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November 03 News |
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Celebratory
tour
The city of Brescia in northern Italy, where the SLR legend began
48 years ago, was the starting point of a drive by the new Mercedes
McLaren SLR sports car to its premiere at the Frankfurt Show. The
tour took in Affalterbach near Stuttgart, where AMG produces the
SLR engine, on its way to the Festival Hall in Frankfurt, where
this modern version of the gullwing celebrated its world premier.
Formula 1 star Kimi Räikkönen drove the new car on the 500-mile
route, accompanied for part of the way by Sir Stirling Moss at the
wheel of the legendary SLR sports racing car of 1955. It was in
this Silver Arrow that Stirling Moss and navigator Denis Jenkinson
started on the legendary Mille Miglia road race from Brescia in
the early morning of May 1, 1955, winning it in the unbeaten record
time of ten hours, seven minutes and 48 seconds, and an average
speed of 97mph, the fastest Mille Miglia ever recorded. Second place
went to Juan Manuel Fangio, also driving an SLR. It was in January
1999 that Mercedes presented the Vision SLR show car to the world.
The finished car is equipped with the latest racing technology and
pioneering features for safety and practicality. The powerful, supercharged
V8 engine (460 kW/626 hp) catapults the SLR McLaren from standstill
to 62mph in just 3.8 seconds. As in the Formula 1 car the body is
made of carbon fibre, which combines low weight with energy absorption
and provides outstanding occupant protection. The SLR is the world's
first series-production car to feature a front crash structure entirely
of carbon fibre. Adaptive airbags, newly developed knee and sidebags,
belt tensioners and high-performance ceramic brake discs, as well
as an automatically extending air brake in the boot lid, round off
the safety features of the SLR McLaren. |
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Fast
Ladies
More women drivers are opting for new, fast sports cars than ever
before and are taking over what was once the sole preserve of men
in the car market. The female passion for speed with style is fast
growing and has caused some carmakers to sit up and realise this
newfound feminine freedom and wealth means greater potential sales.
Gone are the days when many women drivers were content with driving
a fairly mundane small hatchback or a saloon to do the daily school
runs or supermarket trips. Now many can afford to buy a smart two-seater
open-top sports car like the SLK. Traditionally male-dominated marque
Mercedes is experiencing a surge in women buyers who want to get
behind the wheel of more powerful engines. Mercedes claims that
over the past four years or so women owning their cars has shot
up by 63 per cent. Research shows that 21 per cent of women owning
fast cars have put off a lavish wedding while another 11 per cent
have delayed having a family in order to help pay for them. |
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Russian
about
If you travel to Russia, watch out for these distinctive yellow
Mercedes Sprinters. 200 fixed-route taxis, or 'marshrutki' as they
are known in Russian, have recently been added to the cityscape
of Minsk in Belarus. The minibuses, which are fitted with 20 to
28 seats, travel set routes, stopping on request. Many passengers
prefer these brand-new, safe and comfortable vehicles, which are
operated by a private company, to other bus services. |
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Porter
special
A car with an interesting history raced at the Goodwood Revival,
the special bodied Mercedes 300SL, known as the 'Porter car'. The
story goes that in 1955, a gentleman living in Palm Springs sat
comfortably alongside his swimming pool sipping gin and tonic, happy
in the knowledge that his fondest dream would that very day come
true. But somewhere along the road between Los Angeles and the desert
spa, something went wrong. The brand new Mercedes 300SL coupé,
on its way for delivery, went off the road, overturned and caught
fire. Luckily the driver, reportedly travelling at break-neck speed
in excess of 100mph, escaped with his life. As a result of this
experience the insurance company paid the bill (and probably raised
their premiums). Chuck Porter, an inveterate hot-rodder with plenty
of experience and skill in the business of panel beating, bought
the remains of the SL, and the idea of an American SLR began to
take shape. Most of the body damage was in the cab area, and although
the multi-tube chassis was badly bent, it was salvaged. The body
panels were, of course, steel scrap, and an all-aluminium body was
designed, very much along the lines of the fabulous SLR. Although
the styling can therefore hardly be termed either original or unique,
the execution is beautiful down to the last detail. |
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New
Stuttgart museum
The foundation stone of the new Mercedes Museum has been laid in
Stuttgart, with the building due for completion in spring 2006 ahead
of the Football World Cup. With displays showing the early days,
explaining the history and even affording glimpses into the future,
the new museum will cover every era and milestone of the brand¹s
history. The architecturally striking building offers a unique approach
to exhibiting the fascination of the Mercedes marque. One particular
highlight will be the level entitled "Races and Records",
which will offer a new home to 40 Mercedes-Benz racing and record-breaking
vehicles. Here it will be possible to take in at a single glance
the fascinating world of motor sport, from the early days and the
legendary Silver Arrows right up to the sport's latest developments. |
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Winning
formula
If you think cabriolets are the preserve of a privileged few, think
again. Last year Brits bought over 27,000 roadsters, proving the
market is enjoying one of the biggest booms ever. You can also forget
the idea that you need to spend big money to get the best car. The
Smart roadster is light, simple and affordable, and it employs the
same formula that made British classics like the Triumph Spitfire
and frogeye Sprite so popular. In keeping with the Smart tradition,
the Roadster throws design convention out of the window. From the
vertically stacked headlamps to the visible steel safety cell that
surrounds the car, the roadster is a guaranteed head-turner. |
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Diesel
owners
DMS Automotive, the electronic performance enhancement specialists,
are offering one lucky Mercedes Owner reader the chance to visit
their prestigious new premises in Andover for a FREE vehicle update
(value £600-£800). DMS say that typically power & torque output
are increased by approx 25%, and under normal driving conditions
the upgrade also improves economy. They point out that the enhancement
doesn¹t cause strain or undue wear on any component part of the
vehicle. DMS has nearly seven years experience in tuning diesel
engines and is also now specialises in high performance petrol engines,
in particular Mercedes E55 and SL55. If you own a diesel Mercedes
from the mid nineties to present and wish to go into the draw for
a free DMS update please drop us a line or email us with your name,
address, daytime phone number and email if applicable, together
with your car model and year. email: ian.campbell@mercedesclub.org |
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Smart
operator
This specially converted smart is one of six used in Hamburg to
dispose of illegally dumped refuse. It is despatched when citizens
use a special hotline to report illegally dumped refuse. Smaller
amounts, e.g. in parks, are collected right away by this fast and
agile helper, and in more serious cases it coordinates removal measures
by larger vehicles. |
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Alabama
expansion
Ten years ago, Mercedes built its first passenger car factory outside
Germany, in Alabama. Now it is expanding the plant and doubling
the workforce to produce the Grand Sports Tourer (GST) and the successor
model to the Mercedes-Benz M-Class. Since its market launch, more
than 500,000 M-Class vehicles have been sold in 135 countries around
the world. Demand for the M-Class surpassed expectations and from
1999 to 2002, the M-Class was also produced in Graz, Austria. About
25,000 M-Class vehicles have rolled off the assembly line in Graz
each year for the European market. Our picture shows Professor Jürgen
Hubbert announcing the plant expansion. |
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