Mercedes Benz CLK Cabrio rolls off the line

While production of the CLK Coupe ceased back in January, the CLK Cabrio has been rolling off the Karmann factory floor in Osnabrück, Germany, right up until today. Karmann is an independent vehicle manufacturer specializing in convertible models and has built a number of cars for major automakers like Mercedes Benz and Audi.

Unfortunately for Karmann, the global economic crisis has hit it hard, causing a number of manufacturing contracts to dry up. This has led to the company filing for bankruptcy and as of Monday next week no more production will be taking place at Karmann until it can emerge from the bankruptcy process, reports Automotive News Europe.

As for the CLK Cabrio, the car will remain on sale until the arrival of the new E-Class Cabrio in the first half of next year. According to Mercedes, there is sufficient stock to last until that time.

Karmann, on the other hand, may have a bright future in the form of a new partnership with German electrical utility Energy Group (EWE). The two companies have stated that their goal is to "explore the integration of electric vehicles into the EWE electricity and telecommunications network", and already a concept vehicle has been produced. Given Karmann’s prickly financial state, however, it may be some time until we see the company back to full scale production.

Mercedes updates the G-Class for 30th birthday

Adding value to a successful design that's been essentially unchanged for 30 years might seem like an unecessary fix, but Mercedes has seen fit to add a few interior updates to its G-Class for its 30th year on the road.

The updates include a new set of 'ergonomically optimized' front seats which ostensibly improve comfort while adding better lateral bolstering for off-road support. Also on the list is a new rear bench seat with more modern appointments, including styling intended to echo that of the front bucket seats.

The new interior is available in either black or gray cloth and black, gray or chestnut leather. High-spec designo leather in black or classic red is also available for order, as is piano lacquer black wood trim. Early in 2010, a Labrador blue designo stone trim will also be available.

A few tech updates made the grade as well, including a now-standard auxiliary jack for music input, and ambient lighting is now available for the interior as well. A media interface for iPod or other USB devices can also be purchased.

Finally, the outside gets a choice of 'palladium silver metallic' or 'designo platinum magno' finishes in addition to the standard colors previously on offer.

The remainder of the range, from trim to powertrain, remains the same as the previous versions, including the G350 CDI, G500 and the 507hp (378kW) G55 AMG. For more on the G-Class and its 30th Anniversary celebrations, check out our story on the Mercedes G-Class EDITION30 models.

Benz News - Mercedes Benz may offer CLS Grand Edition in U.S.

The four-door coupe segment is rapidly growing, but the modern progenitor of the niche, the Mercedes Benz CLS, is still powering along. A brand new special edition dubbed the Grand Edition has just been launched in the UK but the car may eventually be sold in the U.S., according to Mercedes Benz.

The Grand Edition cars are packed with extra equipment as standard and are offered with several unique color options, but essentially they are just a new range-topping trim level for the CLS range. While the latest version is a UK-only package, Mercedes Benz spokesman Rob Moran has revealed to Edmunds that the Grand Edition is being considered for the U.S. and if it does arrive it “won’t be offered until next year's model changeover, MY 2011."

Some of the special features that may be offered on a U.S. version of the Grand Edition include AMG-spec light alloy wheels, unique bumpers and badging, and slight power hikes over the standard models. The current CLS Grand Edition based on the 272hp CLS 350 CDI V6 turbodiesel, for example, features an additional 48hp (36kW) and 37lb-ft (50Nm) of torque.

In keeping with its positioning as the range-topping model in the CLS range (ignoring the AMG model), pricing for the Grand Edition will be set higher than the standard model.

Picture Gallery: 2010 Mercedes Benz CLS Grand Edition

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Benz News - Three-cylinder engine planned for next Mercedes C-Class

Expect to see smaller engines and more hybrid options for future Mercedes Benz models, as high fuel prices and greater environmental concerns push buyers – even luxury oriented ones - towards more efficient vehicles. The solution for most automakers, including arch rival BMW, is to downsize engines and increase the use of forced induction, and this is exactly what Mercedes plans to do for its next-generation of cars.

Mercedes has already shown off its DiesOtto engine, which in prototype form has already achieved 39mpg fuel-economy in the large S-Class saloon, and it’s just months away from launching the new S400 and ML450 hybrid vehicles. A new report from AutoWeek.nl, however, suggests that the automaker has much more drastic plans in store.

Mercedes R&D chief Thomas Weber has revealed that by 2012 almost the full lineup will be available with a hybrid option, and that customers will also be able to opt for three-cylinder engines in certain models. The three-cylinder engines will be much lighter than current four-cylinder designs, not to mention a whole lot more fuel efficient.

Weber went on to reveal that Mercedes is currently looking for a partner to help develop the new three-cylinder engine and that some of the models it will appear in include the Smart ForTwo, A and B-Class and even the next-generation C-Class.

The U.S. market won’t likely see a three-cylinder C-Class for some time to come, however, there’s a strong chance that we will get a four-cylinder model in the not too distant future.

Mustang '5.0' fender badge to return with new 5.0L V8 for 2011?

The Mustang is not just an iconic pony car or a retro-modern throw-back to simpler times. It's a fan-favorite performance vehicle that has a rabid and enthusiastic base of drivers, tuners and manufacturers behind it. So news of the return of the '5.0' badge to the front fender of the 2011 Mustang GT is likely to be met with a roar of approval.

Ford last stuck the 5.0 badge on the Mustang when it was last powered by a 5.0L V8. So now that the 5.0L Coyote V8 is expected to replace the current 4.6L V8, it makes sense that the 5.0 badge would return.

That logic is backed up by reports from a post at MustangSource who claims a Ford parts list contains an entry for the 2011 Mustang with the 5.0 fender badge.

Expect a badge familiar to fans and highly reminiscent of the badge used from 1979-1993 - chrome numbers with a red 'dot' between the 5 and the 0. But also expect it to get a modernized tweak, much like the running horse badge did for the 2010 Mustang.

Check out our article on the upcoming 3.7L V6 and 5.0L - possibly 400hp - V8 Coyote engine for the 2011 Mustang for more info.
Via: MustangBlog

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