Category: Mercedes-Benz

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Formula One pre-season – Valencia photo gallery

F1 testing @ Valencia

There’s only a couple of days until Formula One pre-season testing resumes at Jerez (10-13 February). To help get you in the mood here is a 50-strong gallery of images featuring pics from Ferrari, MercedesGP, Renault and Williams. As usual you can click on your favourite images to load 2000px wallpaper-friendly sizing.

At the completion of the Valencia testing Ferrari was showing the rest of the field a clean pair of heels, with Fernando Alonso posting the quickest time (1:11.470), just three tenths ahead of teammate Felipe Massa (1:11.722).

Alonso, in front of over 35,000 parochial Spanish fans, was pleased with his time behind the wheel of the new F10, “The car went well and it was fast; it had a good set up, too, which is positive.”

He continued, “It’s absolutely impossible to say where we stand compared to the others. To be competitive you need a reliable car and we’re on the right track. The technicians have lots of data now to prepare us the best possible way for the next tests.”

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New vehicle sales report – January 2010

FCAI banner

January 2010 showed good signs for the automotive industry in Australia. While sales for the month did fall dramatically from December 2009 it is worth noting there were strong financial incentives, in the form of Federal Government tax breaks, that saw many businesses rushing to buy cars before the program ended on 31 December.

More importantly, the 74,864 new vehicle sales for January 2010 represents a healthy increase of 11.6% compared to the same month last year. Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Chief Executive Andrew McKellar believes the new cut in import tariffs has helped kick the year off, “New car affordability is better than ever and has been further enhanced by the tariff cut on many imported vehicles,” he said.

“New car buyers have effectively been handed a ‘tax cut’ and many brands have moved quickly to reduce prices or increase vehicle specifications. As a result, it is expected that this will encourage private buyers to return to the marketplace in greater numbers throughout the year,” Mr McKellar said.

Toyota, Holden and Ford maintained recent tradition as the top three selling marques.

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Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

Michael Schumacher returns to F1 at Valencia

MercedesGP - Valencia day 1

Michael Schumacher is back! His eagerly anticipated return to Formula One with MercedesGP took its first step overnight with the season’s first test session, held at Valenicia.

Speaking at the end of the day Schumacher, who set the third fastest time, said “It was a perfect rollout for the new car today. I felt totally comfortable and really had a feeling that everything was very natural. It felt just like at the very beginning of my career in 1991 when on the first lap, I thought ‘wow that was really fast’ and then on the second lap, I was just extremely excited. I feel like a young boy again and really enjoyed myself out there.

“We did a good job today, just making a few control checks, and the most important thing was that the car ran reliably. With Nico and I covering 79 laps between us, it was a superb job by the team.”

A full list of times from day 1 can be seen here (there were only 8 runners). There are two more days remaining on the Valencia testing schedule. Nico Rosberg will be the only MercedesGP driver to take to the track tomorrow, while Schumacher will return on day 3.

After the jump you will find more pics of Schumacher on track and in pit lane, along with statements from teammate Nico Rosberg and Team Principal Ross Brawn.

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Mercedes-Benz

New ‘Gullwing’ production starts – Australian delivery by mid-year

Mercedes-Benz SMS AMG 'Gullwing'

The new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG ‘Gullwing’ is about to go into full production mode. Mind, to make a car that can drive upside down you can’t use any old production line. As such the Gullwing will be hand-built across three facilities—the aluminum body is made by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria; engine production is carried out by AMG at Affalterbach; and final assembly takes place at AMG’s Sindelfingen factory.

The European market launch is all set for 27 March and Mercedes-Benz Australia reckon the SLS AMG ‘Gullwing’ will fly down under around mid-year 2010. Not sure about anyone else, but I can hardly wait.

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Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes GP launch: Michael and Nico interview

Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher

Following yesterday’s launch of the Mercedes GP Petronas team lead drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg talk up their chances for the 2010 Formula One Season. The clip is available after the jump and Schumacher says he believes his signing for Mercedes GP will be full of “great moments”.

You can find out more for yourself on the team’s new website and YouTube channel.

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Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes GP launches new era for Silver Arrows

Mercedes GP Petronas 2010 launch

Mercedes GP has just launched their 2010 season. The event took place at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart in front of 600 guests. The livery of the new Silver Arrows features silver paint, raw carbon fibre and the green colour of Petronas, the Malaysian petroleum giant and title sponsor.

Don’t get too carried away, though. The car pictured above is simply a repainted 2009 model Brawn GP machine with the new 2010 car still under wraps for now.

Of course, the hype is all about Michael Schumacher’s return to Formula One and here’s a bit of what he had to say at today’s launch, “Finally the 2010 Formula One season is firing up! I have to say that I am totally committed to this new challenge. This season feels like a re-start for me and I am so motivated.

“We have a World Champion team in every sense of the word and I cannot wait to get into the car for the first time in Valencia. I am convinced that MERCEDES GP PETRONAS will be in a very good position to fight for the championships this season and I will definitely give it a go.”


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Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

Schumacher has already overtaken Rosberg

Michael Schumacher and Ross Brawn

Superstition, apparently, has seen Michael Schumacher edge ahead of new teammate Nico Rosberg before a wheel has even been turned. You see, 2009 world champion Jenson Button has taken the number 1 with him to McLaren. This means the new Mercedes-Benz team will be carrying the numbers 3 and 4 during 2010. The team’s first signing, Rosberg, was originally given the number 3 for his car. Since then, of course, Michael Schumacher has walked through the door. It would be normal, then, to assume Schumacher will race in 2010 with the number 4 on his car.

However, Michael has a preference for odd numbers, so we are being told. Seeing as he has won all seven of his world titles racing with an odd number on his car perhaps this makes sense. Therefore, Michael asked if he could swap numbers with Rosberg. Supposedly the younger team member agreed with no fuss. In doing so, has Rosberg merely cemented his junior status both in age and in team ranking?

Maybe it’s nothing, but I reckon this is the first of Schumacher’s inevitable mind games. Shrewd bugger, isn’t he. I mean, Michael won five of his world titles as defending champion, that is, he was carrying #1 on his car, as is the right of the current title holder. So the whole odd number thing is a bit of a misnomer, isn’t it, Yeah, #1 is an odd number, but it’s hardly something to build a superstition on.

Maybe Schumi should ask Jenson if he wouldn’t mind giving up number 1 as well. It’s only fair, chances are Button won’t have #1 in 2011 anyway. And, let’s face it, if you tally up the number of titles won by the other drivers in the field Michael is still three championships ahead. Just give the guy #1 now and be done with it. He deserves it more than the other kids.

[Source: The Guardian]

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Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

Planet-F1 reveals Schumacher’s secret thoughts

Michael Schumacher

Planet-F1 have managed to secure exclusive access to Michael Schumacher’s diary entries from the lead up to his Formula One comeback with Mercedes-Benz.

Here’s a teaser:

“It would be a strange scenery joining Jenson. I believe he had a poster picture of me on his bedroom wall as a teenager – in between Cindy Crawford and Samantha Fox. I hope he dreamt about me in the right way, you know what I mean… ! Oh yes, this is something else I plan for my comeback year. I am aiming at being 42% funnier than 2006 when I retired. It’s the way I am them telling.”

Follow the link below for the full story and some more laughs.

[Source: Planet-F1 | Thanks to ‘Jackie Chan’ for the tip]

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Magical museum tour

Porsche Museum

Doing the “German Car Museum Tour” is on the “to do” list of most petrol heads. In relatively close proximity you have Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. While, further north, in Wolfsburg is the superb Autostadt, Volkswagen’s celebration of itself and its multiple brands.

Stephen Williams from the New York Times is one guy lucky enough to have experienced this magical museum tour of late. He wasn’t able to fit in the Autostadt as well, but crossing the others off the list is a delight most would like to experience.

Here is a teaser of Williams’ findings, you can read his full article following the link below, “Devoting a day, give or take, to each museum and the accompanying attractions—usually a gift shop, bistro or cafe, and a delivery center for people who pick up their new toys at the factory—I came away with different impressions. ‘Cars are cars, all over the world,’ Paul Simon sang. But they’re not—and neither are car museums.”

[Source: New York Times]

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Mercedes-Benz

Tunnel vision

Yeah, sure it’s most likely a fake, but this ad/viral/promo clip for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG ‘Gullwing’ is worth a gander all the same. In case you’re wondering, the text at the end of the clip reads: “Cockpit, engine, wings. Is it still a car?”

It’s all a bit reminiscent of Jeremy’s Twingo review from Season 14 of Top Gear. Just so you can compare the two clips, you can see an upside down Clarkson after the jump.

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Mercedes-Benz

CLS to follow Estate fascination

Mercedes-Benz ConceptFASCINATION

It looks like Mercedes-Benz is all set to tackle the Audi A7 and BMW 5 Series GT with a production version of the 2008 ConceptFASCINATION. Understood to be based on the next CLS platform the Estate version is rumoured to debut at the Paris Motor Show in October.

Autocar reports the CLS Estate production will commence at the Sindelfingen facility in Germany by 2012 and will be powered by a range of V6 and V8 engines. A mix of turbocharging and direct injection will be employed to improve efficiency.

Apparently a CLS Estate was all set to debut at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show, but for some reason Benz got cold feet and ushered in a lightly disguised production CLS instead.

More pics of the ConceptFASCINATION can be viewed after the break.

[Source: Autocar & The Motor Report]

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Audi Mercedes-Benz

Audi and Benz differ on tariff savings

Audi A5 Sportback

From today the Federal Government has dropped the tariff import duty on cars by 5 per cent. Audi has joined other manufacturers in passing on this saving direct to the consumer. That means the A5 Sportback you see above, which is due in Australia early this year, is already discounted. Well, kind of.

While many manufacturers have chosen to pass on the saving to the bottom line, Mercedes-Benz will be keeping their 2009 prices, but offering more options as standard kit to help sweeten the deal.

Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz Australia, Mr Horst von Sanden says that’s what Benz buyers want, “Our customers have told us that they prefer increases in equipment levels over any short-term price reductions or resale-damaging discounting.”