Mercedes-Benz Vehicles, Concept Cars, and the Mercedes Lifestyle

The new 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL Class is full of changes. These vehicles represent a return to the roots of the famous line. After several years at the top of the luxury market, the new SL Class is sleeker and sportier, more reminiscent of the Gullwing and other early SL designs that set a standard in the sports class. The SL 63 AMG and SL 65 AMG are the finest examples of the redesign, clocking a brain-numbing 518 horsepower V8 and 604 horsepower V12 respectively. Nonetheless, if you are looking for the pinnacle of the 2009 SL Class, you need look no further than the Limited Edition SL 63 AMG IWC.

It is all about the precision engineering in these vehicles, of which only 200 units will ever be built. The AMG package is standard, but the new Kashmir white color and exclusive interior package are not.

Look for the finest nappa leather in Tobago Brown, effortlessly coordinated with the black AMG floor mats, which are trimmed in the same color. You will find multi-contour heated memory seats with AMG-specific perforations and the IWC logo on the center console.

The AMG performance package offers such enhanced features as Active Body Control, along with a smaller steering wheel and aluminum gearshift paddles in a striking silver finish. The light alloy 19 inch wheels make the car gleam in the sunlight.

Of course, a Limited Edition vehicle comes with a correspondingly higher price tag, although it does include a free watch. Nonetheless, if you are searching for the crème de la crème of the new SL Class redesign, a car that recalls that the power of grace of the legendary early SL Class, you cannot go wrong with the new SL 63 AMG IWC.

The new 2009 SL Class redesign has been a hot topic in recent months. In a blog earlier this week, I talked about the sporty nature of the new vehicles. The legendary SL Gullwing was one of Mercedes’ early entrants in the true supercar category, but in the past decades the SL has become more status symbol than sports car. The new redesign, however, appears to be a return to the line’s roots. The new vehicles are sleek, sporty and powerful, without losing the commitment to luxury and comfort for which the newer SL Class is known.

AMG vehicles represent the absolute best of their line, and the 2009 SL63 AMG is no exception. Automobile Magazine recently reviewed this classy and powerful vehicle. The team put the car through its paces in the beautiful but sometimes harsh terrain of Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

The reviewers were not entirely happy with the exterior redesign, which features a new single-bar grille, L-shaped headlights and a new plastic rear diffuser. However, their misgivings quickly faded as they started the engine.

The new vehicle packs plenty of punch, with an AMG 6.2 liter V8 engine delivering a mind-numbing 518 horsepower. The seven-speed Multi-clutch Technology gearbox allows the driver to choose between four driving modes: S (sport), C (comfort), S+ (sport with attitude) and M (manual). Driver control is further enhanced by the suspension selection: C (compliant) or S (stiff) and the Electronic Stability Program choices: On, Off or Sport. The system allows each driver to save his or her favorite settings.

Overall, the review team found the 2009 SL63 AMG to be an excellent next step in the legendary SL line. If you would like to learn more about this or any of our other Mercedes-Benz vehicles, we invite you to visit our convenient local dealership.

The Mercedes-Benz S Class has long been the flagship of the Mercedes line. However, it is the SL Class, particularly the legendary 300SL Gullwing that truly made Mercedes the vehicle of choice for sports car enthusiasts. However, in recent decades the SL Class has significantly changed its focus. The vehicles have become a symbol of luxury rather than sportiness, the ultimate status symbol but not a serious competitor to the more exotic sports car offered by companies such as Ferrari and Lamborghini. The 2009 SL, however, may demonstrate a return to the line’s sporty roots. Motor Trend recently reviewed the newly redesigned vehicle.

The differences begin with the vehicle’s exterior. The soft curvature of the previous design has been replaced by a crisper and sleeker body shape. Yet the cars have been structured in a way that they blend the SL Class’s previous look with the updates of the rest of today’s Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

The power has been amped up in the new SL Class, particularly in the AMG versions that will arrive later this year, which pack 518 horsepower. Tweaks have been made to the suspension and handling features in order to accommodate the higher powered engines. The biggest news in handling is the SL’s new direct steer system, which is designed to provide steering assistance at all speed ranges.

The redesigned SL Class is packed with technological enhancements from the new five-level Intelligent Light System to the comfort of Mercedes’ Airscarf neck warming technology. Improved navigation and voice control are also featured.

If you would like to learn more about the 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL Class, be sure to check out our new focus or stop by our convenient local dealership. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

The 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL Class has been a hot topic in recent months. The dramatic redesign of the immensely popular vehicle takes the SL back to its roots – the groundbreaking 1950s Gullwing. Until now, however, discussions of the redesign have been largely based on rumors and leaks. According to Mercedespedia, Mercedes has finally released official photos of the new SL Roadster.

The photos are, in a word, dramatic. As promised, the redesign is indeed leaner, sleeker and more powerful than the SL of late. The rear adds a sporty new air diffuser and trapezoidal exhaust tips, hinting at the power that is to come. The front is sleekly elegant, featuring a single bar grille with signature Mercedes star.

Inside, the cockpit is highly reminiscent of what one might find on a small plane, but is fortunately much easier to understand. Look for the new three-spoke steering wheel and red tach and speedometer needles that spin to max before settling when the car is started.

The groundbreaking new AIRSCARF is featured in the new SL, a blessing to those who drive in colder climates. The system blows warm air from the headrests, providing comfort even when driving with the top down in cold weather.

Driving with an open top can put occupants at risk in the event of a collision, but Mercedes engineers stepped up to the challenge. The new SL features the world’s first automatic roll bar, which will deploy in a third of a second in the event of impending rollover.

An incredible new suspension system, next-generation braking power and an integrated COMAND system are just a few more of the exciting new features packed into the 2009 SL Class. The redesign manages the perfect marriage between the power and sportiness of the original SL and the safety and luxury of more recent models.

The newly redesigned 2009 SL Class is being heavily touted as a return to the legendary vehicle’s roots. After decades of gradually growing more and more luxurious but less and less sporty, the new SL returns leaner, sleeker and sportier. In order to draw accurate comparisons between the new SL and the vehicles that started the line, however, it is important to understand the line’s history. Jeremy Clarkson of the UK’s Times Online recently gave us a synopsis history of the legendary Mercedes SL.

The Gullwing
The SL line began life in 1952 as the now-legendary Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing. Light and aerodynamic, the vehicles featured a tubular chassis and doors that opened up rather than out. For an additional fee, the entire car could be ordered in aluminum rather than the heavier steel. Today, the Gullwing is spoken of in almost reverent whispered tones.

The Feminine Version
In 1963, the SL underwent a dramatic transformation. Gone were the trademark Gullwing doors and body built for racing. Instead, the new SL was flirty, fun and undeniably feminine in nature. Indeed, women purchased these SLs in record numbers.

The Dallas Years
The next version of the SL came in 1972 in the form of Bobby Ewing’s car on the hit television show Dallas. The new version was practical and functional rather than sporty or feminine. This version lasted until 1989.

Technology Comes to the SL Class
In 1989, yet another version of the SL was released. The new version was packed to the rafters with the latest technical gadgetry, including an 11 motor electric roof. The design was again feminine, offering a vehicle that would appeal to a wide cross section of buyers.

The Luxury Years
In 2001, Mercedes built on the technological advances of the 1989 version of the SL. Throughout the early 2000s, the Mercedes SL became a vehicle that was heavy on technological upgrades and luxury style, becoming extremely popular in the high-end market. However, it was not until the most recent redesign that the luxury of the new SL was again married to the power and sportiness of the original vehicle.

To check out a Mercedes SL, please visit Fort Washington Mercedes, your Philadelphia Mercedes dealership, or your Wilmington Mercedes.

Britney Spears has been all over the news in the past year for her sometimes-shocking antics. Last year’s car accident, in which she crashed her Mercedes in a shopping complex parking lot, was well-documented. Apparently it has happened again.

News stories claim that Britney was again at fault in this week’s accident, which took place on Sunset Boulevard. Apparently she was sending a text message on her cell phone while stopped at a light. She saw traffic in the left turn lane start to move and thought that her light had also changed. Giving her Mercedes SL some gas, she plowed into the rear end of the Ford Explorer that was stopped in front.

News reports state that Britney did not exit her vehicle, but sent her bodyguard, also in the car, to talk to the other driver. The driver, a female, was invited back to Britney’s estate to resolve the situation. Apparently Britney’s bodyguard drove to the mansion.

It is unknown exactly how the situation was resolved, although it was reported that the driver of the Explorer was invited inside. According to news reports, it appeared that Britney’s Mercedes took most of the damage.

Activist groups have long discussed the dangers of texting while driving, an activity that is banned in some jurisdictions. Watchdogs claim that even more so than having a cell phone conversation, texting requires a great deal of attention to be diverted from the vehicle. This certainly seems to have been the case in Britney’s situation.

I wonder whether Britney’s latest escapades will be enough to convince teens that texting while driving could be dangerous, or whether with all the problems Britney has had recently, this will just be seen as another in a long line of Britney difficulties.