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Mercedes-Benz reportedly recalling 136,000 M Class models over cruise control problem

Filed under: SUV, Recalls, Safety, Mercedes-Benz

2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class

Mercedes-Benz is issuing a recall for its 2000-2002 M-Class and 2000-2004 M-Class AMG models after reports that hitting the brakes may not automatically turn off cruise control. The recall affects 136,751 vehicles built between August 1999 and June 2004.

The recall follows a preliminary investigation the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration started in December, 2010. The root of the problem is reportedly a failed brake lamp switch, which can cause not only the cruise control issue, but also prevent the vehicle being shifted out of park and a failure of the brake lights.

Though the investigation by NHTSA is only a few months old, Daimler AG issued a technical service bulletin in May, 2005 to replace the faulty brake lamp switch. According to Daimler, the problem can be solved by pumping the brakes to disengage cruise, but the automaker admits that it may require an “unusually high” amount of pressure on the pedal.

Mercedes dealers will replace the switch for affected customers when the recall begins in September.

[Source: The Detroit News]

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Mercedes-Benz reportedly recalling 136,000 M Class models over cruise control problem originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Filed under: Sedan, Mercedes-Benz, First Drive, Luxury

The Baby Benz Becomes More Like Its Big Brothers

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class – Click above for high-res image gallery

When it comes to automobiles, money is usually the limiting factor. Endowed with unlimited dough, who wouldn’t drive their dream car?

For those inclined toward luxury, the full-size Mercedes-Benz S-Class coddles its drivers with massive comfort and technology that compensates for nearly every common human frailty exhibited behind the wheel. The S-Class, however, remains beyond the means of most drivers.

Developed to make three-pointed quality, safety and luxury more attainable, the W 201 sedan was introduced by Mercedes-Benz in 1982. Known as the 190, this compact sedan stands as the direct forerunner of the C-Class. Some 8.5 million sales stand as M-B’s commercial proof of concept over four generations. And the way things are going, those sales are set to continue.

Continue reading First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C350 Sedan…

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C350 Sedan: First Drive

2012 Mercedes-Benz C350 Sedan

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First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: CA court rejects class action suit against Toyota over service contracts

Filed under: Government/Legal, Toyota

The California court system has found that Toyota Motor Insurance Services does not violate the state’s consumer warranty law. According to Automotive News, a court of appeal found that the contracts offer enough services outside of the factory warranty to be considered legal. Toyota was originally sued after Weber DeSiqueira purchased a then-new 2007 Tundra. At the time, the vehicle came with a three-year, 36,000 mile warranty, but DeSiqueira also laid down $1,145 for a Toyota Extra Care Vehicle Service Agreement. The lawsuit alleged that the service agreement covered the same items as the factory, putting the Japanese automaker in violation of the California warranty law.

But a Los Angeles judge dismissed the case without allowing it to go to trial. DeSiqueira appealed, and a three-judge panel unanimously decided that the automaker’s service agreement and the factory warranty are not identical. The plaintiff sought damages and retribution in the form of a refund for the price of the service agreement for himself and other car buyers who had opted into the program.

Despite the fact that the appeals court effectively scuttled Desiqueira’s lawsuit, one judge did suggest that the consumer may have a legitimate claim that Toyota engages in deceptive sales practices by leading buyers to believe that the service agreement offers greater protection than it actually does.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req]

Report: CA court rejects class action suit against Toyota over service contracts originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inden Design lays its hands on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Filed under: Aftermarket, Sedan, Performance, Europe, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

2011 Inden Design Mercedes-Benz S-Class

2011 Inden Design Mercedes-Benz S-Class – Click above for high-res image gallery

Inden Design has gotten its greasy tuner mitts all over the 2011 Mercedes-Benz S-Class and come up with a luxury sedan for your dark side. The S-Class is no slouch when it comes to being big and impressive, but Inden takes the intimidation to Don Corleone levels with its treatment of the big Merc.

On the outside, Inden added side sills, new front and rear spoilers and 20×10.5-inch wheels front and rear. The tuner sealed the look with a matte-grey film covering in lieu of new paint. Inden also added a new sport exhaust, bringing horsepower up to 420, and killed the Vmax limiter. Keeping everything planted is a sport suspension, lowering the car by 50 mm, and a set of S600 six-piston caliper brakes up front and four-piston clamps out back.

The interior got treated to two-tone leather on the seats, dash and door panels, and the headliner and A, B and C pillars got the Alcantara treatment. To keep everything as modern as possible, Inden threw out the old wood trim and replaced it with carbon fiber. Read all about it in the press release after the break.

Gallery: 2011 INDEN Design Mercedes-Benz S-Class

2011 INDEN Design Mercedes-Benz S-Class

[Source: Inden Design]

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Inden Design lays its hands on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Mercedes-Benz planning three additional A-Class variants

Filed under: Convertible, Europe, Hatchback, Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz A-Class sketch

Mercedes-Benz has already announced big plans for its compact A-Class and B-Class vehicles. The platform that underpins these small cars will also form the base of a compact SUV and a four-door coupe, and according to a report from Automotive News’ European bureau, three more A-Class variants could be in the works.

During a phone interview with AN, Mercedes-Benz marketing chief Joachim Schmidt revealed that the luxury carmaker is mulling shooting brake, convertible and three-door versions of the next-gen A-Class. Such a move would no-doubt aid MB in its quest to win buyers in the budding luxury compact segment. At the same time, a comprehensive lineup of A- and B-Class variants could also help the German automaker reach ever-tightening European CO2 standards.

Schmidt stresses that the automaker hasn’t made any final decisions regarding these potential A-Class variants. The first B-Class is scheduled to be released to the European market by the end of 2011.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Report: Mercedes-Benz planning three additional A-Class variants originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, First Drive

On Top Of The World With Merc’s New Magic Roadster

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK – Click above for high-res image gallery

We usually see women behind the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class. Who can blame them? It’s a cute little car. The original SLK debuted in 1996 with a four-cylinder powerplant and all of 136 ponies. What it lacked in the motivation department it made up for with its Vario-roof retractable hardtop. Not since the 1957 Ford Skyliner could a car stop so much traffic while parked.

The SLK gained some testosterone with its first facelift in 2000. While the exterior was still rather tame, the chick car jokes ceased in 2001 with the introduction of the 354-horsepower SLK 32 AMG.

Things continued to get better with the all-new 2004 edition and its sleeker styling that paid homage to Mercedes’ Formula One designs and the beastly McMerc SLR. The reality that AMG could stuff its hand-built 5.4-liter V8 under the hood made the second-generation SLK a serious performance car.

For 2012, the SLK officially begins its third generation, and you can see the difference from 100 yards. Especially from the front view, the roadster looks more mature and substantial. The split-grill design reconstitutes the 190 SL’s design from the late 1950s in a handsome, modern manner. The bolder aesthetics continue in the rear, which features large arches over the rear wheels and LED taillamps. And it keeps getting better on the inside…

Continue reading First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK…

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK: First Drive

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK

Continue reading First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class

First Drive: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First sketch of 2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class leaks out

Filed under: Hatchback, Mercedes-Benz, Shanghai Motor Show, Design/Style

Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sketch

The first sketch of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class has made its way to the internets, and judging by the look of things, the vehicle may appear much sportier than the styling buck we saw back in January. According to Autoblog.it, the A-Class will likely make its debut at the Shanghai Motor Show, and when it does, it may bring along lines borrowed from the sports-coupe playbook. Toward the rear of the vehicle, the artists at the Silver Arrow appear to have thrown in a beltline that kicks up toward the rear hatch. Likewise, the roof of the A-Class leans down as it approaches the back glass.

Those details were all but absent in the clay buck nabbed by our spy photographers just a few weeks ago. That creation wore a much more functional, boxy design. Regardless of which look wins out, odds are buyers can expect to find both five-door and three-door hatch configurations when the baby Benz finally lands in dealer showrooms.

Under the hood, rumor has it that Mercedes-Benz will bolt in a number of fuel-savvy engines, though rumored AMG iteration may pack up to 270 horsepower.

[Source: Autoblog.it]

First sketch of 2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class leaks out originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Motorists file class action suit against Florida toll road for… taking hostages?

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

toll booth

Florida motorists are officially fed up with the actions of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and Faneuil Inc. The latter is a private firm hired by the FDOT to manage its tollbooth operations. A class-action lawsuit filed against both parties alleges that toll booth operators have been holding cash-paying motorists hostage.

Paying with cash causes an increase in operating costs for Faneuil because workers are needed to handle the money and provide change. In an apparent attempt to dissuade drivers from paying with cash, tollbooth operators are required to fill out Bill Detection Report. The driver’s license plate number, vehicle make and model and driver’s license information are all written down. The barrier isn’t lifted until this information is provided, and many motorists feel this policy is out of control. For its part, Faneeil would prefer that drivers switch to the automated SunPass system, which would help reduce operating costs.

The lawsuit alleges that civil rights are being violated and claims this is a form of false imprisonment. Neither the FDOT or Faneuil have commented on the lawsuit.

[Source: TheNewspaper.com | Image: Getty]

Report: Motorists file class action suit against Florida toll road for… taking hostages? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe set for Geneva Motor Show debut

Filed under: Coupe, Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery

Still puzzled as to why Mercedes-Benz killed off the CLK a couple of years ago? Puzzle no more, friend, for your answer is here. You see, the CLK was designed to slot in between the C-Class and E-Class sedan and wagon ranges, and was both preceded and succeeded by the E-Class Coupe. When Mercedes went back to the old formula, it made room for the vehicle you see here: the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe.

The subject of many spy shots and leaked photos, the new C-Class Coupe has finally been officially revealed by the factory ahead of its official debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. There, the new Benz coupe will arrive with two engine options: The Mercedes-Benz C250 coupe gets the 1.8-liter direct-injected turbo four with 201 horsepower, while the C350 coupe is equipped with the 304-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6. Both are mated exclusively to Mercedes’ 7-speed automatic transmission, which drives the rear wheels. 4Matic all-wheel drive will not be offered on the C-Class coupe. (The AMG version of the coupe is tipped to come along in another month at the New York Auto Show.)

So what else separates the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe from the sedan it’s based on? Two fewer doors and a slightly lower roofline. That’s about it. The C-Class coupe’s wheelbase is the same, the front end is the same, the luxury touches and the cutting-edge electronic wizardry… it’s all the C-Class we know, only coupier. Will that be enough to steal sales away from the likes of the BMW 3 Series coupe and Audi A5, both of which are more distinctly differentiated from their four-door compatriots? We’ll find out once the two-doors hit showrooms, but for now, you can scope out the official details in the press release after the jump, along with the gallery of high-resolution images below.

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe set for Geneva Motor Show debut

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe set for Geneva Motor Show debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 08:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Mercedes-Benz Super Bowl ad director’s cut reveals C-Class Coupe, SLS AMG Roadster

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

Mercedes-Benz Ad

Mercedes-Benz reveals new models in Super Bowl ad – click above to watch the video

Mercedes-Benz is throwing its hat into the Super Bowl advertising fray with a pretty new 60-second spot designed to celebrate the company’s 125th anniversary by heralding in a wave of five new models. The spot marks the very first time that the company has ever advertised during the NFL’s ultimate game. In the spot, Mercedes-Benz features four new vehicles, including a very quick peek at the upcoming C-Class Coupe and the SLS AMG Roadster.

The spot features many of the company’s past and current models escaping their owners in a bid to pay homage to the newborn Benz fleet. There are plenty of fantastic vintage Silver Arrows in the spot, along with a soundtrack by Janis Joplin and at least one celebrity cameo (we won’t spoil the surprise on that one). Hit the jump to check out the video for yourself.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz via Facebook]

Continue reading Video: Mercedes-Benz Super Bowl ad director’s cut reveals C-Class Coupe, SLS AMG Roadster

Video: Mercedes-Benz Super Bowl ad director’s cut reveals C-Class Coupe, SLS AMG Roadster originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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