, though, will be more interested in the twelve-cylinder G65 that will now be coming to US dealers with a $200k+ sticker price. Related Video:

Mercedes previews GLC crossover coupe concept for Shanghai

Say what you will about slant-backed crossover coupes: if the industry has learned anything from BMW and its X6, it's that they're popular... and profitable. Little wonder, then, that Mercedes followed suit with the release of the GLE Coupe. And now it appears set to follow the lead set by the BMW X4 as well with a smaller GLC Coupe... at least, that is, in concept form. Previewed in this latest teaser rendering is the Concept GLC Coupe, a design study which Mercedes is set to present at the Shanghai Motor Show later this month. The statement that accompanies it (which you can read below) doesn't tell us much, except to say that it is "near-production-standard" – which is to say that it stands a strong chance of reaching showrooms. As it is, the GLC with a conventional roofline is set to take the place of the GLK in Benz's expanding crossover lineup. The emergence of this concept ought to preview that new model's styling, regardless of how steeply its roofline tapers off towards the back. The Shanghai show is, incidentally, the same venue Mercedes originally floated the idea of its smallest crossover with the presentation of the Concept GLA two years ago. And as we all know, that subsequently entered production – in a form closely following that of the concept. So we wouldn't be surprised to see a GLC Coupe emerge in close proximity to its more conventional counterpart (maybe even before), heavily influenced by the show car we'll see later this month. Related Video:

Paul di Resta returns to DTM with Mercedes

Some drivers manage to make the transition from one form of motor racing into another, and some run into trouble. Take Paul di Resta, for example. The promising young Scottish driver dominated Formula 3 racing in Europe in 2006, then moved over to Germany's hugely competitive DTM touring car series where he finished second in 2008, third in 2009 and first in 2010. But things didn't go as smoothly for Paul - cousin to retired Indy champion Dario Franchitti - when he moved in to Formula One with the Force India team.
In three years on the grid, he failed to score a single podium finish. Little surprise, then, that Force India opted not to renew his contract for this season. Left without a ride, di Resta is now going back to DTM with longtime supporter Mercedes-Benz, testing the new C-Class touring car today in Portugal. It's good news for Mercedes, which is celebrating 120 years in motor racing this season and, with 2005 champion Gary Paffett also on board, can now count two former champions on its DTM roster.
We wouldn't count Paul out of F1 for good, though. When he won the DTM title four years ago, he was also moonlighting as Force India's test driver, and we wouldn't be surprised to see him pull similar double-duty with the Mercedes F1 team (or another Benz-powered outfit) this year before spring-boarding back into grand prix racing in the future. At 27 years old, he may not have been the youngest driver on the grid this year, but he's still got a good few years ahead of him.