After a French court lifted that country’s ban on Mercedes-Benz cars equipped with R134a air conditioning refrigerant, saying that the French ministry for the environment must reevaluate their decision to block those cars, Daimler said that it was “very confident’ that the French government will abide by that court ruling. R134a has been banned for use in new model cars by the EU since the start of 2013.
As part of an announced technical partnership between AMG, the performance subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz and Britain’s Aston Martin, Daimler will buy up to a 5% interest in the luxury performance car maker. The agreement will give AM “significant access” to the technical resources of both AMG and its parent. Aston Martin will use those resources to develop V8 engines and have access to Mercedes Benz’s electronic architecture and components. (Read More…)
The EU Commission has provisionally sided with France in that country’s decision to stop the sale of new Mercedes-Benz cars because of Daimler’s decision to continue to use R134a refrigerant in it’s HVAC systems. The EU has banned R134a out of concerns for global warming. The only available replacement that meets the new regulations is R1234yf, made by Honeywell, and Mercedes-Benz has insisted that their tests show that the new refrigerant is dangerously flammable and could start an underhood fire under certain conditions. The provisional ruling could be a problem for Daimler in other EU countries.
It’s said that only 5 R63 AMGs ever made it to Canada. They all must be in Toronto. I know of two in the neighborhood I grew up in, while another one was for sale a few months ago in Oakville (and still is). Meanwhile, this one just popped up for $31,000. According to the ad “ONLY SERIOUS BUYAER FOR MORE INFO PLEASE ONLY CALL. ANY TIME”. So, go do that. I would, if I had the extra cash. Then again, financial responsibility is overrated.
In the face of potential CO2 regulations that would mandate tough emissions regulations for new cars in the Eurozone, Germany is doing its best to shut them down completely. And the rest of the EU, along with some OEMs, are not happy about it.
Just as Mercedes prepares to do away with one historic nameplate, it appears to be reviving another. The flagship of the next-generation S-Class range will wear the Pullman badge.
For an extra $550, Mercedes-Benz owners will now be able to enjoy the latest in LED lighting technology, now that a customed LED-illuminated Mercedes logo is available as an option. The logo will stay lit for 40 seconds while the car is unlocked and for five seconds while the doors are open. US regulations prohibit it being illuminated while the vehicle is in motion. Expect this to be very popular with C250 owners, much like the infamous “Bentley grille” was with base-trim Chrysler 300 models in the middle of the last decade.
Matt Farah of The Smoking Tire is one of TTAC’s most loyal readers, and we’d hate to see anything bad happen to him. But sometimes he really brings it upon himself.
My statement “BMW is the new Mercedes” may have ruffled the most feathers, but the second thing that gets thrown in my face is: “what then has Mercedes become?” I’m sorry if the forum fanboys can’t adjust to the new normal that is a softer, more civilized, more luxurious BMW that puts comfort over balls-out performance. Sometimes you just have to let the ostrich keep its head in the hole. If you think the M6 is the best thing since sliced bread, read no further. This isn’t about BMW, this is about the German luxury company. What of them? To find out we were tossed the keys to a six-figure beast for a week.
Anyone looking for an AMG R63, the rarest modern Mercedes-Benz product of all time, look no further. There’s one for sale outside of Toronto for the low price of just $33,995. Plus you get to have dinner with me if you buy it (not really, but you should give me a call if you decide to take possession of it). You can view the ad here. Paging Mr. DeMuro…
Cadillac may be gunning too hard for Germany’s domain of rear-drive sports sedans, but one area where The Standard of the World won’t be gunning for them is in the volume race. GM CFO Dan Ammann told Automotive News that unlike BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi, “We’re not going to be in every single segment that they’re in”.
A little light reading for the weekend? Someone went and scanned a German language version of the all-new Mercedes-Benz S-Class brochure. Bertel’s preoccupied at Nissan right now, so other folks with knowledge of German will have to help with the translation.
As Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi rush to prepare new entry-level product to attract a younger crowd, Jaguar Land Rover is proudly calling “bollocks” on their efforts to attract younger buyers. Although much of the growth in the “near-luxury” segment is expected to come from vehicles with a transaction price in the $30,000-$40,000 range, JLR’s sole offering in that segment is the low-volume LR2. It’s the $50,000 Evoque that’s driving sales for the brand. This interview from Automotive News with JLR’s North American CEO, Andy Goss, explains why: (Read More…)
I’ve always been fascinated by the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Not fascinated enough to buy one, of course, although I think that even I – an unemployed blogger who wears pants at least two days per week – could qualify for financing through Mitsubishi Credit. Presumably, this would depend on whether I arrived at the dealership wearing pants.
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