Mercedes Celebrates Unimog’s 60th Birthday with New Design Study

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the presentation of the Unimog, the Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks (MBS) unit, which is responsible for the Unimog, Econic and Zetros range of models, created a special design concept that attempts to link the past and present together with the future.
Using the current Unimog U 5000’s chassis as a base, the German brand’s designers came up with a futuristic-looking yet distinctly retro-feeling styling for the body of their off-road workhouse. The concept vehicle features an open top design as a nod to the first Mercedes-Benz Unimog model that rolled off the assembly line on June 3, 1951.
“At Mercedes Benz Special Trucks we decided to construct a design concept because we are of the opinion that such a vehicle will act as a bridge between the progressive strength of self-renewal that has distinguished the Unimog programme for 60 years and the future design of the coming generations of products,” said Yaris Pürsün, Director of the Mercedes-Benz Plant at Wörth and Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks.
While there are no plans to produce the Unimog study, the German company said the concept’s expressive "face" corresponds to the future form language of Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle design.
The Unimog Cabrio Concept was officially revealed during a special ceremony in the Customer Centre at the Mercedes-Benz Plant in Wörth, Germany, on June 3, 2011.

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Mercedes-Benz Escaping Dreaded Gas Guzzler Tax

Fοr the 2012 model year, Mercedes-Benz will have at least twο fewer vehicles οn the gas-guzzler tax list published by the U.S. Department οf Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. This will cοntinue a pοsitive trend for the company. Iin 2011, 12 M-B mοdels are subject tο the dreaded gas-guzzler tax, οne less than in 2010 and 10 fewer than in 2006. Instituted back in 1978, the gas-guzzler tax is applied at the pοint οf purchase against vehicles with exceptionally lοw fuel economy. The οne-time fee ranges frοm $1,200 tο $7,700.

In addition tο eliminating vehicles frοm the list, M-B says five 2011 models – S600, S65 AMG, CL600, CL65 AMG and CL63 AMG – are subject tο reduced taxes compared tο the prior year's amοunt. Vehicles expected tο escape the dreaded gas guzzler tax fοr 2012 include the CLS550 and CLS63 AMG. Both are cοmpletely redesigned fοr the new year and have improved fuel econοmy ratings.

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VÄTH’s Tune Lifts Mercedes SLS AMG Coupe to 615HP

The star of the Mercedes-Benz range, the SLS AMG Coupe, has only a year under its belt but the V8-powered supercar has gained a lot of love from the tuning industry in the past 12 months. The newest performance and styling package for the ‘Gullwing door’ supercar to hit the tuning stage comes from Germany’s VÄTH with the introduction of the V63S kit.
The company’s first priority was to squeeze some more juice from the SLS AMG Coupe’s 6.3-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine through the use of a software upgrade and an in-house high-performance exhaust system that also allows drivers to adjust the tone of the eight-cylinder unit.
The result is an increase in output from 571-horsepower and 650Nm (479 lb-ft) at 4,750 rpm to 615HP and 680Nm (502 lb-ft) at 5,800 rpm, which in turn slashed 0-100km/h (62mph) acceleration from 3.8 seconds to 3.6 seconds and boosted top speed from 317km/h to 330km/h (205 mph).
VÄTH’s tune continues with a high-performance brake system and a 25mm lowering kit, while the German supercar rides on new 20-inch lightweight alloy wheels shod in 265/30ZR20 tires at the front and 315/25ZR20 at the rear.
In addition to the performance upgrades, VÄTH added an aerodynamic package with a front lip spoiler, side skirt add-ons and a boot lid spoiler, all made from carbon fiber composite materials. Interior updates include an optional leather sport steering wheels, a new speedometer and black floor mats.
The complete package is priced in Germany from €32,670 or about US$46,600 at today’s exchange rates.
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2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster

Little by little, Mercedes-Benz is releasing more photos and information on its 2012 SLS AMG Roadster ahead of the supercar’s world premiere at the forthcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Following the release of a barely disguised car earlier this month, the German company’s PR tease continues today with the first official photos of the roadster version of the SLS AMG without any kind of camouflage.
We also get to learn that the three-layered fabric soft top will not eat in the roadster model’s trunk area as its capacity remains at 6.1 cubic feet with the roof either open or closed, and is roughly the same to that of the SLS AMG Coupe, which stands at 6.2 cubic feet. The fully automatic top is available in three colors – black, beige and a classic red. It opens and closes in eleven seconds, and can be operated on the move at speeds up to 31 mph or 50km/h.
Like other open-top Mercedes models, the SLS AMG Roadster is equipped with the firm’s AIRSCARF system that warms the head and neck areas of the driver and passenger by blowing hot air from vents integrated in the head restraints. Other standard features include a black designo leather treatment, heated AMG sports seats, a detachable glass windstop, COMAND with Navigation and DVD player, anti-theft alarm system with tow-away protection and interior monitoring, dual-zone automatic climate control and the KEYLESSGO starting function.
There are no surprises under the hood with the roadster sharing the coupe model’s AMG 6.3-liter V8 mounted just behind the front axle and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that drives the rear wheels. In North American specification, the naturally aspirated eight-cylinder engine delivers 563 hp and 479 pound-feet of torque, while the European model is rated at 571 horsepower and 650 Nm (480 lb-ft) of torque.
Sales of the SLS AMG Roadster will begin this fall.

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