JohnH4260

Free Mercedes-Benz With Home Purchase
As you can see from what you read in the newspapers every day, housing sales are at an all time low. If you can afford to buy a house and get approved for the mortgage, it truly is a buyer’s market right now. One woman in North Texas is offering to sweeten the pot on her home’s sale: she’s throwing in a new Mercedes-Benz.

Nancy Henger, of Lewisville, Texas, has been trying to sell her home for a year. The home, which lists for nearly $2 million, was Henger’s dream home. Unfortunately, the home she currently lives in wouldn’t sell either, and she is unable to continue making both mortgage payments.

During a recession, it can be a challenge to find a buyer for a multi-million dollar home. However, the offer of the Mercedes, which will cost Henger somewhere in the neighborhood of $60,000 is just one extra incentive.

JohnH4260

Maybach Future in Question
The premium-class Maybach marque has failed to make the desired splash on the global luxury scene. The Maybach marque originated in Germany after World War I, but was retired at the start of World War II. Daimler-Chrysler opted to bring back the nameplate to tackle VW’s Bentley and BMW’s Rolls divisions. Well that hasn’t worked out so well; inspite of new alterations and an upcoming grand “Zeppelin” trim, Maybach has become more stale than bread at a dollar store. Unless Maybach can make a big push into Asian markets, the brand will be dropped early in the new decade.

SL2003driver

That is hard to understand, it is ugly as a Hundy, why won't rich people buy it??

JohnH4260

Most Expensive Cars to Insure
Our numbers come from Insure.com, an online information clearinghouse for consumers. The company calculated nationwide average car insurance premiums for almost 300 2009 model-year vehicles. Averages are based on a 40-year-old male driver who commutes 12 miles to work. This driver has policy limits of $100,000 for injury liability for one person; $300,000 for all injuries and $50,000 for property damage in an accident; and a $500 deductible on collision and comprehensive. This policy also includes uninsured motorist coverage. Rates were averaged across multiple ZIP codes and insurance companies.

No. 1 Most Expensive: Nissan GT-R: $2,533

No. 2 Most Expensive: Dodge Viper: $2,446

No. 3 Most Expensive: BMW M6: $2,236

No. 4 Most Expensive: Ford Shelby GT500: $2,186

No. 5 Most Expensive: Mercedes-Benz G-Class: $2,088

No. 6 Most Expensive: Audi S8: $2,071

No. 7 Most Expensive: BMW M5: $2,020

No. 8 Most Expensive: Hummer H2: $1,912

No. 9 Most Expensive: Lexus ISF: $1,881

No. 10 Most Expensive: Porsche 911: $1,819

JohnH4260

European Auto Museums
Even if you're not a huge car buff, Europe's growing assortment of automobile museums offer a fascinating look at history, culture, design, and technology. There are a huge range of options, from the slick Volkswagen Autostadt, or "car city" in Wolfsburg—about halfway between Hannover and Berlin—that offers nearly a dozen restaurants and amusement park-type distractions for kids and grown-ups, to the (appropriately) more staid Rolls-Royce museum in northeastern Austria. Lovers of sports cars might want to make a pilgrimage to Modena, Italy—also known for its balsamic vinegar—where no fewer than three different museums celebrate the storied heritage of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati.

BMW Museum
Munich, Germany
Built in 1973, the BMW museum is known affectionately as "the bowl." Architect Karl Schwanzer, the original designer, also led a renovation and expansion that was completed in 2008. By connecting to a larger building, Schwanzer expanded the exhibition space fivefold.
BMW Museum, Interior
Architect Schwanzer conceived the BMW Museum as a "continuation of the road in an enclosed space." Visitors move along a spiral ramp that leads past the exhibits—reminiscent of the Guggenheim Museum in New York or GM's Futurama at the 1939 New York World's Fair. This view shows BMW's hydrogen-powered H2R experimental car.
BMW Museum, Historic Cars
The lower part of the BMW museum houses the company's permanent collection of vintage cars, and also shows development over the years of models such as the luxury 7 Series. Sections are devoted to themes such as BMW motorcycles or motor sport.

Galleria Ferrari
Maranello, Italy (between Modena and Bologna)
The Galleria Ferrari in Maranello prides itself on being more than just a museum. Besides displaying classic Ferrari cars as well as items from founder Enzo Ferrari's office, the museum shows new Ferrari models at the same time that they premier at major auto shows. Ferrari is owned by Italian auto giant Fiat.
Galleria Ferrari, Ferrari Granturismo
You can buy a Ferrari in any color you want, as long as it's red. The Granturismo section of the museum displays the company's most popular sports cars.
Galleria Ferrari, Ferrari Formula One
Ferrari is known as much for racing as for sports cars, so naturally the museum displays autos developed for Formula One competition, where the company is among the dominant teams.

Lamborghini Museum
Sant' Agata Bolognese, Italy (between Modena and Bologna)
Italian sports car maker Lamborghini opened its museum in 2001 in Sant' Agata Bolognese, less than 20 miles from the Ferrari museum in the heart of Italian car country. Probably not many people are aware that Lamborghini now belongs to Volkswagen.
Lamborghini Museum, Interior
Highlights of the museum include the first production Lamborghini from 1963 and the first Countach ever built.
Lamborghini Museum, Interior
The first floor of the Lamborghini museum is dedicated to design, featuring various incarnations of the Diablo series and several Formula One racers.

Maserati Panini
Modena, Italy
The Museum Panini, located not far from the Ferrari and Lamborghini museums, isn't run by Maserati itself. But the sports car maker, also a unit of Fiat, recommends the collection assembled by the Maserati brothers as one of the best anywhere.
Maserati Panini, Collection of Models
Now managed by the family of Umberto Panini, the Maserati museum features two dozen vintage models, ranging from 1930s-era Tipos to a 1992 Barchetta.

Mercedes-Benz Museum
Stuttgart, Germany
Daimler spent as much time planning and building its new museum as it does creating a new model series—seven years. Designed by Dutch architecture firm UNStudio, the new Mercedes-Benz Museum opened its doors in May 2006. The site is adjacent to the factory where Mercedes has been building cars since 1903.
Mercedes-Benz Museum, "Lady Di"
The Mercedes-Benz museum includes a collection of cars driven by the rich and famous. On view are a limousine used by Konrad Adenauer, Germany's first post-war chancellor; the bus used by Germany's national football team in 1974 when it won World Cup; and a Mercedes-Benz 500SL delivered to Britain’s Princess Diana in 1991. The Princess returned the car just ten months later, after being criticized for driving a foreign make.
Mercedes-Benz Museum, E-Class
Through Sept. 27, 2009, the Mercedes-Benz museum features a special exhibition on the evolution of the company's E-Class cars. The oldest E-Class on display, from 1926, was the first model produced by Mercedes-Benz Co. following the merger of Daimler-Motoren Gesellschaft and Benz& Cie. In the future, the company plans to display new E-Class models in the museum before they even appear in showrooms.

Peugeot Museum
Sochaux, France (between Besançon and Basel)
The Peugeot Museum—known formally as the Musée de l'Aventure Peugeot—is located in eastern France, not far from the borders of Switzerland and Germany. The museum opened in 1988, and an expansion project in 2000 tripled its exhibition space. For people who can't make the 4-1/2 hour drive from Paris, the museum's Web site offers a virtual tour.
Peugeot Museum, Carriages
Peugeot's automotive history began in the days when cars were essentially motorized carriages, as this display documents. The company is now one of the world's largest automakers, but it isn't present in the U.S. market.

Porsche Museum
Stuttgart, Germany
Sports car maker Porsche has a long history but opened this museum only in January 2009. The museum displays more than 80 cars, ranging from a 1900 Lohner-Porsche to the latest generation of the Porsche 911. Designed by the Vienna architect office of Delugan Meissl, the museum in Stuttgart's Zuffenhausen section also houses a coffee bar and restaurants, and Porsche is marketing it as a location for conferences and concerts.
Porsche Museum, Type 64 Body
One of the first things visitors see when they enter the Porsche museum is the aluminum body of a Type 64, known as the great-grandfather of all Porsche sports cars to follow. Built in 1939 for the long-distance race from Berlin to Rome—which it never made due to the outbreak of World War II—its lightweight construction and aerodynamic design anticipated the characteristics of modern Porsche models. Designer Ferdinand Porsche often drove the car himself.
Porsche Museum, Carrera
A display of Porsche 911s since 1964 demonstrates how consistent the design has been. Though the most famous Porsche model has evolved over the years, the basic design language shows remarkable continuity.

Rolls-Royce Museum
Gütle, Austria (near Lake Constance between the Swiss and German borders)
If any automobile deserves to be in a museum, it's the venerable Rolls-Royce. You'd more likely expect to find it in Britain than Austria, but the world's largest collection of vintage Rolls, operating with authorization from the carmaker (which is now a unit of BMW) is maintained by the Vonier family in an old spinning mill in the village of Gütle near Dornbirn, Austria.
Rolls-Royce Museum, Hall of Fame
The so-called Hall of Fame includes cars owned by Queen Elizabeth and other members of the British royal family.
Rolls-Royce Museum, Phantom III
This 1935 Phantom III featured a V12 engine that was ahead of its time but also notoriously finicky. Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother used it for several parades.

VW Autostadt
Wolfsburg, Germany
Volkswagen's Autostadt is not only a museum and tourist attraction but also a huge dealership. The circular towers house cars waiting for pickup by buyers who have ordered them in advance. While they wait, buyers can chow down in the 11 restaurants, including one with three Michelin stars.
VW Autostadt, ZeitHaus
During 2008, around 1 million people visited the Volkswagen museum, officially known as the ZeitHaus, or "time house." The museum at the Autostadt documents the history of automobiles of all makes, featuring such classics as a 1922 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, a 1950 VW Microbus, and the one-millionth Mini, built in 1965.
VW Autostadt, Beetle
Of course, no VW museum would be complete without a display of the famous Beetle. The company made the model for 62 years, building 21,529,464 units of the durable, economical "people's car." Production of the original Beetle finally ended in 2003 when Volkswagen shut down the last assembly line in Mexico, though the company still produces the New Beetle, introduced in 1998.

JohnH4260

Father's Day Gifts For Auto Lovers
1. Toaster by Bugatti
Price: $220
Bugatti's designer toaster offers browning and toasting functions for bagels, a defrost mode for produce and a reheat mode that warms food without toasting it. An audio signal informs early risers their toast is ready.

2. Quattro Valvole Carbon Ceramico Watch
Price: $15,000
Italian watch maker Meccaniche Veloci joined brake maker Brembo to make this watch using short fibers of carbon combined with ceramics and then solidified by high-pressure water jets. Buyers can choose color combinations of red, black, yellow or silver; the watch comes with interchangeable straps in rubber and alligator leather.

3. Mercedes-Benz Folding Bike
Price: $2,350
When completely folded, the aluminum bike measures 80x80x35 cm, a size that fits easily into the carrying bag Mercedes includes with the purchase--or into the trunk of a CLK 350. It has a kick stand, protective metal cover and a variable luggage rack. Available at select Mercedes dealerships in silver or white.

4. Vintage Soda Machine
Price: $2,700
American Soda Machines makes custom models perfect for Dad's garage or shop. The Denver company will fill any request in six weeks or less; muscle car motifs are the company's biggest sellers. The company also sells vintage machines salvaged from the hot-rod days of the 1940s through 1960s.

5. Tod's New Gommini 122 Driving Moccasin
Price: $425
Italian leather. The signature "gommini sole." A penny front with coin accessory. Need we say more?

6. 14-MPH Cooler
Price: $500
Tailgaters worried about long, parking-lot commutes take heart. This 14-mph, 500-watt scooter/cooler will keep food cold for up to 15 miles. It's big enough to hold 24 12-ounce cans and up to eight pounds of ice. The throttle and brake lever are on the handlebars. It comes with a rechargeable battery and AC adaptor and is available through Hammacher Schlemmer.

7. Maserati Carbon Fiber Cufflinks
Price: $114
These links feature the small trident logo crafted from 925 silver and set atop a square of carbon fiber. They are available in the Maserati product catalogue and in select Maserati showrooms.

8. TAG Heuer Night Vision Sunglasses
Price: $390
These specs were developed for drivers in the 24 Hours of LeMans car race and are used by Formula 1 driver Sebastien Bourdais and Indy 500 driver Sarah Fisher. The pale yellow lenses contrast with the darker blue and green shades prevalent at night, and are anti-reflective to reduce glare and increase sharpness in the low light conditions from dusk to dawn. The titanium frames are available in both wide and panorama vision, with anti-slip, flexible arms.

9. Midland BT Bluetooth-Enabled Motorcycle Headset
Price: $399
Just imagine! You and Dad could be sitting high on the hog cruising down the open road. The Bluetooth intercoms from Midland will provide wireless communication for the both of you. The BT2-D model is an intercom for both the rider and passenger that connects with three Bluetooth devices; a cellphone, GPS or MP3 player and the intercom feature. The devices are wind- and rain-resistant.

10. Moeller Flo-N-Go Gas Pump
Price: $170
This 14-gallon spill-proof pump has a no-spill and super-efficient siphon handle. The 10-foot hose should be able to reach pretty much any gas tank without having to lift the container, and dual shut-off valves keep gas vapors and liquid inside. The pump weighs 20 pounds and is made from high-density polyethylene.

JohnH4260

Mercedes-Benz and AMG Receive “Best Performance Engine” Award
In the coveted “International Engine of the Year Awards 2009″, engines from Mercedes-Benz and AMG were voted the best in three categories. The AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine carried off two awards: in the “Best Performance Engine” and “Above 4 litres” categories, this high-revving, naturally aspirated engine developing up to 386 kW/525 hp took first place by a wide margin in each case. In the “2 to 2.5 litres” category, the new four-cylinder diesel unit from Mercedes-Benz also took first place by a comfortable margin.

The “International Engine of the Year Awards” are among the most prestigious in the automobile sector, and are presented annually by the British motoring publisher UKIP Media & Events. The best engines of the year are chosen in twelve categories by an independent jury of 64 well-known motoring journalists from 32 countries. This year two engines from Mercedes-Benz and AMG prevailed against stiff competition from Germany, Italy, Great Britain, the USA and Japan. This once again demonstrates the great expertise of Mercedes-Benz and the performance brand AMG in the development and production of exciting engines.

For 2009 the winner in the “Best Performance Engine” and “Above 4 litres” categories was the AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine. This high-revving, naturally aspirated power unit with a displacement of 6208 cc develops an output between 336 kW/457 hp and 386 kW/525 hp, a maximum torque of 630 newton metres, and is used in seven AMG high-performance cars such as the C 63 AMG and the SL 63 AMG. The basis for its agile power delivery is a concerted technology transfer from motor racing, something that has been firmly embedded in the corporate philosophy of Mercedes-AMG for more than four decades. Jury member Bill McKinnon (USA): “Enormous pulling power and the responsiveness of a racing engine, combined with a “Wagneresque” soundtrack - this AMG V8 sets the standard.”

A high performance with exemplary fuel economy is also offered by the newly designed direct-injection four-cylinder diesel engine from Mercedes-Benz. The most powerful variant develops 150 kW/204 hp from a displacement of 2143 cc, with a maximum torque of 500 newton metres. It is used in both the new E-Class and the C-Class. The C 250 CDIBlueEFFICIENCY Saloon equipped with this engine has a combined fuel consumption of just 5.1 litres per 100 kilometres - showing exemplary efficiency. The 125 kW/170 hp variant is happy with 4.8 litres of diesel fuel per 100 km (corresponding to CO2 emissions of 127 g/km) - the best figure in this category. Jury member John Carey (Australia) describes the engine as follows: “Effortless performance and an unbelievably low fuel consumption.”

According to Friedrich Eichler, Head of Engine and Powertrain Development at Mercedes-AMG: “These top rankings reflect the huge enthusiasm of our customers for the AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine and the high-performance cars equipped with it - and they confirm the extremely positive test results in all the worldwide media.” Christoph Schmidt-Arnold, Head Project Manager for the new diesel engines, echoes these comments: “We are extremely pleased that the new four-cylinder diesel engine from Mercedes-Benz has been so well received by our customers and that its combination of high efficiency and maximum driving pleasure has now been acknowledged with this award.”

JohnH4260

2009 Mercedes-Benz S550 CNET Review
CNET editors' rating: Excellent
Comfort: 7.0
Performance: 8.0
Design: 9.0
Overall score: 8.3

The good:
The new blind-spot warning system on the 2009 Mercedes-Benz S550 advises when lanes to the side are occupied. Adaptive cruise control and night vision are two very high-tech features. Massage seats add greatly to comfort, while the Airmatic suspension smoothes out the road.

The bad:
iPod integration doesn't show the music library on the car's LCD. Live traffic reporting doesn't warn of impending traffic jams. Poor fuel economy means a gas guzzler tax.

The bottom line:
If you can pay for the gas, the 2009 Mercedes-Benz S550 has many features to recommend it, and offers an incredibly comfortable ride, but don't expect it to play well with your personal electronics.

Specifications:
Body style: Sedan ; Trim levels: S550 ; Available Engine: Gas See full specs

2009 Mercedes-Benz S550
When Mercedes-Benz launched the model update for the 2007 S550, it created a car with cutting-edge technical features, including radar-based cruise control that could bring the car to a full stop and a night vision system. But major updates like this usually take five years in the automotive industry, which leaves the 2009 Mercedes-Benz S550 still very similar--besides a few feature add-ons--to that ground-breaking 2007 model. Although it is good that Mercedes-Benz recognizes the need for features such as live traffic reports and iPod integration to keep the S550 competitive, the manner in which they are implemented leaves a lot to be desired.

On the road
The first inkling of trouble with the 2009 Mercedes-Benz S550 came when we plugged an iPhone into a convenient connector in the glove box. Using the COMAND interface to select the audio source, the only option for the iPod was Aux, and nothing showed on the car's LCD. Knowing that Mercedes-Benz packs a lot of information on to its instrument panel displays, we chose the audio menu on the speedometer, and could see which song was currently playing. Using the speedometer display and the steering wheel button, you can browse and select music, but the interface is incredibly strained. We previously saw this type of Mercedes-Benz iPod integration with the 2008 ML550.

Leaving the iPod on the default shuffle setting, we headed out in the S550. The big car is gentle, providing an executive-class ride as it mutes not only external noise, but also the imperfections of the road. Where other cars slammed their passengers around from potholes and road construction, the S550 soaked up the bumps, partly because of the air suspension, which we left in Comfort mode.

With generous leg room in back, the S550 had us wishing for a chauffer. But after discovering the massage seats, which are only for the driver and front passenger, we were content behind the wheel getting our tired backs pummeled. The seats also feature active bolsters, so that every time we turned the wheel, the side of the seat inflated briefly to keep us from sliding with the inertial forces.

The seven-speed automatic transmission acted like a perfect servant, remaining unobtrusive as it performed its duties, something an S-class buyer would expect. The big V-8 delivers its power easily, as well, moving the sedan effortlessly in normal driving circumstances, and showing it can pull when asked. A hard stomp on the gas pedal shoots the car forward, verifying Mercedes-Benz's claim of 5.4 seconds to 60 mph.

On the freeway, we set the adaptive cruise control for 80 mph, not touching brake or gas pedals as the S550 matches speed with a car in the lane ahead going 72 mph. And here we discover a new tech trick Mercedes-Benz rolled out for the S-class--blind-spot warning. As cars ride in the blind spots to either side, a triangular red warning light appears in the side view mirror. At one point, hitting the turn signal while a car sits in the blind spot causes that red light to flash, and sounds a warning tone. Blind-spot warning is one our favorite safety features, and it's nice to see Mercedes-Benz got it right.

But just as we hit the peak of enjoyment from this drive, traffic starts to slow, until the S550 is crawling along at 10 mph. (And our foot is back on the pedals, as we don't trust the adaptive cruise control that much.) A glance at the navigation system map confirms that we have stumbled into a traffic jam, showing a bunch of red car icons all around our position. We think it would have been nice if the car had given us some warning, but Mercedes-Benz hasn't integrated the traffic feature well enough for that. We consider using the manual detour feature to find away around the jam, but realize that actually getting to our destination means we will have to get out of this ultracomfortable ride, so we decide to stick it out.

In the cabin
Understanding that a horde of visible buttons does not contribute to the notion of luxury, Mercedes-Benz keeps the controls in the cabin of the S550 spare. With its smart key, there is a big metal button to start the car, a neat row of metal studs for the climate controls, and the big metal knob for the COMAND interface, for choosing functions such as audio and navigation from the high-resolution LCD to the right of the instrument panel. Although easy to use, the COMAND interface can get cluttered with menus at times.

Mercedes-Benz has been dragged, kicking and screaming, to Bluetooth, previously only allowing hands-free phone calling integrated with the car through special cradles designed for each compatible phone. Although it still has the cradle port, Mercedes-Benz tacked Bluetooth onto the S550, but the system failed to pair with the iPhone we used to test it. We noticed other phones had been registered in the S550's system, including one iPhone.

The hard drive-based navigation system offers high-resolution maps that show building outlines in certain urban areas. When entering addresses, the COMAND system isn't as direct as a touch screen, but still works easily, helped along by good predictive entries. The system also performs quickly as it refreshes the map and calculates routes.

Route guidance works well; we especially like how it shows which lane you should be in before a freeway intersection. But it doesn't offer text to speech. And, as we pointed out above, although it shows traffic incidents, it won't warn ahead of time about traffic jams on your route.

We also mentioned the poor iPod integration. The S550 comes with a few other means of playing music, the most esoteric being a PC Card slot in the center dash, designed for MP3 tracks loaded onto flash memory. The six-disc in-dash changer reads both MP3 CDs and DVDs. The stereo receives both Sirius satellite and HD radio.

Harmon Kardon provides the Logic 7 audio system, making music from these sources sound very good. With 14 speakers and 600 watts of amplification, its sound is very well-balanced, producing distinct highs and reasonable bass. Mid-ranges come out strong, making vocals easy to hear. Similar to other aspects of this car, the audio quality doesn't make itself obvious, merely coming through cleanly, without drama.

Of the driver aids, the new blind-spot warning system is the most useful, providing ample warning about cars that might have sneaked into your blind spot. Adaptive cruise control is also quite nice, making long freeway cruises in moderate traffic effortless, at least as far as your feet are concerned.

Night vision is a truly remarkable feature, but of less utility. It can be activated only in the dark, and replaces the speedometer display with an enhanced black-and-white view out the front. Vehicle speed is displayed on a horizontal bar below the forward view. Night vision comes in handy when driving through dark forests or country side, as a glance down at the display lets you see much further ahead on the road than you can unaided.

Under the hood
With the launch of the S550 in 2005 came Mercedes-Benz's new 5.5-liter V-8, which has since seen service in many other of the company's models. The engine's size goes against the grain of today's more fuel efficient mindset, but it gets mitigated somewhat by the seven-speed automatic. Those higher gears go some ways toward increasing the miles per gallon at freeway speeds.

The EPA rates the S550 at a dismal 14 mpg city and 22 mpg highway, opening it up for a gas guzzler tax. During our testing, with driving biased towards the freeway, we saw an average of 19.8 mpg.

We pointed out the acceleration above, made possible by the engine's 382 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque. Even with the size of the S550, this engine never feels strained. The transmission has a stalk for putting it in drive and reverse, and there are paddle shifters on the steering wheel for manual shifting. The manual shift action is very good for an automatic, although it doesn't totally eliminate slushiness. Mercedes-Benz claims the transmission adapts to the driver. Among our different drivers on staff, we didn't notice it change, but that may just prove it works exceptionally well.

The Airmatic suspension is a tech feature we really like in this car. First of all, it lets you choose between comfort and sport settings, making a noticeable difference in ride quality. But even better, it does an excellent job of keeping the car from wallowing in corners by counteracting body roll, and that's saying a lot, given the size of this sedan. Although Airmatic suspension and paddle shifters for the transmission give the S550 some sporting characteristics, the steering is aimed much more toward the luxury side of things. The wheel turns too easily, and offers little feedback about the road.

In sum
The 2009 Mercedes-Benz S550 goes for a base price of $86,950, putting it squarely in luxury sedan territory. Our particular model came with about $20,000 worth of options, the most interesting from a tech standpoint being the Active Body Control system, for $3,960; the Premium package, adding the massage seats and night vision, for $4,990; and the adaptive cruise control package, which includes the blind-spot system, for $2,880. Fortunately, the navigation system and stereo come standard. Other options on our car, along with the $1,000 gas guzzler tax and $875 destination charge, brought our total up to $109,150.

Although we found some issues with the S550's tech, it still earns a good rating for its cabin gadgets because of some of its driver aid features, such as the blind-spot warning system and night vision. The performance rating is buoyed by tricks like the Airmatic suspension, but dragged down by the fuel economy. It earns good marks for design, helped long by its stylish exterior, clean interior, and easy-to-use COMAND interface.

JohnH4260

2010 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG And S65 AMG: Active And Passive Safety
The high safety standard typical of the S-Class is further improved by a unique combination of new camera and radar-based driver assistance systems. Innovations such as Speed Limit Assist, ATTENTION ASSIST drowsiness detection and Adaptive Highbeam Assist or the PRE-SAFE® Brakes take occupant protection on board the S 63 AMG and S 65 AMG to a wholly new level.

A combination of ultra-modern assistance and protection systems turns the AMG S-Class into an "intelligent" partner that can see, feel, respond reflexively and act independently in relation to a perceived danger and so prevent accidents or mitigate their effects. For the first time cameras are also used that are able to look well ahead, monitor the car's surroundings and interpret typical critical situations. One example is the Adaptive Highbeam Assist (standard for S 65 AMG). This system recognises oncoming vehicles or vehicles ahead with their lights on, and then controls the headlamps to ensure the best possible beam range without dazzling other road users.

As a new feature, Night View Assist Plus with infrared camera (optional) is now equipped with a special pedestrian detection function: as soon as the system detects pedestrians on the road ahead, they are highlighted on the display to make them more readily noticeable.

Lane Keeping Assist is another system that "looks ahead" for even safer driving. The camera on the inside of the windscreen is able to recognise clear lane markings by evaluating the contrasting images of the road surface and the markings. If the vehicle leaves its lane unintentionally, the driver is prompted by short vibrations of the steering wheel to correct the situation. Unlike conventional systems of this kind, the Mercedes system is able to evaluate the driver's activities as well, and can reliably ascertain whether the car is leaving its lane intentionally or not. There is therefore no warning if, for instance, the driver accelerates before overtaking or joining a motorway, brakes heavily or enters a bend.

The images supplied by the windscreen camera are also used by the new Speed Limit Assist, which recognises speed limit signs in passing and shows the relevant speed limit in the central display (standard for S 65 AMG).

Drowsiness detection on the basis of more than 70 parameters
Thanks to an innovative technology the S-Class has a very sensitive antenna for the attention level of its driver, and can warn him in time when he becomes drowsy. The ATTENTION ASSIST drowsiness detection system continuously monitors more than 70 different parameters. Once the evaluation electronics recognise the steering behaviour pattern that typically indicates the onset of drowsiness on the basis of information from the highly sensitive steering angle sensor, a warning signal is sounded and "ATTENTION ASSIST. Break!" appears in the instrument cluster. ATTENTION ASSIST is fitted as standard.

"Electronic crumple zone" for maximum occupant protection
Mercedes-Benz has also improved the long and medium-range radar used by the optional Brake Assist PLUS (BAS PLUS) and DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control. Mercedes-Benz also offers another radar-based system for the S-Class in the form of PRE-SAFE®Brakes. If the driver is distracted and fails to recognise the immediate danger of a rear-end collision, or the warning signals of an assistance system, this system can intervene and brake the vehicle independently. The S-Class makes use of the latest development stage of this safety system: if the driver fails to react even after automatic partial braking action, the PRE-SAFE® Brakes activate the maximum braking pressure around 0.6 seconds before what is now recognised as an unavoidable accident – an emergency braking action that can significantly mitigate the severity of the impact. The PRE-SAFE® Brakes therefore act as something like an "electronic crumple zone".

JohnH4260

2010 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG And S65 AMG: AMG Sports Suspension And High Performance Braking System
The AMG sports suspension and ADAPTIVE BRAKE high-performance braking system are every bit a match for the effortlessly superior drive units: the two top-of-the-line models, the S 63 AMG and S 65 AMG, raise the bar in terms of driving dynamics thanks to new high-tech systems.

Less steering effort, more agile handling with the same outstanding straight-line stability – the new Direct-Steer system in a nutshell, which is now fitted as standard on the S 63 AMG and S 65 AMG. A key feature of the Direct-Steer system is the variable-ratio steering rack that operates using purely mechanical means. While the power steering around the central position utilises an indirect ratio to promote excellent straight-line stability, this alters from a steering angle of around five degrees: really small steering angles are all it takes to perform precise cornering, noticeably improving handling on winding country roads. The steering angle requirements have also been modified, enabling the driver to steer the AMGsaloons far more easily, particularly on urban roads. Compared with a steering system with a constant ratio, the number of revolutions from lock to lock is reduced by around 25 percent with the Direct-Steer system.

Purely mechanical Direct-Steer system with a host of benefits
Another advantage of the purely mechanical Direct-Steer system is the absence of any elaborate actuators and complex sensors – with associated benefits in terms of weight, installation space and susceptibility to faults. The constant steering response is also advantageous compared with other variable steering systems that sometimes require the driver to adapt quickly to what are fast changing situations on the road.

The Direct-Steer system is based on the familiar speed-sensitive power steering system which reduces the power assistance as the road speed increases. Easy manoeuvrability on urban roads where large steering angles and thus a great deal of power assistance is required, is coupled with reduced support at high speeds, say on the motorway – all of which improves straight-line stability and handling safety.

Torque Vectoring Brake optimises driving dynamics and handling safety
A further improvement in driving dynamics as well as active handling safety comes courtesy of the new Torque Vectoring Brake. If the Electronic Stability Program ESP®detects the onset of understeer, short one-sided braking intervention on the vehicle's inside rear wheel generates a specific yawing moment around the vehicle's vertical axis within a fraction of a second. Consequently, the AMG S-Class handles precisely and remains under control at all times as well as also bolstering active handling safety by reducing the tendency to understeer. The Torque Vectoring Brake is standard on the S 63 AMG and S 65 AMG.

Crosswind stabilisation as new Active Body Control function
The AMGsports suspension now comes as standard with automatic crosswind stabilisation based on Active Body Control (ABC). The ABC control electronics vary the wheel load distribution so that the effect of crosswinds is virtually compensated or reduced to a minimum. If the S-Class is affected by a crosswind, the ABC control unit utilises the yaw-rate, lateral acceleration, steering angle and speed sensors of the Electronic Stability Program ESP® to trigger diagonal wheel load distribution instantly – for instance on the left front and right rear wheel. The associated steering effect reduces the effect of the crosswind. Crosswind stabilisation is activated at speeds above 80 km/h while travelling in a straight line or on slight bends. The function is deactivated if the driver himself makes heavy, brusque steering corrections.

The active suspension on the S 63 AMG and S 65 AMGall but entirely eliminates the body movements that occur when moving off, cornering and braking. Bends are negotiated with far less roll; the body roll caused by fast evasive manoeuvring is effectively suppressed. Other notable features of Active Body Control are the variable roll moment distribution between the front and rear axles, which the system carries out automatically according to the speed. The computer uses various acceleration sensors to obtain information on the current driving situation and compares this data with those from the pressure sensors in the spring struts and the level sensors on the control arms. The system then computes the control signals that the servo-hydraulic valves at the front and rear axle transform into precisely metered flows of oil.

The load adjustment system enables the current vehicle weight to be factored into the calculation processes for the active suspension. As such the S 63 AMGand S 65 AMG handle just as dynamically even when the car is fully laden. Briefly pressing the Sport button next to the AMG instrument cluster changes the characteristics of the AMGsports suspension: the roll angle through fast corners is reduced further, the shock absorbers and springs also respond firmer to promote agility. At speeds of between 65 and 100 km/h, ABC automatically lowers the body by as much as 15 millimetres to reduce wind resistance. If more ground clearance is needed when driving on poor road surfaces, the driver can raise the level of the vehicle by 40 millimetres at a speed up to 30 km/h by simply pressing a button.

AMG high-performance braking system based on ADAPTIVE BRAKE
Based on the ADAPTIVE BRAKE system, the AMGhigh-performance braking system continues to set the benchmark for stopping power, sensitivity and fade resistance. The front axle features a double floating brake calliper; this technology combines the advantages of a sliding-calliper disc brake – reduced heat transfer to the brake fluid and clear advantages in terms of comfort thanks to the brake lining guide mechanism – with the efficiency of an extra large fixed calliper brake. At the rear, braking is handled by a large sliding frame-type calliper. Internally ventilated, perforated composite brake discs at the front and rear with a diameter of 390 and 365 millimetres respectively ensure the shortest stopping distances, remarkable resistance to fading and outstanding sensitivity.

The hydraulic dual-circuit braking system is controlled electronically, permitting the inclusion of numerous driver assistance functions that improve safety and comfort – such as "priming" the braking system in critical situations: if the driver suddenly switches from the accelerator to the brake pedal before emergency braking, ADAPTIVE BRAKE increases the pressure in the brake lines and applies the pads to the brake discs, so that they can grip instantly with full force when the brake pedal is pressed. In wet weather, the system injects regular, short brake impulses to ensure that the film of water on the brake discs is wiped off and the brakes can work as effectively as possible. This automatic brake-drying function is always activated when the windscreen wipers on the S-Class have been in operation for a certain time; the driver does not notice the finely metered braking impulses.

After the S-Class has been braked to a standstill, briefly pressing the brake pedal a little further is all that is required to activate the HOLD function. The car is then held by the brakes, even if the driver's foot comes off the brake pedal. In this way ADAPTIVE BRAKE prevents the car from rolling forward inadvertently when stopped at traffic lights or stuck in stop-and-go traffic, and from rolling back when facing a slope. The HOLD function is deactivated automatically when the car moves off.

Eye-catching light-alloy wheels in 19 and 20-inch format
High-sheen 19-inch AMGfour-spoke light-alloy wheels painted titanium grey provide the contact between the road and the S 63 AMG. 255/40 R 19 tyres are fitted on 8.5-inch-wide wheels at the front, while 275/40 R 19 tyres combine with 9.5-inch-wide wheels at the rear. The S 65 AMG comes with 20-inch AMG twin-spoke forged wheels, painted in titanium grey with a mirror finish, measuring 8.5 and 9.5 inches wide. 255/35 R 20 tyres are fitted at the front, while 275/35 R 20 tyres feature at the rear.

JohnH4260

Luxury Institute Survey: Japanese High Net-Worth Consumers Rank the "Best of the Best" Luxury Brands in Six Categories
NEW YORK - The Luxury Institute reported today the results of the "Best of the Best" luxury brands in Japan based on the 2009 Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey, which identifies the top brands that deliver true luxury based solely on the unbiased ratings of wealthy Japanese consumers. The following six luxury categories were rated: Women's Fashion (29 brands), Women's Shoes (18 brands), Handbags (30 brands), Men's Fashion (22 brands), Men's Shoes (18 brands) and Automobiles (20 brands).

The LBSI asks high net-worth consumers to rate luxury brands by category across four equally weighted components: Consistently Superior Quality, Uniqueness and Exclusivity, Making the Customer Feel Special Across the Entire Experience and Being Consumed by People Who Are Admired and Respected.

Which luxury providers deliver the best combination of quality, exclusivity, customer experience and peer prestige in Japan?

The "Best of the Best" are: (LBSI score out of 10)
-- Women's Fashion
-- Hermes - 7.38
-- Chanel - 7.20
-- Louis Vuitton - 7.01

-- Women's Shoes
-- Manolo Blahnik - 8.18
-- Jimmy Choo - 7.58
-- Hermes - 7.45

-- Handbags
-- Hermes - 7.76
-- Louis Vuitton - 7.24
-- Chanel - 7.20

-- Men's Fashion
-- Ermenegildo Zegna - 7.08
-- Giorgio Armani - 6.97
-- Louis Vuitton - 6.71

-- Men's Shoes
-- Salvatore Ferragamo - 6.82
-- Versace - 6.59
-- Giorgio Armani - 6.38

-- Automobiles
-- Mercedes-Benz - 7.47
-- Porsche - 7.21
-- Lexus - 6.99
"Japan continues to be a critical market for luxury due to its highly discerning and still affluent consumers," said Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute. "The Luxury Institute conducts more surveys globally with wealthy consumers than all other entities in the world combined, and we also clearly see that luxury is no longer 'back to basics.' While some are busy predicting the death of luxury around the developed world, we predict that luxury will regain its luster, and with a vengeance, when truly wealthy consumers fatten their wallets again and can focus on acquiring the best. It is a historical fact that luxury is cyclical and dramatically outperforms in up cycles and dramatically underperforms in down cycles. We predict that savvy Japanese wealthy consumers will not be fooled again by faux luxury brands."

The proprietary Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey is the only unbiased measure of the prestige of leading brands among wealthy Americans. A national sample of 600 wealthy Japanese consumers, with an average household income of JPY50,000,000 Japanese Yen (or $525,000 US Dollars) was surveyed online.

JohnH4260

Dude or Dud... What Does Your Car Say About You?
By Kathleen McCleary

It's a notion as old as the chariot: Like it or not, what you drive sends a message to the world.

In today's information age, you can now find out what your car says about you on Internet joke sites (example: Volvo 740 Wagon = "I'm very frightened of my wife") or get your "Car-O-Scope" from NPR "CarTalk" gurus Tom and Ray Magliozzi (example: "You're a bit too 'touchy-feely' for a Passat; consider a BMW 328i instead").

"I've spent my entire adult life amazed by the way in which people judge others based on the auto they drive," says Michael Marsden, a pop culture expert and Eastern Kentucky University professor who has taught a course on "The Automobile in American Society" for years. (He drives a 1989 Jeep Grand Wagoneer.) "The auto is perceived as an extension of ourselves."

Consider: Your typical professional athlete could easily tool around town in, say, a $16,000 Honda Accord. It would meet all transportation needs. But it doesn't say "Money! Power! Success!" like a Cadillac Escalade (starting price: $54,000; NBA star Jalen Rose's customized one cost more than $120,000).

The definition of success in American society, Marsden says, is "a stable of autos," like the 47 Porsches owned by Jerry Seinfeld, or Jay Leno's 85 vehicles (he favors Corvettes and Lamborghinis). Indeed, the image our cars convey is so important that a recent poll found people are more concerned about what car they drive to their high school reunion (52%) than whether they're married at the time of the reunion (44%).

But just because you drive a Toyota Camry doesn't mean it's the ultimate expression of the Inner You. We don't all make pro-athlete salaries, after all. "You are what you drive, but there are some real basic requirements people look at first," says Lonnie Miller of R.L. Polk & Co., which collects data on auto registrations. People in small and midsize cars are most concerned with reliability and price, he says; large-car buyers want comfort. It's not until you get to the luxury and sport categories that prestige is an issue. Consider key factors in buying:

-- Location. Domestic cars sell best in the Midwest, where most are made; convertibles are hot in Florida and California. But there are inexplicable links: Sports cars are more likely near a coast (East, West or Gulf), Miller says, while minivans sell best in Chicago. Chevrolet Suburbans rule in Texas.

-- Cost. A recent J.D. Power and Associates study found potential buyers reject a specific model because of a too-high price or monthly payment. So people find their type of car at their price. If you must have a sports car but can't afford a Jaguar ($59,975 for the XJ sport sedan), you'll keep shopping till you find a sports car you can afford, even if it's a $16,000 Hyundai Tiburon.

-- Your stage in life. Sedans are the best-selling cars, reflecting the need to drive families in a safe, cost-effective vehicle. Light trucks (SUVs and smaller pickups) are now selling even better than cars because they haul what people of many ages need, from a 20-something surfer dude to a silver-haired gardener. Minivans, the stereotypical soccer mom-mobile, are hugely popular among the elderly, because they're easy to get into and out of, have good cargo capacity and drive like a car.

-- Sex. Women, who make 52% of new car purchases, prize safety and reliability above all. They are also more practical about cost. "When men buy a car, the question is, 'Should I spend $25,000 or $45,000?' When women buy a car, they ask, 'Should I spend $25,000, or should I spend $18,000 and put $7,000 into a new kitchen?' " says Sandra Kinsler of womanmotorist.com.

Don't give the intellect too much credit. "Why do people commit themselves to years of debt for something that instantly depreciates and will get dented?" Marsden asks. "A car is an emotional high."
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What you're telling people If you drive this TYPE of vehicle ...

Sports car: You're a CEO (or a wanna-be). You're not tied down (one passenger only). You like to push the envelope, in work and life. The message, says Courtney Caldwell of "American Woman Road & Travel" magazine: "I'm young, I'm virile, I'm sexy, I have money."

Sedan: You're supportive, reliable, dependable and practical. You're one of the pack: The best-selling cars of 2001 were sedans (No.1, Honda Accord; No. 2, Toyota Camry; No. 3, Ford Taurus).

SUV: You like to be in control and somewhat set apart. In an SUV you're "isolated from the road, above it," says pop culture expert Michael Marsden. "And you probably have a super sound system. So you're in a cocoon, well insulated. You've arrived at a level of success in which you don't have to deal with the world."

Pickup truck: You're independent. If you're a woman, you're busy, active, hip and athletic.

Compact: Vivacious, fun and spunky is one image; poor and just out of college is another. At any rate, you give off an aura that says youth, frugality and verve. Compacts such as the Ford Focus and Honda Civic are huge with "tuners" -- young buyers who beef up their cars with powerful engines and accessories.

Minivan: You're controlled by other forces in your life (most likely, kids and pets). A minivan says: "It's OK when juice boxes explode in here. We'll beat the living daylights out of this thing and have it for eight years and hope we don't need another one," says Sandra Kinsler of womanmotorist.com.
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The color that drives you
Red: You're assertive (or aggressive) and strong.

Yellow: It screams "Look at me!" -- which is why you don't see it on family sedans. It's for sporty SUVs and expensive sports cars, in which it also says, "I'm so rich I don't care what you think" (example, a $50,370 Corvette convertible).

Orange: You're on top of the trends. Orange (in many variations) is a key new color in 2003. GM has "sunset orange metallic" pickups; Mercedes-Benz offers a "paprika metallic" C-Class sports coupe.

Silver: You ooze class. The No. 1 car color (it passed white for the first time in 2001), silver represents speed, power and success -- which is why it's the favorite color of baby boomers (ages 38 to 56).

White: A longtime favorite and the color of rental cars. People under 65 in a white car like to blend in. For the elderly, white harks back to the elegance and wealth of the 1920s.

Black: Power/aggression sums it up. The top choice for ages 24 to 37 and one of the top colors targeted by thieves (along with red).

Blue (medium or dark): You're conservative, middle of the road. Blue always seems to be No. 5 or 6 on lists of the top 10 car colors.

Green (medium or dark): See blue, above, and add a touch of environmentalism.

JohnH4260

2010 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG And S65 AMG: Engines And Drive System
Powerful eight and twelve-cylinder engines are a traditional strength of AMG – and no less so than with the S 63 AMG and the S 65 AMG, the S-Class top-of-the-line models. The S 63 AMG is powered by a high-revving V8 naturally aspirated engine developing 386 kW/525 hp, the S 65 AMG comes with a biturbo V12 engine that delivers 450 kW/612 hp. Despite no changes having been made to the engine and performance values, it has still been possible to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of the two high-performance saloons.

Developing a peak output of 386 kW/525 hp at 6800 rpm and maximum torque of 630 newton metres at 5200 rpm, the S 63 AMG ranks among the most powerful series-production saloons with an eight-cylinder engine. These impressive figures translate into a high level of driving pleasure and exceptional performance. The S 63 AMG accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds before going on to a top speed of 250 km/h (electronically limited). The V8 naturally aspirated engine with its displacement of 6208 cubic centimetres offers an exhilarating mix of high power from low engine speeds, instantaneous responsiveness and pronounced high-revving flexibility – up to a maximum engine speed of 7200 rpm.

Precise fine-tuning of the engine and transmission setup, aerodynamics and rolling resistance has reduced fuel consumption by 0.5 litres/100 km – without compromising driving dynamics. NEDC combined fuel consumption for the new S 63 AMG is now 14.4 litres/100 km (long wheelbase: 14.5 l/100 km), equivalent to CO2 emissions of 344 g/km (long wheelbase: 347 g/km).

AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine: technology transfer from the world of motorsport
The technical basis for the dynamic DNA comes courtesy of the thoroughbred motorsport technology of the AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine. This includes the lightweight, extra-rigid aluminium bedplate crankcase with closed-deck technology and the twin-wire-arc-sprayed coating on the cylinder walls used exclusively by AMG. The streamlined design of the intake and exhaust ducts together with the magnesium variable intake manifold featuring two parallel-action internal throttle flaps results in superlative cylinder charging and high power output.

The 32 valves in the cylinder heads are operated by bucket tappets for a rigid valve train and high engine speeds. Continuous adjustment of the camshafts on the intake and exhaust sides ensures an optimal supply of fuel/air mixture to the eight combustion chambers.

S63 Key data at a glance:
Cylinder arrangement: V8
Cylinder angle: 90 degree
Valves per cylinder: 4
Displacement: 6208 cc
Bore x stroke: 102.2 x 94.6 mm
Cylinder spacing: 109 mm
Compression ratio: 11.3 : 1
Output: 386 kW/525 hp at 6800 rpm
Max. torque: 630 Nm at 5200 rpm
Maximum engine speed: 7200 rpm
Engine weight (dry): 199 kg
Fuel consumption: 14.4 (14.5) l/100 km
CO2 emissions: 344 (347) g/km
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 4.6 sec
Top speed: 250 km/h*
Figures in brackets refer to long-wheelbase version; * electronically limited.

Electronically controlled fuel supply for outstanding agility
Outstanding agility and instantaneous responsiveness are the undoubted strengths of the AMG6.3-litre V8 engine, thanks in no small part to the electronically controlled fuel supply. It operates with an on-demand system pressure of 3.8 to 5.0 bar. According to power requirements and external temperature, fuel pressure is adjusted and regulated almost instantly. The engine management system translates the command from the accelerator within milliseconds into the corresponding fuel pressure setting. Such control ensures rapid vehicle response and a sporty thrust across all load ranges and at all engine speeds.

In the interests of optimal reliability, the S 63 AMGhas a particularly efficient water cooling system and large engine and transmission oil coolers. Located behind the apertures in the AMGfront apron, these coolers ensure non-critical operating temperatures at all times – even under the extreme stress of the racetrack. The AMG sports exhaust system with two oval twin chromed tailpipes delivers the telltale eight-cylinder vocals.

S 65 AMG: exclusive effortless superiority
A twelve-cylinder engine has always been the pinnacle of the engine builders' craft. The V12 powerpack on the S 65 AMGi s regarded by engine experts as a prime example of this rare art: thanks to its displacement of 5980 cc, twin turbochargers and powerful air/water intercooler, the AMG V12 delivers maximum power of 450 kW/612 hp between 4800 and 5100 rpm and maximum torque of 1000 newton metres. The torque has been reduced from 1200 to 1000 newton metres out of consideration for the drivetrain and is available between 2000 and 4000 rpm. At a mere 1000 rpm, the AMG 6.0-litre biturbo V12 engine delivers 570 newton metres of torque to the crankshaft, while 750 newton metres are on tap at 1500 rpm. The performance figures are impressive testimony to the phenomenal power harnessed by the AMG twelve-cylinder unit: the S 65 AMG accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.4 seconds; the top speed is 250 km/h (electronically limited).

S65 Key data at a glance:
Cylinder arrangement: V12
Cylinder angle: 60°
Valves per cylinder: 3
Displacement: 5980 cc
Bore x stroke: 82.6 x 93.0 mm
Cylinder spacing: 90 mm
Compression ratio: 9.0:1
Output: 450 kW/612 hp at 4800-5100 rpm
Max. torque: 1000 Nm* at 2000-4000 rpm
Maximum engine speed: 6000 rpm
Engine weight(dry): 221 kg
Fuel consumption: 14.5 l/100 km
CO2 emissions: 346 g/km
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 4.4 sec
Top speed: 250 km/h*
* electronically limited.

The S 65 AMG leaves you in no doubt about the effortless superiority of the 12‑cylinder engine, kilometre after kilometre: the powerful, effortless acceleration in the highest engine speed range is another strength of the AMG12-cylinder unit along with its relaxed cruising at low engine speeds. Just as impressive as the phenomenal flexibility is the smooth and refined running characteristics which guarantee the high level of touring comfort traditionally associated with Mercedes.

Like its stablemate the S 63 AMG, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions on the new S 65 AMGhave been reduced thanks to optimisation of the engine and transmission setup as well as improvements to the aerodynamics and rolling resistance – all despite no changes having been made to the engine data and performance values. The NEDC consumption of the S 65 AMGis now 14.5 litres per 100 kilometres (CO2: 346 g/km), an equivalent reduction of 0.3 l/100 km.

Know-how from the world of motorsport also with the AMG biturbo V12 engine
The AMG 6.0-litre biturbo V12 engine also leverages the vast know-how amassed by Mercedes-AMGfrom the world of motorsport. The V12 engine has a precision-balanced crankshaft made out of high-strength materials, forged pistons made out of special material which is extremely resistant to temperature and pressure, a more effective oil-spray cooling system with a separate individual nozzle for each piston plus larger piston pins. The main and big-end bearings are also made out of improved materials to compensate for temperature and pressure peaks more effectively.

The charge cycle in the cylinder heads benefits from optimised combustion chambers and longer opening times of the intake camshafts. A modified oil pump ensures that all lubrication points are supplied with oil - even in highly demanding conditions. An engine oil cooler is integrated into the AMG front apron, with an additional engine coolant radiator located in the wheel arch.

Air/water intercooler for optimum engine efficiency
A typical feature of the AMG biturbo V12 engine is the sophisticated air/water intercooler. A large cooler at the front of the vehicle effectively cools down the intake air – which has been compressed by the turbochargers – before it enters the combustion chambers. The water-cooled low-temperature cooler results in a 25 percent reduction in intake temperature at full throttle and guarantees high power and torque output under all operating conditions and regardless of the outside temperature. The housings of the compressor and turbine in both turbochargers as well as the turbine and compressor wheels have been enlarged, resulting in a maximum charge pressure of 1.5 bar.

The electronically controlled AMG-specific fuel supply operates with a variable system pressure of between 3.6 and 5.0 bar. According to power requirements and external temperature, fuel pressure is variably controlled almost instantly. The engine management system translates the command from the accelerator within milliseconds, delivering an extremely fast response from the engine in all load situations. The sports exhaust system with two sets of twin chromed tailpipes in the V12 design provides the telltale AMG twelve-cylinder vocals on the new S 65 AMG.

Engine production at Mercedes-AMG: tradition of hand-built excellence
Traditionally all engines are built by hand at Mercedes-AMG in Affalterbach – just like the AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine in the S 63 AMG and the AMG 6.0-litre biturbo V12 engine in the S 65 AMG. In the state-of-the-art AMG engine workshops, which were opened in 2002, a highly qualified engineer assembles each engine according to the company's philosophy of "one man, one engine" in compliance with the most stringent quality standards. The engineer's signature on the AMGengine plate is testimony to the highest standards of workmanship. It takes around three hours to produce the V8 engine; the V12 unit normally takes somewhere in the region of six-and-a-half hours.

Transmission and power transfer: tailor-made solutions
To match the wide engine speed range of the AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine, the S 63 AMG teams up with the AMG SPEEDSHIFT 7G-TRONIC, while the high-torque S 65 AMG is paired with the AMGSPEEDSHIFT 5-speed automatic transmission. The driver can nudge the DIRECT SELECT shift lever on the steering column to select the transmission settings "P", "N", "R" and "D". In typical AMG style, individual gears can be shifted using the AMGshift paddles on the steering wheel, rather like in a Formula 1 car.

Three different drive modes are available in the two AMGsaloons: these shift modes - "C" (Comfort), "S" (Sport) and "M" (Manual) are selected using a switch in the centre console and differ in terms of their gearshift characteristics and speed. In the manual "M" mode the transmission reliably remains in the selected gear, enabling the driver to ideally harness the immense pulling power. Automatic downshift under full throttle or during kickdown is similarly prevented as is an upshift when reaching the engine speed limit. This allows drivers with a particularly sporty streak to make even better use of the high power at their disposal. The AMG instrument cluster displays the currently engaged gear and recommended upshifts in "M" mode.

In line with the exceptional 1000 Nm torque, the S 65 AMG comes with a systematically reinforced drivetrain. In the automatic transmission this includes purpose-built clutch plates with a high-quality metallic coating and the modified shift and torque converter logic. Redesigned drive shafts, larger hub carriers as well as strengthened steel spring links supplement these measures.


Specific enhancements to the S 63 AMG and S 65 AMG: Exclusive top-of-the-line AMG S-Class models now boast even greater appeal

Affalterbach – The Mercedes-Benz S 63 AMG and S 65 AMG, the powerful top-of-the-line S-Class models, are now even more appealing: thanks to a series of subtle yet extremely effective fine-tuning measures, the two performance saloons are even more striking and priceless than ever before. The updated technology is aimed at ensuring a more dynamic driving experience as well as optimum active and passive safety.

Exclusivity and dynamism, effortless superiority and high tech – both of the top-of-the-line S-Class models from Mercedes-AMG embody all of these characteristics. Since its market launch some three years ago, the S-Class made by AMGhas won the hearts of over 8000 customers around the world – turning it into the undisputed market leader in the small yet highly exclusive high-performance luxury saloon segment.

Volker Mornhinweg, Chairman of Mercedes-AMGGmbH: "Our discerning clientele appreciate the synthesis of uncompromising performance and dynamic, exclusive equipment, a unique proposition in this market segment. We have raised the bar further in terms of driving dynamics, safety and passenger comfort with the extensively updated new series of the S 63 AMGand S 65 AMG."

High-revving V8 engine and effortlessly superior biturbo V12 engine

The S 63 AMG, with its powerful, high-revving 386-kW/525-hp AMG 6.3-litre V8 naturally aspirated engine developing 630 newton metres of torque, is capable of accelerating to a speed of 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds. The S 65 AMG, meanwhile, demonstrates even greater superiority: its AMG6.0-litre biturbo V12 engine delivers maximum power of 450 kW/612 hp and maximum torque of 1000 newton metres, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.4 seconds. Both AMG saloons are electronically limited to 250 km/h. Despite no changes having been made to the engine data and performance values, it has still been possible to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 3 percent.

Contributing to the even more exceptional status of the models is the new, more pronounced arrow-shaped radiator grille, featuring twin chromed louvres in the case of the S 65 AMG. The new front apron incorporates striking, AMG-specific LED daytime driving lights and two transverse air outlets on each side. Further striking features include the "6.3 AMG" or "V12 Biturbo" lettering on the front wings, and redesigned exterior mirrors.

Side sill panels emphasise the elegant line of the front apron through to the rear of the vehicle, where the new rear apron features yet another highlight: the centre section of the black diffuser insert is now painted in the same colour as the vehicle body. New tail lights with 52 LEDs in the form of a double "C" also give the S-Class an unmistakable appearance from behind. A distinctive element of both models comes in the guise of the AMG sports exhaust with two chromed twin tailpipes, featuring a V12 design in the case of the S 65 AMG. Visual aspects which distinguish the V8 from the V12 model also include the attractive AMG light-alloy wheels: the S 63 AMG has 19-inch AMGmulti-spoke wheels painted titanium grey with a high-sheen finish and fitted with 255/40 (front) and 275/40 (rear) tyres. The S 65 AMG, on the other hand, comes with 20-inch AMG forged wheels painted titanium grey with a mirror finish and fitted with 255/35 (front) and 275/35 (rear) tyres.

Crosswind stabilisation, Torque Vectoring Brake and Direct-Steer system
The AMG sports suspension based on Active Body Control (ABC) provides crosswind stabilisation as standard equipment for the first time: thanks to this function, influences caused by crosswinds are compensated for, or – in the case of strong gusts – reduced to a minimum. ABC compensates against the effect of crosswinds by adjusting the wheel load distribution within milliseconds, using the yaw-rate and lateral acceleration sensors of the Electronic Stability Program ESP®.

Also making up the standard equipment is the new Torque Vectoring Brake: when cornering, brief direct application of the brakes has an effect on the vehicle's inner rear wheel so that the saloon corners precisely and under control at all times. The Torque Vectoring Brake is an additional feature of the Electronic Stability Program ESP®and not only noticeably improves responsiveness but also active handling safety in critical conditions. The driving experience is further heightened thanks to the Direct-Steer system: with its variable ratio depending on steering angle, it helps to ensure a more direct response when cornering, and therefore more responsive handling – in brief: enhanced driving pleasure at the wheel of the Mercedes-AMG S-Class.

Based on the ADAPTIVE BRAKE system, the AMG high-performance braking system continues to provide optimum fade resistance, deceleration and sensitivity. The front axle features a double floating brake caliper. This exclusive technology combines the advantages of a sliding-caliper disc brake – reduced heat transfer to the brake fluid and clear advantages in terms of comfort thanks to the brake lining guide mechanism – with the efficiency of an extra large fixed caliper brake.

Extensive range of standard equipment with exclusive flair
The interior appointments are every bit as exclusive as the high-tech package: as soon as its door is opened, the S 65 AMG welcomes the driver with large, animated "AMG V12 BITURBO" lettering in the instrument cluster's central display. The AMG main menu provides the driver with information about engine oil temperature, current gear range and the battery voltage. In the case of the S 63 AMG, the extensive range of standard equipment includes not only PASSION leather appointments, with natural leather in the seat side bolsters, but also front AMG sports seats with climate control, massage, multicontour and dynamic handling function. The Exclusive PASSION leather upholstery in the S 65 AMG, meanwhile, with its AMG V12 diamond pattern design, exudes an air of even greater refinement. Ample use of trim elements and the AMG-specific analogue clock, featuring an IWC design, are a given in both AMG models. Both the AMG SPEEDSHIFT 7G-TRONIC of the S 63 AMG, as well as the five-speed automatic AMG SPEEDSHIFT transmission of the S 65 AMG, are fitted with DIRECT SELECT gearshift. Gear changes are carried out by means of AMG aluminium shift paddles on the new AMG sports steering wheel.

New standards in active and passive safety
In addition, both of the top-of-the-line AMG models set new standards when it comes to active and passive safety through an unrivalled combination of innovative camera and radar-based driver assistance systems. These include the ATTENTION ASSIST drowsiness detection system, Adaptive Highbeam Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, and the PRE-SAFE® Brakes, which are linked to the proximity regulating radar and intervene independently in the event of an impending accident to act like an invisible crumple zone. Night View Assist with infrared camera also features a novel pedestrian detection system. The pictures from the windscreen camera are also used by the new Speed Limit Assist, available as an option. The Brake Assist PLUS and DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control support the driver in the event of emergency braking. The PRE-SAFE® positioning function and NECK-PRO luxury head restraints in the front are now also included as standard.

New infotainment systems, including COMAND APS with new SPLITVIEW display, which shows different images for driver and front passenger simultaneously, enhance occupant comfort even further.

Exclusive optional extras are also available from the AMG PERFORMANCE STUDIO:
20-inch AMG twin-spoke forged wheels, painted in titanium grey with a mirror finish and fitted with 255/35 R 20 front and 275/30 R 20 rear tyres (only S 63 AMG)

AMG trim in black piano lacquer/carbon fibre

While the S 63 AMG is available in short or long-wheelbase versions, the S 65 AMG is only available as a long-wheelbase version. Both top-of-the-line AMG models will have their market launches from the end of June 2009.

Prices at a glance:
S 63 AMG (short wheelbase): EUR 115,700 (excl. VAT) / EUR 137,683 (incl. 19% VAT)
S 63 AMG (long wheelbase): EUR 121,700 (excl. VAT) / EUR 144,823 (incl. 19% VAT)
S 65 AMG: EUR 185,900 (excl. VAT) / EUR 221,221 (incl. 19% VAT)

JohnH4260

Top 10 Best Selling Vehicles: June 2009
- Ford F-Series: 35,915
- Toyota Camry: 26,394
- Chevy Silverado: 24,766
- Honda Accord: 23,995
- Honda Civic: 20,954
- Toyota Corolla: 19,935
- Ford Fusion: 18,561
- Nissan Altima: 16,350
- Ford Escape: 15,385
- Chevy Impala: 14,931

JohnH4260

Cities With Angriest Drivers?
New York City has a number of nicknames such as the Big Apple and Gotham, but now it can add another distinction—America’s Road Rage capital.

According to the annual study by the Affinion Group, NYC tops the list as the least courteous U.S. city to drive in, up from its third place finish last year. It rudely took the title away from Miami. The city with the least road rage was Portland, Oregon, up from second place last year. See the list of top five best and worst cities below.

Cities with the worst road rage:
New York City
Dallas/Ft. Worth
Detroit
Atlanta
Minneapolis/St. Paul

Cities with the least angry drivers:
Portland, OR
Cleveland
Baltimore
Sacramento
Pittsburgh

The study was conducted via telephone between January and March 2009 with 2,518 interviews in 25 major metro areas.

JohnH4260

10 Cars That Changed The World
Ford Model T
Year launched: 1908
Claim to Fame: While it wasn't the first car ever built, it certainly was the first to transform the 20th century. All told, Ford sold more than 15 million Model T cars, in large part because it was the first automobile affordable for the working class. It had two speeds, plus reverse, and a rear-wheel-drive engine.

Volkswagen Beetle
Year launched: 1938
Current MSRP: $18,290 (Volkswagen New Beetle)
Claim to Fame: Built by Ferdinand Porsche, the original Beetle had the longest production run of any vehicle ever. It was a top-seller in the U.S. for years during the 1950s and set the standard for small cars like the Chevrolet Corvair and Ford Pinto.

Jaguar XK 120
Year launched: 1948
Claim to Fame: This was Jaguar's first car to produce after WWII, and it's one for the ages. It was unveiled at the London Motor Show in 1948 as a test-bed for the XK engine and, as the fastest production car at the time, was a smash hit from the start. Hollywood stars including Clark Gable and Lauren Bacall drove the vehicle, which only added to its timeless allure. It's widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cars ever made.

Trabant
Year launched: 1958
Claim to Fame: Historians credit this car, produced by the East German automaker VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau, as a key to the downfall of communism. It was created by the regime as an inexpensive car for the people, but its poor performance, dirty engine, odd interior and the long time it took to get one (years, most often) only showed how centralized planning didn't work. Despite all this, it had a 30-year production run with more than 3 million made.

Porsche 911
Year launched: 1964
Current MSRP: $76,300
Claim to Fame: If any one car could define a brand, the 911 comes close. Originally called the 901, it has the longest production run of any sports car sold in the U.S. It uses the same air- (now water-) cooled engine technology developed by Ferdinand Porsche in the Volkswagen Beetle and continues to distinguish itself both on the street and on the racetrack, winning races from Daytona to Nurburgring.

Ford Mustang
Year launched: 1964
Current MSRP: $20,995
Claim to Fame: This is the car that started America's love affair with muscle and punch. It was the first of its kind and a wildly popular hit from the start. It's the only car among its competitors--Dodge Challenger and Chevy Camaro, to name a few--that has enjoyed an uninterrupted production run.

AMC Eagle
Year launched: 1980
Claim to Fame: This groundbreaking car was a forefather of the first crossovers. It was one of the first all-wheel-drive passenger cars with a hatchback, although it was also offered in coupe and sedan versions as well. It was designed by AMC-owned Jeep as a way to bridge the gap between AMC's passenger car line and its off-road Jeep line.

Jeep Cherokee
Year launched: 1974 as a two-door; 1977 as a four-door; 1984 redesigned.
Current MSRP: $31,230 (Jeep Grand Cherokee)
Claim to Fame: The Jeep Cherokee was the first midsize SUV that could be used as a practical car by families. While Land Rover's Range Rover introduced Americans to the luxury-minded SUV set, the Cherokee was the first to appeal to a broad audience. The car has since morphed into the all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Dodge Caravan
Year launched: 1984
Current MSRP: $23,545 (Dodge Grand Caravan)
Claim to Fame: Despite its humble appearance, this family stalwart launched an entire segment: minivans. It offered tons of room (space for seven passengers, third-row seats) and child-friendly interiors that inspired competitors like the Honda Odyssey and Kia Sedona. It's now in its fifth generation, which offers formerly upper-class amenities like swivel seats, second- and third-row video screens and power second-row windows.

Toyota Prius
Year launched: 2000 in the U.S.
Current MSRP: $22,000
Claim to Fame: The Prius is the best-selling hybrid of all time and Toyota's third-biggest selling car so far this year. Experts credit it with completely repositioning Toyota as an eco-friendly brand. It has sold more than 1.2 million units worldwide since it first went on sale nine years ago. Sales last year totaled 158,884; Toyota, including Lexus, took 74.4% of the hybrid market in 2008.

K-A

I still wonder how that fact by by so many people.

JohnH4260

Agree... removed this incorrect information from the original post - thanks for bringing to my attention.

K-A

Wait so he didn't design it? I thought he did help. Just to clarify I meant I'm surprised how (if he did help design it), that fact got by so many people, i.e the car became the cute chick-y, peace, hippie, etc. mobile.

JohnH4260

Actually, it was proposed/designed by Porsche in the early 1930's. Not until much later (late 30's) was it embraced by Hitler.

JohnH4260

Mercedes-Benz Innovation: The Crumple Zone in 1952
Mercedes-Benz pioneered the safety concept of having the bodywork absorb the kinetic impact of a crash
It may be the Volvo name which is most associated with automotive safety in the consumer's mind, but it was, in fact, Mercedes-Benz which first developed the most basic tenet of passenger car safety - the so-called Crumple Zone.

It was an inventor Bela Barenyi who pioneered the idea that passengers were safer in a vehicle that was designed to easily absorb the energy from an impact and keep that energy away from the people inside the cabin.

Barenyi devised a system of placing the car's components in a certain configuration that kept the kinetic energy in the event of a crash away from a bubble protecting the car's occupants. Mercedes obtained a patent from Barenyi's invention way back in 1952 and the technology was first introduced into production cars in 1959 in the Mercedes-Benz 220, 220 S and 220 SE models.

For example, Barenyi arranged the steering column and other heavy components so that they would not form blocks that would heighten the impact on the cabin. The system was designed to have the car's body crumple around the cabin, absorbing the worst of the kinetic shock of impact.

Design changes affected the inside of the cabin as well, with the dashboard and controls all made with soft-edges and made to yield easily in a crash.

Those Mercedes models were also some of the first to introduce over-the-shoulder seat-belts.

The inventor/engineer Barenyi is credited with about 2,500 patents, more than half as many as the more famous inventor, Thomas Edison.

JohnH4260

10 Worst Automotive Fads
Some say fads come and go, but some fads actually live on in infamy. Here are our picks for the worst auto fads of the last 50 years.

1. Vinyl/Landau Roof
What has all of the problems of a convertible top (tearing, weathering), with none of the pleasures (driving with a top that actually opens, for instance). It’s the vinyl, aka “landau,” top. Although term “landau top” is often used as a catchall term for the multiple variations of the vinyl top, fake-convertible connoisseurs know that true landau tops have landau bars on the C-pillar. These bars are a reference to the conventions of classic coach building — which probably made more sense back in the 1920s and ’30s, when landau cars were first introduced.

By the 1960s and ’70s, however, when the vinyl-top trend was at its height, it probably struck buyers as a hint of luxury on top of the often-brutish sheet metal of the era. Vinyl tops were offered by all three Detroit automakers at the time, on cars including the Cadillac Eldorado, Pontiac Firebird, even the Ford Pinto. And, as fads go, this one lasted quite a long time; the last factory landaus were offered in the 1990s. Now an enthusiast of the genre must appeal sheepishly to the aftermarket to get a roof that says “convertible” on the outside, fixed roof on the inside and cheesy all over.

2. Fake Wood Paneling
Another famous vinyl product meant to simulate the craftsmanship of a bygone era, fake wood paneling began to pop up in the 1960s, draping the sides of luxury station wagons such as the Ford Country Squire. Like the famous woodies of the pre-1950s era (which were, of course, constructed of real wood), these cars showed off their elegantly grained vinyl timbers with pride. That is, until the panels peeled off to reveal the sheet metal beneath.

The siding itself didn’t generally last long, but America’s taste for the richness of faux wood endured well into the 1990s. That is, until the American station wagon was displaced by its brutish big brother, the SUV (more on that later).

3. Talking Cars
Picture yourself back in 1982: You are taking your new high-tech Datsun 810 Maxima for a nighttime drive in the country. A Flock of Seagulls’ “I Ran” is playing on the radio. You are all alone in the cockpit — or so you think. When you come to a stop and turn off the ignition, a sultry female voice emanates from behind the dash: “Lights are on.” And so they are. You turn them off and say, “Thanks, baby.”

With a vocabulary of exactly six phrases, the 810 Maxima was the first true talking car, equipped with a digital nanny feature that would chastise you for forgetful behaviors, including not switching off your headlights or failing to buckle your seat belt. And like any true fad, the recordings that were etched into its phonograph-style cylinder swiftly went from way-cool tech to way annoying. But that didn’t stop the insufferable feature from finding its way into other vehicles such as the 1984 Dodge Daytona and Chrysler Laser.

And despite eventually becoming an ’80s punch line, cars that talk have once again resurfaced in the form of voice-prompt GPS navigation systems and Sync-style voice control systems. It seems that this time, however, they have something relevant to say.

4. Automatic Seat Belts
It’s hard to be too critical of the automatic seat belt. These mechanized devices meant well. And in the post-Nader era of the early 1980s, the chastened automotive industry was just trying to get drivers to actually use the most significant safety device invented in automotive history. There were two main flavors of the technology. A combination manual lap belt and automated shoulder belt was employed in vehicles such as the Toyota Cressida — the lap belt would clip on normally, and the shoulder belt would ride back along a track in the top of the door frame until it had draped its sash of safety across the driver and/or passenger. Another variant automated both lap and shoulder belts with a complicated arrangement that required occupants to slide under the belts for entry and exit.

Both arrangements had the incredibly annoying habit of knocking off eyeglasses or clotheslining anyone unaware enough to be leaning forward when the car was turned on. In the end, automatic seat belts often produced the opposite behavior from what was intended — people simply unhooked the manual release and went beltless.

5. Spinning Rims
Many of the fads in this article are long gone, but spinning rims (aka “spinners”) live on. Invented in the 1980s, these aftermarket goodies do exactly what their name implies, that is, the inner portion of the rim continues to spin on roller bearings after the wheels they are attached to have stopped. Equipping one’s car with a full set of spinners can cost thousands of dollars, making them an expensive yet essential element of the pimped ride so popular in the early part of this decade.

But guess what — it’s over. We realize that many of you are still sporting these rotating novelties, but you are riding on four shiny anachronisms that inspire new snickers from passers-by each day. Spinners are the ultimate one-trick pony. All they do is spin, and the forty-fifth time you see them, the joy is totally gone.

6. Brand Decals
Concurrent with the mid-’80s stock market boom was the evolution of a certain species of shallow, self-involved man (think Gordon Gekko from the film “Wall Street”) who enjoyed turning perfectly good sports cars into embarrassing exercises in self-glorification. The typical member of this clan bought himself a 911, then proceeded to desecrate it with a full-length reflective decal that said “Carrera” and a “Porsche” windshield decal, just in case anyone was wondering what that iconic-looking vehicle he was driving was.

A lot of these vehicles ended up wrapped around roadside trees, since the notoriously tricky rear-engine 911 had a nasty penchant for oversteering that often gave overconfident and underskilled drivers a high-speed lesson in physics. These overbadged cars may have died, but in an unfortunate case of trickle-down economics, these decals were eventually available to drivers of everything from Chevy Cavaliers to Ford Mustangs.

7. Carbon Fiber Accents
If you liked branded decals in the ’80s, you were definitely into carbon fiber accents in the late ’90s and early this decade. This ultralight, uber-strong material was, and still is, a common structural material for race cars and exotic supercars. Back then it was far too expensive for the sub $100K market. Even so, a brisk business built around “affordable” carbon-fiber accessories (trim and dash panels, mostly) emerged that catered to the “tuner” (think “Fast and Furious”) who wanted to shave off 5 ounces of weight from his Japanese four-banger by, say, replacing a plastic shift knob with one made out of the lightweight material. For the most part, these individuals were more interested in the carbon fiber look than how it actually can be used to improve a car’s performance. Plus, the accessories were often flimsy and felt cheap to the touch.

Even further down the ladder of pointless automotive indulgence is faux carbon fiber. Sold in vinyl sheets, this appliqué can be stuck to any plastic surface in the car to give it the appearance of high-tech fanciness.

8. Digital Dashboards
A close cousin to the talking car, the digital instrument panel of the 1980s is the precursor to modern touch-screen interfaces. But unlike today’s touch-screens, most early digital dashboards offered few functional improvements over their analog contemporaries, and were harder to read at a glance. Nevertheless, automakers that were looking to tap into the excitement of the burgeoning computer age loved these things. Almost no manufacturer was immune from their allure: The Dodge Daytona, Nissan 300Z, Audi Quattro and Chevrolet Corvette all had digital loveliness available as at least an option.

Digital displays never truly went away, but the ’80s enthusiasm for designing screamingly bright, utterly nonstandardized instrument clusters certainly did. Now that driver distraction is a real danger, automakers smartly focus on making their digital interfaces easier to use and less obtrusive.

9. Huge SUVs
It’s debatable whether the trend towards humongous SUVs that lasted through the 1990s until last year represents a fad, a market phenomenon or a national character flaw. Whatever it was, it reached its gas-guzzling peak from 2003 to 2005, when buyers had a triple choice of huge trucks — the Ford Excursion, Hummer H2 and Chevrolet Suburban — offering fuel economy between 8 and 14 mpg. Of course, we needed these things. We had eight children to bring to soccer practice, hundreds of pounds of groceries to pick up at Costco and an enormous boat to tow. At some point in 2008, however, lifestyles must have changed, because when gas reached $4 a gallon, people couldn’t get rid of these vehicles fast enough, and the entire U.S. auto industry seems to have collapsed as a result.

As fuel-economy standards get more stringent, it’s possible that these dinosaurs will become truly extinct in the coming years, but their impact on the icecaps may last for centuries.

10. Fake Air Intakes/Outputs/Hood Scoops
Performance cars are heavy breathers. They need air, and lots of it, so sometimes car designers have to cut a hole in the body of the car to either let cool air in or let hot air out. (The Porsche 911 Turbo, for instance, has two huge intakes just behind the driver and passenger-side doors to let air into the engine.) It is just as important for fake performance cars to have the appearance of airflow. Their wheezing, underpowered engines will never impress anyone without hood scoops, brake vents and other various holes and bulges in the car body that generally don’t lead anywhere. These fake air intakes have shown up on brands ranging from Ford to Buick. The delightful irony of it all is that vents and hood scoops tend to take away from the general aerodynamic efficiency of any vehicle, so if they’re not catching air with the intention of actually using it for performance reasons, they’re just slowing you down.

JohnH4260

Mercedes-Benz, Lexus Top Ranking of U.S. Dealerships
DETROIT, July 14 - Mercedes-Benz and Lexus topped a ranking intended to measure how well U.S. car shoppers were treated in dealer showrooms whether they bought a new car or not.

The survey released by Monterey, California-based sales consultancy Pied Piper showed Mercedes-Benz first and Lexus in second place followed by Jaguar, Saturn and Land Rover.

The study ranked 14 brands below the industry average, including all three Ford Motor Co (F.N) brands -- Ford, Lincoln and Mercury -- and all three brands with Chrysler Group LLC -- Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge.

By contrast, three of the four brands that General Motors Co GMGMQ.PK is keeping as part of the leaner operation that emerged from a federally sponsored bankruptcy scored above average -- Cadillac, Chevy and GMC.

JohnH4260

America's Best Auto Dealerships
No. 1: Mercedes-Benz
2009 Score: 110
2008 Score: 104
2007 Score: 102

No. 2 (tie): Lexus
2009 Score: 108
2008 Score: 106
2007 Score: 103

No. 2 (tie): Jaguar
2009 Score: 108
2008 Score: 106
2007 Score: 106

No. 4 (tie) Saturn
2009 Score: 107
2008 Score: 106
2007 Score: 107

No. 4 (tie) Land Rover
2009 Score: 107
2008 Score: 103
2007 Score: 108

No. 6: Acura
2009 Score: 106
2008 Score: 107
2007 Score: 109

No. 7: Audi
2009 Score: 105
2008 Score: 105
2007 Score: 104

No. 8 (tie) BMW
2009 Score: 104
2008 Score: 104
2007 Score: 103

No. 8 (tie): Porsche
2009 Score: 104
2008 Score: 102
2007 Score: 101

No. 8 (tie): Cadillac
2009 Score: 104
2008 Score: 101
2007 Score: 98

No. 8 (tie): Volkswagen
2009 Score: 104
2008 Score: 105
2007 Score: 105

No. 8 (tie): Subaru
2009 Score: 104
2008 Score: 103
2007 Score: 103

No. 8 (tie): Toyota
2009 Score: 104
2008 Score: 102
2007 Score: 100

1SICKLEX

Very interesting thanks!!!