If there’s one thing we know about the Mercedes SLR McLaren, it’s that despite its age, it’s never too old to have a new program built for it.
For the latest work done on it, the SLR McLaren was treated to a new blue-and-black wrap by the foil experts CUT48, who took the pretty risky job of dressing up the German supercar. If you think this job is easy, think again; there’s a lot of tedious work behind it, beginning with the choice of foil, design, and coordination of colors. And that doesn’t even take into account the actual job of wrapping the car in foil.
The aesthetic improvements are nice, but we really care most about what’s going on under that hood. This McLaren SLR received a program from EDO Competition that includes an ECU remapping, the addition of new sport air filters and sport catalytic converters, an upgraded compressor, a new exhaust manifold, and a modified intake system.
All told, the SLR now hits 722 horsepower and 657 pound-feet of torque with a 0 to 200 km/h (124 mph) time of under 10 seconds with a top speed of 214 mph, numbers that can put even today’s most popular supercars to shame.
Out of the limelight of the Detroit Auto Show comes a new program from noted aftermarket tuner mcchip-dkr.
We already saw the initial stages of the MC700 program for the Mercedes SLS AMG late last year, but now, there are plenty of modifications to go around, highlighted by a two-stage program on the car’s 571-horsepower, 6.3-liter V-8 engine.
Stage 1, as was detailed previously, includes the operation of a mechanically driven compressor to go with the installation of a pure compressor supercharger kit, the optimization of ECU software, and the addition of a Capristo exhaust system. This resulted in the improvement of the supercar’s output to 680 horsepower and 568 pounds per feet of torque.
If that isn’t enough to tickle your fancy, the brawnier Stage Two option comes with a more aggressive ECU remap to go with a new sports catalyst, further spiking the output to a spicy 708 horsepower and 585 pounds per feet of torque.
For the Stage One program, you’ll have to shell out €69,900 ($93,400), while the Stage Two kit will set you back an additional €9,099 ($12,100), rounding it out to €78,999, or about $105,500.
In addition to the comprehensive engine upgrade, this new program also boasts a matte-grey body wrap courtesy of CoverEFX at a price of €5,999 ($8,000), as well as a new KW sports suspension kit with an HLS 4 system, a technology that for €12,999 ($17,300), can adjust the car’s front and rear axles back to factory height at just a click of a button.
The upcoming Mercedes C63 AMG sedan has been caught testing many times, but the prototypes were heavily camouflaged and it was pretty difficult to imagine how the real car will look.
Today, based on those spy shots and with design elements inspired by the new E63 AMG, we have created a rendering that will help you get a pretty good idea of the C63 AMG’s final look.
The AMG version will be distinguished by bigger brakes, wider fenders, and a front bumper with bigger air intakes and, of course, the AMG quad exhaust pipes.
The future C63 AMG will be powered by the same engine as the previously announced AMG models. This engine will deliver a total of 550 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and a peak torque of 531 pound-feet delivered between 1,750 and 5,250 rpm. The engine will be mated to an AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT seven-speed sports transmission and we expect to see the same high-performance 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system as seen in the previous AMG models.
Up to this point, everyone knows that Mercedes is about to unveil a small A-Class-based SUV named the GLA. While until now our spy photographers have caught only the standard version during its testing sessions. Today, however, the GLA45 AMG has been caught testing for the first time.
In fact, Mercedes’ decision to also offer an AMG version for the upcoming GLA-Class is genius, considering that we are going to see a production version of the Audi RS Q3 Concept.
This GLA45 AMG prototype was caught testing in the freezing cold of Nothern Sweden. When compared to a standard version, this prototype features dual exhaust pipes, bigger wheels and cross-drilled brakes. Our spy photographers also noted that when it drive off in full throttle it confirmed the fact that it was indeed an AMG version.
The Mercedes GLA45 AMG is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers a total of 350 horsepower. The engine is mated to a seven-speed AMG Speedshift MCT dual-clutch gearbox that sends the power to all four wheels.
The standard GLA-Class will be unveiled in September at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show and we expect the AMG version to arrive in early 2014.
Along with the standard sedan version, the next-generation Mercedes S-Class will also receive a coupe version that will replace the current CL-Class. The coupe version hasn’t been taken out for a testing session yet, but we do know from the sedan version that it will receive a muscular appearance with an aggressive front end, flanks with a prominent drop line, and a rounded turret line.
There are still no details on the engines the upcoming S-Class Coupe will carry under the hood, but Mercedes did confirm that it will take on the Bentley Continental GT. This statement makes us believe Mercedes will offer up a choice of V-12 and V-8 engines, with output levels north of the 550-horsepower mark.
The new Mercedes S-Class Coupe will be unveiled at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. It will be followed by an S-Class Convertible version a few months after.
Stay tuned for more information!
Image Note: The above image is a TopSpeed rendering of the upcoming S-Class Coupe. It is not an official image
Most of you probably know that as of 2012 racing season Lewis Hamilton’s career with McLaren ended and that starting 2013 racing season he will move to Mercedes AMG. As a tribute to his McLaren era and in honor of his birthday, we now present you a compilation with the greatest memories of the Lewis Hamilton-McLaren partnership.
Lewis Hamilton has scored some amazing results in his racing career with McLaren, such as his 2007 win at the Hungarian Grand Prix from pole position, in 2008 he won the Australian Grand Prix and the Belgian Grand Prix, and the list could go on like this forever. It’s true he also had a series of incidents, like the most recent one during the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix, but his overall performance under the McLaren colors was pretty impressive.
So, kick back and enjoy reliving the moments of one of the more successful partner ships in recent F1 history.
While we are waiting for the new-generation Mercedes C-Class to arrive on the market, Misha Design has updated the look of the current generation C-Class. The tuner is preparing a cool body kit offered for both the coupe and sedan versions, and can be applied to the standard C-Class and AMG models.
Those of you interested in updating the look of your C-Class, the tuner is offering an upgrade kit that transform the car into a more muscular one. The kit includes a new front bumper with larger air intakes that provide a better engine cooling, a new front spoiler and a modified hood.
The updates continue on the car’s side and rear where Misha adds new side skirts, a new rear bumper and diffuser. The exhausts system has also received new tailpipes and a trunk-mounted spoiler will further improve C-class’ appearance.
Full details on the body kit will be announced in the upcoming days, so if you want to further customize your C-Class stay with us for more details.
Along with the facelift for the entire E-Class lineup, it looks like Mercedes decided to offer us quite a big surprise at next week’s Detroit Auto Show in the form of an updated version for the CLS 63 AMG, with a top-version S-Model. The new addition to the line-up: CLS 63 AMG S-Model features an updated look and an even more powerful engine.
The new S-Model delivers a few extra ponies over the standard CLS 63 AMG, so it is also a little bit faster to 100 km/h (62 mph) too.
All the updates offered in the S-Model, help it deliver further increase traction, even greater driving dynamics and enhanced driving enjoyment, especially on the race track.
The new Mercedes CLS 63 AMG S-Model will make its world debut next week at the Detroit Auto Show with sales to being later in the summer of 2013.
Hit the jump to read more about the Mercedes CLS 63 AMG S-Model.
German aftermarket specialist Vilner won’t waste your time with any performance upgrades. That’s not their style.
Instead, they specialize in the kind of modification that makes the interior of a standard Mercedes SLS AMG look pauper-ish by comparison. That’s not directed at the fine folks of Mercedes, who we believe do an outstanding job with styling choices.
It’s just that Vilner specializes on this kind of thing, so much so that anytime they work on an interior of a car, you expect nothing short of spectacular.
On this particular program, that’s exactly what they did, and the result is bloody impressive. There’s a whole lot that went to this program so instead of just rambling on about it, just hop on past the jump and find out what Vilner did to this particular Mercedes SLS AMG.
Here are a couple of hints: leather and Alcantara.
German aftermarket wizard, MKB, believes in the concept of "no frills" modifications. That’s why when it decided to upgrade its existing program for the Mercedes CLS 63 AMG, it did so by throwing this caveat: "Being MKB and being a German technology tuner MKB omits any optical gimmicks.”
That’s right; it’s calling aesthetic upgrades “gimmicks,” because for MKB, it’s all about what’s lying under the hood of that luxury sports sedan and we tend to agree.
When it comes to engine modifications, MKB takes its craft very seriously; seriously enough that the previous program that netted the CLS 63 AMG a total of 640 horsepower (up from the standard 550 ponies) doesn’t cut it anymore.
So MKB’s engineers went back to the lab and carefully readjusted the car’s ECU and tossed in some additional carefully tuned mechanic parts, including high-flow exhaust systems and tuned boost pressure.
This kit will boost your German Sports Sedan up to a total of 700 horsepower to go with an astounding 737 pound-feet of torque. Whatever language you speak, it’s hard not to come to the same conclusion that those are ill numbers.
As a result, of the added horsepower and torque numbers, you CLS 63 AMG will sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.1 seconds, 0.2 seconds faster than the version fitted with the optional AMG Performance Package. The top speed, which previously peaked at only 155 mph, will be bumped to an electronically-limited 186 mph. If you’re really extreme and choose to take out the limiter altogether, your luxury sports saloon can spank even those Italian super cars to the tune of 211 mph.
Here’s the best part: the conversion to MKB’s P700 program is already available, and comes with a full MKB warranty. In Germany, the tuner is even offering the conversion even with TÜV and emission class Euro 5.
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