mercedes

Car Tech Live 177: Is HD Radio finally catching on? (podcast)

How many runaway Toyotas weren't?, Chevy Volt gets cheeky battery warranty, Mercedes' SLS gets batteries, HD Radio gets some traction, Ford hangs up on texting while driving, and we take you for a drive in the 2011 BMW 535i.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 177 SHOW NOTES

• Electric Mercedes SLS

• Chevy Volt gets 100,000 mile battery warranty

• Tesla cranks up its first prototypes for Toyota

• Will electric car driving ranges get a big haircut?

• Google helps find you a parking space

Mercedes-Benz shows off its green supercar

When Mercedes-Benz showed off its new SLS AMG supercar at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show, the company said it would also build an electric version of the SLS. We promptly ignored that claim as lip service to green pressure, and proceeded to drool over the truly stunning SLS AMG.

But now Mercedes-Benz has released photos and specs for the SLS AMG E-Cell, teaching us not to dismiss Mercedes-Benz's intentions as idle plans.

This vehicle uses the SLS AMG's body and most of its original suspension, but replaces the 6.3-liter V-8 engine with four electric motors, one positioned … Read more

New Mercedes-Benz CLS gets more power, uses less gas

After Mercedes-Benz launched its 5.5-liter V-8 in the 2005 S550, that engine found its way into almost every other Mercedes-Benz model. It appeared in the CL, CLS, E, ML, GL, G, and SL class cars. Now, Mercedes-Benz has developed a new V-8 using direct injection and turbochargers, which will first appear in the upcoming 2011 CLS550.

If Mercedes-Benz stayed true to its model naming convention, this new CLS would be called the CLS460 Kompressor, or possibly Doppel-Kompressor. The new V-8 is smaller than its predecessor, displacing 4.6-liters, yet makes more power. The new engine achieves 429 horsepower and … Read more

Mercedes-Benz builds a muscle car

It's a simple formula: put a big engine in a small car. With Mercedes-Benz's C63 AMG, that results in zero-to-60 mph close to 4 seconds. The C63 AMG's relatively short wheelbase also means easy rotation in the corners. All of these factors had us taking every opportunity we could to drive the 2010 C63 AMG, but the main reason we like this car so much is the sounds of danger that come from the tailpipe. You can hum along at 2,000rpm and no one will look twice, but rev the engine and people will think there … Read more

Looking for an apartment? You may get a free iPad with your rent

How hot is Apple's iPad? Hot enough to use as a promotional tool for everything from buying a new car to renting a new apartment. In Portland, Oregon, while searching for a new place to call home, I came across several ads for apartments touting all the normal amenities, showing pictures of their fabulous views, and describing their "perfect" location. But, in the last couple weeks, something new has appeared on these listings.

With the increasing popularity of Apple's iPad, I would imagine more retailers would start to use it as a potential closing incentive. Car … Read more

Renting your apartment could come with a free iPad

How hot is Apple's iPad? Hot enough to use as a promotional tool for everything from buying a new car to renting a new apartment. In Portland, Oregon, while searching for a new place to call home, I came across several ads for apartments touting all the normal amenities, showing pictures of their fabulous views, and describing their "perfect" location. But, in the last couple weeks, something new has appeared on these listings.… Read more

Mercedes equips dealers with iPads

"So let's go back to the office and work the numbers."

Those are the words most car buyers dread. They come just before figures are pulled out of some accountant's bottom (drawer) in a room adorned with pictures of large people playing golf.

I can offer you a smidgen of joy, should you be wishing to waft into a Mercedes dealership this Memorial Day weekend.

It seems certain of these exalted places are being equipped with iPads, so your friendly dealer can inspire you to closure without the smell of leather ever leaving your nostrils.

According to the Wall Street Journal, … Read more

Mercedes robots test automated driving moves

Mercedes-Benz is putting robot stunt drivers in the front seat in the hopes that bots can make the cars safer for humans.

Mercedes says its production-series cars equipped with robotic systems are the first in the world to test computer-controlled safety maneuvers, such as near-misses, that can't be reproduced by human drivers.

In the test cars, separate robot systems control steering, acceleration, and braking. An onboard computer runs the machines so the vehicle follows a programmed course on a closed test track.

Aside from collision avoidance in near-misses, Mercedes says it's examining maneuvers such as merging at different … Read more

'Top Gear' tests for best drifting cars

While it has been fun watching Jeremy Clarkson of BBC's "Top Gear" fame test out fantastic rides for a thrill, I figured why not keep the fun going and bring on all the guys from "Top Gear"--Anthony Davidson and The Stig in this instance--as they try to figure out what the best car is for drifting.

In case you didn't know, drifting is "a driving technique and to a motor sport where the driver intentionally oversteers, causing loss of traction in the rear wheels through turns, while maintaining vehicle control and a … Read more