1998 Mercedes Slk320, No Reserve on 2040-cars

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Next Aston Vantage will be the only way to get an AMG V8 with a stick

With only a few exceptions, most of them factory customs, AMG hasn't built cars with manual transmissions. It just isn't the way things are done in Affalterbach. But now that Mercedes's in-house speed shop will be supplying engines to Aston Martin, the world will be treated to cars with three pedals and overengineered German V8s wrapped in a pretty British package. We're into it. The news comes from Car and Driver, which spoke to Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer about the new Vantage among other things. Palmer confirms to C/D that the Vantage will continue to offer manual and automatic transmissions when the next-gen car arrives featuring the AMG 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. In its most potent form, the eight-cylinder makes 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque in the AMG GT S. Figure on a little more from the Aston-ized version, just for fun. The current V8 Vantage GT makes 430 hp and 361 lb-ft from its naturally aspirated 4.7-liter. While some may lament the new engine's forced induction, that added power and the thoroughly modern behavior of the AMG engine should be welcome. While the AMG V8 is currently only planned to go into Aston's entry-level car, C/D does mention a possibility of it (and perhaps its three-pedal transmission) making its way into other cars as an economy option for certain markets. If a V8 DB11 were to be offered, don't expect it to show up here, though. There's also no word on who will supply the manual for the AMG-Aston mashup, but it likely will be a transaxle like the current Vantage. Ex-factory manual AMGs aren't totally unprecedented. Pagani has built some three-pedal cars with its massaged AMG V12s. Compared to those, however, these manual Vantages can be considered mass-production cars. And really, any increase in the number of sticks mated to AMG engines can only be a good thing. Related Video: News Source: Car and Driver Aston Martin Mercedes-Benz Coupe Performance mercedes-amg confirmed aston martin v8 vantage aston martin vantage

Mercedes-Benz Museum introduces classic car sales

Mercedes is aiming to take the guesswork out of buying a classic car with its latest initiative. Instead of buying a classic Benz from a private owner, the public can now purchase directly from the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany. The program is called "All Time Stars," and is split into three categories. Vehicles in the Premium Edition are in pristine condition, with low mileage, and fully restored by the Mercedes-Benz Classic division. Collectors Edition cars are guaranteed to be in tip-top shape both technically and aesthetically, but have some miles on the odometer and the patina to go with them. Finally the Drivers Edition are meant for everyday driving – fixer-uppers that "still offer potential for further restoration work." Regardless of their category, each vehicle that passes through the program is subject to an extensive 160-point inspection. The process identifies any issues, and any modifications to the vehicle's original condition that may have been carried out over the course of its history. At the moment, the museum is highlighting three examples up for sale. The oldest is a Type 630 Kompressor from 1929. The newest is an E320 convertible from 1995 with 31,000 miles on the odometer. In between is also a 280 SE sedan of 1973 vintage. Head to the program's website and you can also see examples like a '79 450 SEL, a '94 E60 AMG, a '92 500 SL, and a rare CLK-LM racer from 1998. There are several more that have already been sold through the program, and more to be added to the catalog in the near future. Mercedes-Benz Museum selling classic cars directly: 'All Time Stars': modern classics and vintage greats from Mercedes-Benz Stuttgart, Nov 05, 2015 The Mercedes-Benz Museum is now selling classic cars from all periods under the name All Time Stars. The complete range can be seen on the website alltime-stars.com. You can also view the vehicles in person at the Mercedes-Benz Museum and arrange the purchase there too. A team of sales consultants are on hand to provide detailed information and extensive descriptions of the vehicles in order to offer as much transparency as possible. Buying a classic car is a matter of trust. It has to be. Otherwise what is often supposed to be a dream come true may in fact turn sour. The All Time Stars by Mercedes-Benz aim to extend the brand's extensive quality commitment to the purchase of classic cars. The focus is on vehicles that are suitable for everyday driving.

Your guide to vehicle subscription services

They might be extremely limited in scope because of location availability, but vehicle subscription services are a growing trend that most luxury manufacturers are jumping on. Plans are expensive, but you're paying for much more than just the car typically. We highlighted four of the larger plans with a few more listed at the end. Care by Volvo Volvo launched its subscription service last year with its brand-new XC40. It was the only vehicle available for a time, but subscribers can now get an S60 sedan as well. Subscriptions are for two years, with the monthly price including insurance, a concierge service, wear-and-tear item replacements and all maintenance. You'll be able to drive 15,000 miles per year with whichever Volvo you choose, and although there are no options to extend that mileage, you can swap cars after a year. Pricing for the XC40 is $650 per month in base trim, while an S60 can be as expensive as $850 for the R-Design. Volvo's plan is to offer more cars soon through the service, but it's relatively limited compared to others right now. Porsche Passport Porsche has two levels in its subscription service: Launch and Accelerate. Launch will cost $2,000 per month and give you access to the Cayman, Boxster, Macan and Cayenne. All of those but the Cayenne can be had in "S" trim as well. Accelerate is where the fun really starts. For $3,000 per month you can choose from a fleet of 911s, including the S, 4S, Cabriolet and Cabriolet S. If those aren't enough, you can also get the Panamera 4S, Macan GTS and Cayenne S. There are no mileage limits and you can change vehicles as often as you'd like. Also included in the price is insurance, repairs, detailing and any maintenance. It might be extremely expensive and limited to Atlanta only, but this subscription service is second-to-none for what you get. Audi Select Audi just launched its subscription car service, and it's offered in one version for a flat fee of $1,395 per month. For that you'll have access to five different cars including the A4, S5 Coupe, A5 Cabriolet, Q5, and Q7. Not a bad range of vehicles, but it would've been neat to see the recently updated A7 in there too. Maybe in time. Like the others, insurance and maintenance are wrapped up in the price. Audi is allowing for unlimited miles and two car swaps per month here. In addition to that, you'll get two days of free rentals through Audi's Silvercar rental agency should you go on a trip.