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August 06 News |
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Diesel advances
Mercedes has announced diesel versions of its new ML- and GL-Class models. The ML420 and
GL420 CDI are both powered by a 306 hp V8 diesel engine with the latest generation of CDI
technology. The torque output of the 4.0 litre engine has risen to 700 Newton metres and is available
across an engine speed range of 2000 to 2600 rpm. The engine will push the ML 420 to 60 mph in 6.8
seconds, and the heavier GL 420 in 7.2 seconds. Both vehicles are equipped with the new
7G-TRONIC automatic transmission and will average between 26 and 27 mpg in normal driving.
The ML 420 and GL 420 will be available in Europe in October.
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Unimog award
The Unimog off-roader has been voted number one in the special vehicles category by readers of a
leading off road magazine for the second year running. Some 5,000 readers selected the winner from
among 67 nominated vehicles, Mercedes being among the front-runners in two categories. The Unimog
U 3000 took first place in its category with 64 per cent of votes and came in for praise for its portal axles
and rigidity. The G-Wagen took second place in the 'off-road classics' category.
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Booming E sales
Mercedes has taken more than 30,000 orders in Europe for the new E-Class that went on sale in June. Mercedes has put the focus on safety for the
revamped version of the E-Class, eager to move beyond the quality problems that dogged its predecessor and hurt the brand’s image. Company officials
stressed that the model's quality hiccups, especially in its on-board electronics, had been fixed. Mercedes has given no sales forecasts for the revamped
version of the E-Class. The previous version has sold more than 1 million units since the saloon made its debut in early 2002 and the estate version a year
later, making it the biggest-selling business car.
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SLR recall
DaimlerChrysler is recalling 2005 and 2006 Mercedes SLR McLaren models due to a problem with the electrical system. The 617-hp car with a top
speed of 208 mph could catch fire due to the high temperatures generated by the electrical system and the resulting damage inflicted upon the vehicle's
alternator. So far, no fire or accidents have been reported.
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Kimi rules out wins in 2006
Kimi Räikkönen reckons his McLaren is still not quick enough to challenge for wins in 2006. The
Finn, who is likely to leave the Mercedes-powered outfit at the end of the year, finished third at
Silverstone and in Canada. But he said the British grand prix, dominated by Renault's Fernando
Alonso, was more representative of the MP4-21 car's actual pace. 'And we weren't quick enough,'
said Räikkönen. Part of McLaren's problem in England was a lack of outright top speed, but
the 26-year-old admitted that the handling of his silver car was also not right.
Räikkönen continued: ‘The car was pretty hard to drive.
We've improved it a bit but we are still too
slow to fight for wins.
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Carlsson builds CK35 road car
Mercedes tuner Carlsson has built
a customized version of the
Mercedes SLK350 based on is
CK35 RS race car. The street-
legal CK 35 features a tuned
version of the Mercedes 3.5-litre
V6 with 295 horsepower and 284
pound-feet of torque. The
increased output means the car
can reach 62 mph in 5.7 seconds,
and hit a top speed of 168 mph.
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Wicked M-Class kit
Have you been
desperately searching for
a way to add extra design
elements to your M-Class?
In what's sure to become
one of the most
controversial body kits for
the vehicle, ASMA
Design’s Gladiator II tuning
package includes a new
bonnet with air intakes,
new front bumper with air
intakes, redesigned rear
bumper, sport exhaust
system, and a monstrous
new grille said to resemble
a gladiator shield, hence
the name, Gladiator II.
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$1.7 million Lemon?
The owner of a Los Angeles dealership has
sued DaimlerChrysler, claiming the Mercedes
AMG CLK-GTR he bought for $1.7 million is a
lemon. Mark Johnston, co-owner of Grand Prix
Motors, said that when he took the 12-cylinder,
612-hp car out for its first drive with a
prospective buyer two years ago, the oil light
came on, the gears wouldn't shift properly and
the car shuddered violently. The vehicle is one
of five known to exist and is listed in the
Guinness Book of World Records as the most
expensive production car ever made. Johnston
claims he has been unable to get Mercedes to
pay for repairs. A Mercedes USA spokesperson
said: "The customer bought the vehicle directly
from Germany. We don't import it, and we
don't have the ability or the parts or the training
to service it”.
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