Automotive Einstein

What to make of the fact that the Mercedes-Benz Galendewagen has seen a nearly fifty percent increase in sales from 2009 to 2011? The fact that this vehicle, which was originally designed for military, not civilian, use, is now more than thirty years old (it dates from 1979) apparently does little to deter its well-heeled buyers. Nor does the ancient SUV’s appalling gas mileage (13 mpg combined city/highway, in the case of the G550). The fact that a GL, or an ML, is far roomier inside also appears to be irrelevant.

Photo Gallery: First Drive: 2013 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG – Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: First Drive: 2013 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG – Automobile Magazine

I didn’t get a chance to really test this C300′s 4Matic all-wheel drive system but the C-class in any iteration always feels comfortable, luxurious, and, above-all, rock solid. The doors, trunk, and even the glove box close with a satisfying “thunk” that reinforces this impression. On the road, though the C-class is anything but heavy or oppressive to drive. Instead, it manages to be effortless without feeling soft or detached.

Photo Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic – Editors’ Notebook – Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic – Editors’ Notebook – Automobile Magazine

Automotive journalists have a slightly warped view of the high-end sports car market. While we feeble automotive scribes pine for a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series or for Porsche to offer a 911 GT3 RS with manual cloth seats and an A/C delete option, most real buyers aren’t interested in such compromise for ultimate performance. The truth is that many customers simply want a sports car that’s fast, a convertible, sounds good, and one that their significant other will actually ride in. Enter the Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG that we recently drove in the south of France.

Photo Gallery: First Drive: 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG – Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: First Drive: 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG – Automobile Magazine

When it opened a new plant in Hungary to build the B-Class, Mercedes-Benz announced that the factory also would build a compact “four door coupe.” That car is being previewed at the Beijing Motor Show by the Concept Style Coupe, which probably gives a strong indication of the new production car’s design.

Photo Gallery: First Look: Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupe – Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: First Look: Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupe – Automobile Magazine

As luxury brands try to appeal to the eco-conscious crowd (and meet upcoming CAFE regulations) we’re going to see a lot more diesel or hybrid offerings. Right now Mercedes and Audi are vying for the title of best luxury brand use of a diesel engine outside the traditional SUV segment. At the moment, Mercedes is winning.

Photo Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350 BlueTEC – Editors’ Notebook – Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350 BlueTEC – Editors’ Notebook – Automobile Magazine

The great irony of the Mercedes-Benz SL is that, for decades, its name has stood for Sport Lightweight — two characteristics attributable to not a single SL produced in the last fifty years. If Stuttgart would stop promising “sports car” levels of performance, we’d probably stop expecting Porsche 911 levels of involvement. If the engineers stopped calling the SL “light,” we wouldn’t criticize it for being nearly as heavy as an S-class sedan.

Photo Gallery: 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL550 – First Drive – Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL550 – First Drive – Automobile Magazine

The launch of an all-new M-Class last year seems to have sparked a wave of renovation within the Mercedes-Benz SUV portfolio. The automaker has hinted at a revised G-Class, shown off an updated GLK-Class model, and now, at the 2012 New York auto show, has officially launched the all-new 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class.

Photo Gallery: First Look: 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class – Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: First Look: 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class – Automobile Magazine