REVIEWS: First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe

According to http://www.automobilemag.com

The addition of a two-door coupe to the C-class lineup has given AMG the opportunity to expand the family of its popular C63 AMG model. Currently offered as a sedan and (in Europe) a wagon, the C63 adds a coupe variant for the 2012 model year. Mechanically, the coupe and sedan are identical, with one significant upgrade coming to both for 2012. The two-door is the same size as its four-door sibling, but its lower body, more intimate cabin, and sportier styling make it a racier distillation of the C63 formula.

Familiar motivator
The C63 coupe’s 6.2-liter V-8 is an engine that we know (and love) from the C63 sedan-and elsewhere in the AMG line-up. What do we love about it? The deep rumble on start-up, its quick bark during full-throttle upshifts, the roar as it passes by at full gallop, and of course the tremendous response, which is both linear and lag-free. But the big V-8 actually is on its way out; it has already been replaced by a smaller, 5.5-liter bi-turbo V-8 in the CL63 and the S63, the blown 5.5 powers the new CLS63 AMG, and for 2012 it steps in for the 6.2-liter in the E63 as well. Why not use it here? The answer, from AMG’s head of product development Tobias Moers, is that the 5.5-liter biturbo makes more torque than the smaller C-class chassis can handle (516 pound-feet in the E63). ……………………..

To know more, visit http://www.automobilemag.com

2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class Grand Edition Bows

According to http://www.insideline.com

Just the Facts:

• The 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class Grand Edition made its European debut on Monday, but the German automaker tells Inside Line that it won’t be sold in the U.S.
• The GL-Class Grand Edition is a luxury off-roader with such upscale touches as a redesigned front bumper with integrated LED daytime running lights and two-tone leather seats.
• It ranges in price from $112,999 for the GL350 CDI 4Matic BlueEfficiency to $139,657 for the GL500 4Matic.

STUTTGART, Germany — The 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class Grand Edition made its European debut on Monday, but the German automaker tells Inside Line that it won’t be sold in the U.S.

“No plans to offer it here,” said Mercedes-Benz USA spokesman Rob Moran in an e-mailed reply to anInside Line query.

The seven-passenger GL-Class Grand Edition, a luxury off-roader, ranges in price from $112,999 for the GL350 CDI 4Matic BlueEfficiency to $139,657 for the GL500 4Matic.

Cosmetic upgrades include light-alloy wheels, two-tone leather seats in a new design and a wood-and-leather steering wheel in black ash. The GL-Class Grand Edition also gets a redesigned front bumper with integrated LED daytime running lights, dark-tinted headlights and a radiator grille with black, high-gloss louvers.

The GL-Class Grand Edition is available in several engine choices, including a 340-horsepower 4.6-liter V8 in the GL450 model to a 388-hp 5.5-liter V8 in the GL500 model.

Mercedes-Benz says despite its deluxe amenities, the GL-Class Grand Edition has “genuine off-road credentials.” It is equipped with an Airmatic air suspension that enables ground clearance of up to 12 inches. A standard Off-Road Pro technical package includes a limited-slip rear axle and center differentials. It also gets Off-Road antilock brakes, Downhill Speed Regulation and Hill-Start Assist.

Inside Line says: If you’re looking for an off-roader with country-club credentials, you’ll have to look elsewhere. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent

For more information, visit  http://www.insideline.com