Tag: enters

Official: 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class enters production

Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

With the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class set to go on sale next month, the first examples of the sixth-generation ultra-luxury sedan have begun rolling off the assembly line at the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant in Germany. The first car headed to customers is the silver S400 Hybrid you see above, and Mercedes executives Dieter Zetsche and Andreas Renschler were both on hand to welcome the car.

To prepare for the new S-Class, Mercedes has invested close to one billion euros in the German factory. While a half dozen models are produced at this plant, most of the recent improvements were focused on Mercedes’ flagship sedan. Also destined to be built at this plant is the upcoming S-Class Coupe, which is replacing the CL-Class. Interestingly, this name change has been speculated for some time, but the official press release posted below could be the first time we’ve seen Mercedes refer to the car as such.

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2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class enters production originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Perana Z-One finally enters production

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Plants/Manufacturing

Perana Z-One

Perana Z-One – Click above for high-res image gallery

Zagato’s been keeping busy, what with the TZ3 Stradale, a new Aston Martin, and the rumored Fiat 500 coupe. Now, PistonHeads reports that another another sexy Zagato-bodied sports car can join the party. The Perana Z-One has finally reached production, with UK deliveries set to commence.

The Z-One, as you might recall, debuted in March 2009 at the Geneva Motor Show, where it stole the spotlight. The custom chassis was reportedly set up by Lee Noble – the same talent behind a variety of cottage-industry sportscars wearing names like Ultima, Ascari, Rossion, Fenix and, of course, Noble. Powered by a442-hp GM LS3 V8, it’s bound for these shores as well, with the order book now open – though precisely when we’ll begin receiving deliveries remains to be seen.

Perana Z-One finally enters production originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 May 2011 13:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren MP4-12C enters production, Hamilton and Button celebrate [w/video]

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos

McLaren MP4-12C at Goodwood

McLaren MP4-12C at Goodwood – Click above to watch the video after the break

The very first McLaren MP4-12C built for public consumption has begun to make its way through the production process. Chassis 01 isn’t quite finished yet, as you can see by our high-res image gallery below, but it will be soon enough and McLaren plans to build up to 999 more in 2011.

Starting at $229,000, the MP4-12C is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 that produces 600 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. Prototype versions have been out running at various locations and events, including the Goodwood Festival of Speed and a very snowy Top Gear Test Track.

To celebrate Chassis 01 entering production, McLaren has put together a short clip that highlights its past year of testing. Click past the jump to watch Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button put the McLaren MP4-12C through a set of workouts.

Gallery: McLaren MP4-12C enters production

McLaren MP4-12C enters productionMcLaren MP4-12C enters productionMcLaren MP4-12C enters productionMcLaren MP4-12C enters productionMcLaren MP4-12C enters production

[Source: McLaren, YouTube]

Continue reading McLaren MP4-12C enters production, Hamilton and Button celebrate [w/video]

McLaren MP4-12C enters production, Hamilton and Button celebrate [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Noble M600 supercar finally enters production

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, UK

Noble M600

Noble M600 – Click above for high-res image gallery

We’ve been talking about the Noble M600 since roughly 2008. It was officially unveiled in 2009 and the crew at Top Gear UK even got to test one before the clock ticked 2010. So where’d it go? We don’t know, but Noble has finally popped its head up again with the very first M600 off the factory production line.

Considering its absence, a quick refresher course on the M600’s credentials is in order. This British-built supercar sports a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter Yamaha V8 with three power levels: Road, Track and Race. An Adaptable Performance Control switch will vary the V8’s output between each level, letting the engine produce 450 brake horsepower, 550 bhp or an absolutely silly 650 bhp. Couple that with a curb weight of just 2,775 pounds, and you’ve a great recipe for 0-60 times around three seconds or less and an estimated top speed of 225 miles per hour. Only one’s been built so far, but Noble claims it has orders for a full 50. At £200,000 a pop, the M600 should make the company a pretty penny assuming it doesn’t take them a decade to deliver.

For more fun, follow the jump to rewatch Jeremy Clarkson’s review of the M600 prototype from 2009 and check out new high-res images of the car in our gallery below

Gallery: Noble M600

[Source: Noble, Top Gear]

Continue reading Noble M600 supercar finally enters production

Noble M600 supercar finally enters production originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xenatec Maybach Cruiserio coupe enters production with Saudi investment

Filed under: Coupe, Europe, Maybach, Middle East, Luxury

Xenatec Maybach Crusiero coupe

Xenatec Maybach Cruiserio coupe – Click above for image gallery

Want to get your hands on a Maybach coupe? You’ve got two options. First would be to commission a replica of the Exelero concept car on the chassis of a Dodge Viper. That’ll set you back €550,000, or about $730k at today’s conversion rates. Your other choice is to have Xenatec convert a Maybach 57 S limo into a coupe for €675,000 ($894k).

We brought you initial news of the project back in May, followed by details in October. For a quick refresher, the German coachbuilder brought in Fredrik Burchhardt, designer of the original Exelero, to pen the modified shape for the coupe. The result keeps most of the saloon’s mechanicals in place – including the 600+ horsepower twin-turbo V12 – only with modified bodywork, cabin and (of course) two longer doors instead of four.

Seen until now only in sketches, the Xenatec Maybach coupe has been (awkwardly) dubbed the Cruiserio, and it has just made its debut at Daimler headquarters in Stuttgart. The project is now being underwritten by a €70 million ($93M) investment from AutoKingdom of Saudi Arabia. Over the course of three years, Xenatec and AutoKingdom ambitiously anticipate building 100 examples, and say they’ve already got enough orders to keep them busy for the next year or so. Can’t wait that long? The first example is up for sale out of Riyadh, with a price tag of just under a cool million.

Gallery: Xenatec Maybach Cruiserio

Gallery: Maybach 57 S Coupe by Xenatec

[Source: JamesList via World Car Fans]

Xenatec Maybach Cruiserio coupe enters production with Saudi investment originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Mikko Hirvonen tests WRC Ford Focus, enters low orbit

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Europe, Videos, Hatchback, Ford, Racing

Mikko Hirvonen and his 2010 Ford Focus RS WRC – Click above to watch video after the jump

Our collective blogging heart goes out to Mikko Hirvonen. It’s a shame to see a driver with galaxies worth of talent constantly banished to the lower rungs of the podium by the likes of Sebastien Loeb. Perpetually optimistic, the Finnish hoon seems to be a rarity among the racing driver species. Even in the face of repeated defeat, the guy typically keeps his cool and hopes for the best. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’s content to sit back and watch Citroën continue to dominate the WRC and Hirvonen has been beating the life out of his Focus RS racer in preparation for the upcoming Finland Rally.

Fortunately for us, a video of the testing action has made its way to the YouTubes, complete with plenty of shots of the mean Blue Oval in defiance of the laws of gravity. At some point, if we’re very lucky, we just might figure out how the guy manages to get that hatch to pivot mid-air. Click past the jump to waste a little time in the best way possible.

[Source: YouTube via WebRidesTV]

Continue reading Video: Mikko Hirvonen tests WRC Ford Focus, enters low orbit

Video: Mikko Hirvonen tests WRC Ford Focus, enters low orbit originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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