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January 04 News |
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Hidden
haul of Merc plates
DVLA has discovered more than 5,000 CLK, SLK and AMG number plates,
which have never been registered to vehicles, in the depths of its
massive registration database. Dating back to when the DVLA's sales
scheme began in 1989, the haul of registrations, which allude to
some of Mercedes most prestigious models, is ready to emerge from
the shadows. In the CLK range, 777 have been sold but 2,691 are
still available including 227 prefix style and 2,464 current style.
In the SLK range 890 have been sold with 129 prefix style and 2,449
current style plates still available. Lastly in the AMG range, 809
have been sold with 449 still available, 163 prefix and 286 current
style. Examples of prefix style plates, which can still be snapped
up, are V99 AMG, X99 CLK, Y50 SLK. Of the current style plates MY03
AMG, DR51 SLK, GB53 CLK, OO53 AMG, JO52 SLK, EM52 CLK amongst others
are still available. Louise Pierpoint, DVLA¹s publicity manager,
said, "This is quite an interesting statistic and I think Mercedes
owners will be surprised that there is still a large selection of
Mercedes related plates available for people who want to make their
car that little bit more distinctive." Prices start from £250.
To find your ideal registration, log on to DVLA's official web site
www.dvlaregistrations.co.uk or call DVLA's Telesales Hotline on
0870 6000 142 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday or on Saturday,
from 9am to 1pm. |
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CLS
coupe is go!
The exciting four-door Vision CLS Coupé study that Mercedes
presented at the Frankfurt Show is set for series production. The
decision was taken on the strength of positive results of a recent
survey. With the CLS, Mercedes is creating a synthesis of the exciting
design of a coupé with the comfort and functionality of a
saloon. The Vision CLS is the latest in a long line of crowd-pulling
Mercedes showcars. In recent years, the Stuttgart-based manufacturer
has unveiled a host of vehicle concepts, most of which have gone
on to enter series production. Examples include the A-Class, the
M-Class, the SLK Roadster, the SLR-McLaren and the future Grand
Sports Tourer. |
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Musical
Sprinter
Musical quintet 'Harmonic Brass' travel in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
316 CDI with long wheelbase when on tour. The spacious van (long
version with 4025-mm wheelbase) has eight comfortable seats and
provides ample room for the five travelling musicians as well as
their instruments and stage wear. The Sprinter covers around 65,000
km per year, ferrying the quintet and their equipment from concert
to concert. In order to ensure safe transport of the valuable musical
instruments as well as the tailcoats and patent-leather shoes, the
band has had the cargo space fully customised. The only thing missing
really is sleeping accommodation, but then the musicians tend to
prefer hotel rooms in any case. |
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Scratch-resistant
paint
After four years of development work, an innovative new clear lacquer
is set to go into series production. Ground-breaking nano-technology
ensures that the new product is substantially more scratch-resistant
than conventional paint. The E, S, CL, SL and SLK-Class model series
are the first cars in the world to be available with this new paint
system, whilst customers of other Mercedes models can look forward
to the increased scratch resistance of nano-paintwork from spring
2004. The newly developed clear lacquer, which contains microscopically
small ceramic particles, hardens in the paintshop oven, forming
an extensively cross-linked network. The paint is thus more effectively
protected against scratches caused by mechanical carwashes, for
example. |
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Carp
a load of this!
Smart of Hertford made a big splash on the recent London to Brighton
Smart run. A fishy lycra costume was fastened to the car's underside
with Velcro, whilst fins, tail and lips were added, with eyes made
from mixing bowls. "The car had more fittings than a bride
for a wedding dress," said Tina Hart, who stopped traffic in
her wake. This year's run attracted 1,300 owners. It began at Kempton
Park Racecourse and finished with a massive display at Brighton's
Black Rock Car Park. |
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One
million Sprinters
The one millionth Mercedes-Benz Sprinter recently left the production
line in Düsseldorf. The company is donating the jubilee vehicle,
a nine-seater 311 CDI in arctic white with a high roof and auxiliary
heating, to the World Childhood Foundation founded by Queen Silvia
of Sweden. The Sprinter has been in production at the Düsseldorf
plant since 1995, and currently approx. 570 vehicles leave the assembly
lines each day. Right from the start the Sprinter range has been
characterised by the wide range of available variants, from a panel
van to a crewbus and the 'James Cook' motor caravan to a tipper.
In addition the van can be ordered with a gas engine or with four-wheel
drive. |
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Hands
free
Smart and Orange have joined forces to build a car with integrated
handsfree phone technology for safer driving. The special edition
Orange Smart city-coupé allows the driver to answer a call
without direct contact with the handset or handsfree attachment.
The pioneering initiative comes in time for the government legislation
banning the use of hand-held mobile phones whilst driving, introduced
in December. The car has black body panels, leather seats with seat
heating, air con, remote central locking, and unique Orange badging,
and includes an orange pay monthly Sony Ericsson T610 mobile phone
and Bluetooth handsfree kit. It costs from £8,995 on the road and
is currently available in Smart showrooms. Find out more about Smart
by visiting web site www.thesmart.co.uk |
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E290
Td upgrade
Did you know that Van Aaken offer an upgrade for mechanically operated
turbodiesels? The popular Mercedes 2.9Td, currently available in
various guises from Daewoo and Kia, was originally fitted to the
E290 and G-class Mercedes. While modern turbodiesels are catered
for with the van Aaken SmartBox plug-in, the company realised that
the mechanically operated turbodiesels have a great deal of potential
to be realised. Van Aaken's SmartPower performance optimisation
can release a significant improvement in both power and torque.
An additional 20bhp and 30ft/lbs from standard improves the driving
experience considerably, with drivers appreciating in particular,
the ability to pull away, climb hills, overtake and cruise. |
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Motability
Vaneo
The compact MPV Vaneo isn't just a family saloon, a recreational
vehicle and spacious means of transport in one; its unique approach
to interior space also makes it ideal for drivers and passengers
with restricted mobility. The space-saving sandwich-floor design
means that despite its compact dimensions, the 4.2 m Vaneo offers
a lot of space for passengers and luggage or for special fittings
and interior conversions. |
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