Mercedes Cls55 Amg Brabus/ One Of A Kind!/ Ken Blocks Former Car! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2017 Aston Marin Lagonda could live on Mercedes M-Class platform

A few weeks ago, we brought you news from the launch of the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante that the British brand, which is formally known as Aston Martin Lagonda, was still planning on going ahead with a Lagonda-badged crossover. Now comes word that that vehicle could very well be based on a Mercedes-Benz M-Class.
When the first Lagonda Concept debuted at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, it sat on a Mercedes-Benz GL-Class platform, some four years before Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG deal was inked. And with that partnership, which will see Aston Martin gain access to AMG electrics and "bespoke, V8 powertrains," the opportunities for platform sharing are many.
Dr. Ulrich Bez, the boss of Aston Martin, told the UK's AutoCar, "I look at what Porsche is doing with the 911 as its core business and then it is able to do models like the Cayenne based on the Volkswagen Touareg. It is good business." We've said many times that we'll tolerate exotic CUVs and SUVs if it means keeping the beloved core models alive, which has been the case with Porsche. We see no reason Aston Martin wouldn't be able to do the same.

Mercedes to add 10 new plug-ins by 2017

The range of plug-in hybrid models available from Mercedes-Benz is about to see a massive expansion thanks to the German luxury brand's announcement to add 10 of them in the lineup by 2017. At the same time the company is rebranding its PHEV range to carry the simple letter "e." For example, the C-Class model previously known as the C350 Plug-in Hybrid is now renamed he C350e. Some of the models in Mercedes' PHEV range are already known, like the aforementioned C350e, and the luxury brand is hinting at two more. The GLE is confirmed to be the brand's first plug-in crossover at some point after the non-coupe version debuts. The company also seems to suggest the Concept V-ision E might see production. Shown in Geneva, the van is based on the V-Class, which is related to upcoming Metris in the US. Mercedes' lineup of diesel and gasoline-fueled hybrids has helped the brand reduce its fleet emissions in Europe by over 40 percent in the last two model generations. Not all of these new PHEVs might make it to the US, though. Mercedes spokesperson Michael Minielly tells Autoblog the company's confirmed plug-ins are the 2016 S550e and C350e that launches this fall. "We have no further announcements regarding what else will be coming to the US market at this time," he said. The rest of the electrified lineup here includes the E400 Hybrid, plus the B-Class Electric Drive and Smart Fortwo Electric Drive EVs. Strategic hybrid initiative from Mercedes-Benz: Ten new plug-in hybrids by 2017 Stuttgart/San Francisco. Extra impetus for the Mercedes-Benz strategic hybrid initiative: In the run-up to 2017 the company is bringing out a total of ten plug-in hybrid models, i.e. one new model with high-tech hybrid drive every four months on average. Following the successful launch of the S 500 PLUG-IN HYBRID, this month will see the C 350 e, the second model to feature the progressive drive concept, find its way to dealerships. And what might happen next with the strategic hybrid initiative has just been demonstrated by the Concept V-ision e study at the Geneva Motor Show. Under the new Mercedes-Benz nomenclature, an "e" replaces the words PLUG-IN HYBRID. "Plug-in hybrids are a key technology on the road to the local emission-free future of the automobile," emphasises Prof Dr Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development.

Brabus tunes Mercedes-AMG GT up to 600 horsepower

"You can never have enough power," says Brabus in the statement below, "especially in a sports car." Hence the beast you see here. It's based, as you can plainly see, on the Mercedes-AMG GT. But instead of 469 horsepower in the base model or 503 in S spec, Brabus has boosted it up to 600 metric horsepower. That works out to 591 hp by our standards, a figure backed up by an equally impressive 553 pound-feet of torque – up from 443 or 479. With all that power and twist, the Benz tuner of record says its take on the GT will top out at an autobahn-crunching 201 miles per hour, reaching 62 along the way in 3.6 seconds. Of course, Brabus didn't just tinker with the engine and leave the rest alone. It'll build customer vehicles to individual requirements, but has outfitted this demo vehicle with a full aero kit (in clear carbon fiber), monoblock alloys (20 inches up front, 21 at the back), a retuned suspension dropped by 0.6 inches, and a fully refitted interior. We'll be keeping an eye out for the Brabus GT at the Frankfurt Motor Show this week, but judging from the photos above, it would be hard to miss. Related Video: World premiere at the IAA 2015 BRABUS refines the Mercedes-AMG GT S 441 kW / 600 HP, 750 Nm of torque, a top speed of 325 km/h, carbon components and 21-inch high-tech forged wheels Lending an exclusive car an even more thrilling appearance has been the domain of BRABUS (Brabus-Allee, D-46240 Bottrop, phone + 49 (0) 2041 / 777-0, fax + 49 / (0) 2041 / 777 111, Internet www.brabus.com) for almost four decades. At the IAA 2015 in Frankfurt am Main, the exclusive sports program for the Mercedes-AMG GT and GT S models celebrates its world premiere. With an output increase to 441 kW / 600 HP (591 bhp) and a peak torque of 750 Nm (553 lb-ft), the two-seat car reaches a top speed of 325 km/h (201 mph). From the outside, the sports car with BRABUS design impresses with aerodynamic-enhancement components made from clear-coated carbon, ultra-light BRABUS Monoblock F forged wheels, a sports suspension with a multitude of selectable settings for damping and ride height, and a sports exhaust system made from especially lightweight titanium with electronically controlled sound management. BRABUS fine leather interiors and inlays made from real carbon and precious wood upgrade the cockpit of the two-door car. You can never have enough power, especially in a sports car.