2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG

Power for the roadster comes from a new naturally-aspirated AMG 5.5-liter V8 engine that delivers 62 more horses and 30Nm more torque than the previous model's eight-cylinder unit, at 422-horses and 540Nm in European-spec, and 415-horses at 6,800 rpm and 398 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm in North American-flavor.

The aluminum V8 engine also features the AMG Cylinder Management system that can shut off four-cylinders from 800 to 3,600 rpm to improve fuel efficiency.

A 7-speed AMG Speedshift automatic transmission featuring three modes (sport, manual and efficiency) transfers power to the rear wheels.

According to the Mercedes, the new SLK 55 AMG completes the standard 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint in 4.6 seconds and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h (155mph).
The roadster returns a combined fuel consumption of 8.5 lt/100 km, which is 3.5lt or 30% less than that of the preceding model with the 360HP V8.

2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class New Photo Gallery

The Stuttgart firm’s new luxury SUV enters the 2012 model year in the U.S. with a choice of two models. First up is the diesel-powered ML350 BlueTEC delivering 240 horsepower and 455 lb.-ft. of torque, while averaging 20mpg in the city and 25mpg on the highway.

The second choice for U.S. buyers is the gasoline-fueled ML350 4MATIC equipped with a brand new direct-injection 3.5-liter V6 rated at 302 hp and 273 lb.-ft.), with an estimated fuel economy of 17mpg city and 22mpg highway.

Mercedes-Benz Unimog Celebrates 60 Years of Production

In those 60 years of production, the Unimog has gone through many design changes and has spawned dozens of variations, further lending to the vehicle's versatility. To celebrate the Unimog's 60th birthday, Mercedes-Benz is hosting the largest gathering of current and historic Unimog vehicles at the vehicle's birthplace, the site of the first Unimog plant in Gaggenau, Germany.

Given the name "Universal-Motor-Gerät" in 1951, meaning universal motor machine in German, the name has since been shortened to just "Unimog." While the vehicle has seen a long career of service in commercial, military and agricultural use, the Unimog is also enjoyed and celebrated by enthusiasts around the world for its off-road capabilities and overall ruggedness. Seeing as the Unimog has a relatively large fan base, it makes sense that Mercedes would open up the event to enthusiast participation. Expected to attend are 60 classic Unimog owners, taking part in a rally that spans from the Unimog's birthplace to the plant where it's currently built in Wörth, Germany.

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Black Arrow 722HP by Edo Competition

Edo Karabegovic and his team over at Edo Competition started out with the SLR McLaren’s body, which gains a stealthy looking flat black coating and an overdose of red livery combined with new black colored 21-inch alloy wheels with a red ring that are shod in high-performance sport tires. There’s also new exhaust tailpipes and carbon trim.

The interior of the German supercar has been refinished in a combination of black leather and alcantara with custom-made carbon fiber pieces for the dashboard, center console and door panels. The cabin is further accented with a new custom infotainment system with navigation, phone, TV and iPod integration as well as a parking camera.

Under the skin, Edo Competition fiddled around with the V8 engine by modifying the supercharger, remapping the ECU and adding a variety of special parts such as a revised intake system, new exhaust headers, high flow catalytic converters and air filters. The result is an output of 722 horsepower at 7,100 rpm and 890 Nm (656 lb-ft) of torque.

Edo Competition says that after the modifications, the SLR McLaren Black Arrow can complete the 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint in just 3.4 seconds, while the 300 km/h mark (186 mph) is reached in 24.5 seconds. Furthermore, top speed has been increased to an electronically governed 345 km/h (214 mph).