Mercedes-Benz C230 V6

Those of you who know me would have known that I am pretty much a fan of the 1.8L supercharged (Kompressor) M271 engine. Needless to say, I like this forced-induced 4-pot best in its C230 Kompresssor form good for 193bhp at 5800rpm with peak torque of 260Nm at 3500-4000rpm. Below is the M272 replacing the C230's heart circa 2005 (2006 locally), in the form of an all-aluminium V6 of 2.5L displacement.

The V6 is good for 204 bhp at 6100rpm and max torque 245 Nm at 2900-5500rpm; herein lies the difference between the old C230 Kompressor and the newer C230 V6. While the supercharged 4-pot is indeed more thrilling to drive with more urgent torque delivery, the normally aspirated V6 spells of finesse and refinement (NVH) in the way it gets up to speed. Added to this the 7G-Tronic tranny felt less busy and don't lurch as much as the 5-speeder mated to the 4-pot. No Kompressor whine, no buzz, no busy swing of revs associated with relatively frequent gears hunting. Just smooth sweep of climbing rev with the sweet point circa 4000rpm. Toyed with the paddle shifters I did and with the engine kept on boil above 3500rpm it was sheer pleasure taking this tester (oops! I mean courtesy unit) on winding trunk roads and some hilly stretches. All these while enconsced in Mercedes-Benz trademark smooth-gliding comfort - firm damping yet compliant ride. One thing I must mention here is that finally Mercedes-Benz has got their bi-xenon headlamp beams right - to shine bright and squarely on the road ahead, unlike the halogen-micmicking HID items with patchy illumination on the Avantgarde W211 E-Class (pre-facelift).

The chunky steering (pic below) was very nice to handle while weight and feedback doesn't quite match the E90 325i Sports, it is much more confidence-inspiring than even the new W204 C200K. Same goes for the Avantgarde Sports suspension vs the new C200K, Agility Control (standard as in new C200K) bollocks notwithstanding. It is interesting to note that 2007 C230 has its paddle shifter AMG-style i.e. '-' on the left for downshift and '+' on the right for upshifting. Prior to this I truly dislike the confusing and nonsensical bilateral rocker-switches (+/-) placed discreetly behind the steering wheel of the C230K of 2003-2005.

What you see above is some of the nicest aluminium trim in-cabin, the other one being found in the Audi A4 (B7) 2.0TFSI. I somehow wished the gear shifter knob can be transplanted to my w211 E200K! Side borders of the somewhat concave centre console are of soft-padded trim. Please knock on the corresponding items in the W204 if you get the chance!

The standard 17" French-made Pilot Primacy was grippy and silent, not bad in the wet too...for a Michelin Pilot range! Cross-drilled and ventilated front brake rotor looked the part (pic above) and fared very well scrubbing off velocity.

So in conclusion, the W203 C230 V6 still appeared quite classy (pic above) and relevant in the used car (junior-exec) market. More importantly, it still drives very well, with the V6 powerplant lending a more refined, classy and upmarket appeal to it as the last bastion of the top-end W203 in Malaysia. Chassis and steering dynamics are without a doubt - at least in this C230 AV Sports guise - better than the W204 C200K. It is with this that I am looking forward to sample the new (W204) C230 2.5 V6, bragging its much-touted Advanced Agility Control et al.

Mercedes-Benz sells 500000th SLK

Mercedes-Benz announced a major milestone on Monday as the German automaker sold its 500,000th SLK convertible. The popular SLK roadster was launched in 1997, as a 1998 model, and has long since been the leader in the entry-level premium drop top segment that also includes the Porsche Boxster and BMW Z4.

Surprisingly, 190,000 of those sales were tallied by the second-generation SLK, which has only been on the market since 2004.

Since the SLK's launch, Mercedes' home country, Germany, has accounted for over a third of SLK sales. The rest of Western Europe represents another third of the car's sales, with the U.S. accounting for one of every five SLKs sold, according to Motor Authority.

The most popular model of the roadster in the SLK200.

The SLK most recently received a minor update for 2008, which included revised styling and upgraded powertrains.

Mercedes CLK Grand Edition

Daimler launched the Mercedes CLK Grand Edition on the Netherlands market. The new CLK Grand Edition arrives with a latest, bigger chromed exhaust as well as 18” 5-spoke light alloy-wheels.

The interior features a sports-steering wheel with as automatic transmission and shift paddles. It is available in different colours: obsidian black, palladium silver, Irridium silver and metallic Diamond.

The leather interior appears in Tobacco beige with black with gray or brown. It also features aluminium pedals and some more aluminium touches. The Grand Edition is offered with following engines: CLK, SLK 280 and 350, CLK 200 KOMPRESSOR 4-cylinder, CLK 200 CDI and 320 CDI.

Source: Supercarblog

ART GTR 374 based on Mercedes-Benz CLS 350

The new super sports car from ART for the European market on the basis CLS 350 is ready for take off. It covers all wishes concerning a hotblooded sports car of formidable performance and subtle, elegant design in coup manner. Unique star that leaves nothing to be desired.

The developers from ART in Nuremberg, Germany succeeded in launching the GTR 374 into the segment of top-class sports cars for the European market. Comprehensive, tightly focussed upgrades transformed the basis CLS 350 into a meaty sports tool with brilliant performance. At the same time its appearance displays an air of diplomatic elegance, without drifting into the harsh design lines of its class competitors.

A shift into a higher level for the 4-door CLS coup from Mercedes-Benz concerning performance, exterior and interior. During the MotorShow Essen in December 2006 the refined sports vehicle as shown above has its first introduction to the public. During 3 month extended roadshow the vehicle will be presented on the premises of the most successful Mercedes-Benz dealers in germany.

Engine

GTR 374: Supercharger system AK35 incl. Intercooler with heat exchanger, special v-belt, optimized ECU & Vmax delimiter, performance increase 374 PS /510 Nm
Sport exhaust system made of stainless steel with metal catalytic converters and 4 double-walled 100mm end pipes.

Suspension

4 link front suspension and multi-link independent rear suspension with a track widening of front/rear 70 and 80mm, and ART sport suspension package with 40mm lowering.

Body

- Wider body with especially developed front wings, wider sills, door applications on the rear doors as well as wider rear wings
- Front spoiler bumper with double lip and additional double light system
- Lamella grill without MB star
- Rear bumper with integrated diffusor
- ART and GTR vehicle lettering with replacement of the MB stars
- Special paintings with racer lines
- ART headlamp system Bi-XENON BLACK with active turning light
End of ART GTR 374 based on Mercedes-Benz CLS 350 review.

Mercedes SL600 by Fab Design

The expert hand of the designer is needed to show off the existing characteristic features of the SL 600. The Mega Wing bodykit of FAB DESIGN creates a distinct accentuation without wiping off the existing qualities of the luxury Roadster.

THE DESIGN: with the innovated bodykit FAB DESIGN reaches a noticeable connection between design and function as well as the harmonious integration of the basis models.

The FAB DESIGN frontskirt forms a unit together with the fender and takes up the line guidance of the SL. A big opening placed in the middle provides a lot of fresh air for the coolers.The left and rightside intakes serve a lot of cooling for the brakes. Despite the enlargment of the fender, the harmony and elegance of the basic vehicle is fully preserved. The side openings with the integrated flippers below the salient enlargment act as additional cooling elements. The lightly overstanding sideskirts at the door bottom edge make the SL look not only sporty, but also dynamical and optically lower. Besides its creates a runing transition to the clearly enlarged wheel housing of the Roadster. The cooling intakes on the rear fender provides a lot of ventilation, for a sufficient cooling for the back brakesystem.

The sophisticated and unique design of the rear bumper convert the SL next to the efficient aerodynamic also a breath taking optic. The lightly supported fundation of the spoiler produces an excellent downforce value. Lateral cooling slits reduce the whirlwind in the wheel house, at high speed.


The design integrated endpipes of the exhaust are a world premiere and in their kind single. The entire rearspoiler becomes a convincing composition of art (form) and aerodynamic function.

FAB DESIGN goes own ways also for the light alloy wheel. The 3-pices forged FAB DESIGN type 6 EVOLINE wheel fascinates through its own and athletical optic. The aluminium wheels look through the low bed particularly big, the polished wheelcenter gives simultaneously elegance and spirit. The visible titan screws look technical and give a sporty finish The front axle is fitted with wheels in dimensions of 10J x 20, the SL 600 rearaxle even with 12J x 20 inch. Dunlop Sportmax tires in the dimensions of 255/30 ZR 20 for the frontaxle and 305/25 ZR 20 for the rearaxle, providing sufficient Grip by all speeds. Combined with the modificated suspension results an indescribable curvening pleasure without influencing negatively the straight run.

The already from SL 600 FAB DESIGN well knowed Butterfly, sideways sliding doors to the top, have been consequently further developed through the FAB DESIGN engineers, so that the hinges are integrated in the fender and invisible. They let appear the car in an extravagant appearance. An own developed electronical device open the sliding doors by simply touch a button. If required they can be opened also manually.


The interior equipment is impressive at first, in harmony with the vehicle's outside- color. The interior dominates the utilized Fabulous Perl Orange and make matching the outside coulor . The orange colored Leather and the Domino-Alcantara, velour's , carbon are binding fluently with the precious surface, producing a surpassing effect.

The performance: the engineers from FAB DESIGN have developed a costly conversion that upgrades the performance of the V12 Biturbo to 650 PS and the torque to fabulous 1120 Newtonmeter. In the FAB DESIGN S60 BT performance kit only strengthen or new constructed parts are used, which in spite of high strain guarantee a long life duration, as they are usualy in the (OEM) set. The mechanic and electronic of the gear unit belongs also to the extend of the upgraded performance package as well as the power of the adaptation of the SL 600 brake system.

VALUE:

• performance: 641 hp by 5400 rpm.
  
• torque: 826 lbs-ft by 1800-3600 rpm.
  
• top speed 198 mph
  
• acceleration 0-60 mph 4 Sec.
  

Information founded at topspeed.com

Mercedes Benz C63 AMG

The 2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG has finally been unveiled. Based on the all-new C-Class, it packs a 457 hp 6.3-litre V8 under the hood in a tight little package that beats the new BMW M3 and rips apart the Audi RS4 in terms of power.

Mercedes-Benz has revealed the first details of its new super sedan, the C63 AMG, which will out perform its segment competitors thanks to a V8 powerplant that enables the car to sprint to 100 kph in just 4.5 seconds.

Underneath the sleek hood with its prominent power bulges is a 6.3-litre engine that develops 457 hp which is very close to the 470 hp produced by the race-winning AMG C-Class currently competing in the DTM series.

Maximum torque of 600 Nm of torque is unrivalled in its class and provides maximum acceleration in any engine speed range.

The high-performance eight cylinder engine is partnered by the AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic transmission. Equipped with AMG steering wheel shift paddles there are three driving modes with the ‘M’mode changing gears 50 percent faster than the Comfort setting,

Outstanding handling dynamics comes thanks to an all-new three-link front axle design with springs and gas shock absorbers ensuring optimal road contact and low body movement in cornering. The multi-link independent rear suspension has a 12 millimetre wider track and more camber than the standard C-Class giving improved cornering performance.

Inside the AMG instrument cluster in a tubular design features newly styled dials, AMG-specific lettering and a new night-time design. The AMG main menu in a central display allows numerous settings including ‘Warm Up’, ‘Set Up’ and ‘Race’ modes activatesd via buttons on the steering wheel. ‘Warm Up’ displays engine oil and coolant temperatures, ‘Set Up’ the current ESP mode and transmission settings such as ‘S’, ‘C’ or ‘M’. ‘Race’ mode makes the Racetimer available with which the driver can measure lap times on a race track




By Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury | DriveArabia.com



















Picture : AutoUnleashed