JohnH4260

Mercedes-Benz Photographic Treasures to be Digitized
Mercedes has announced that many of their photographs, taken by Zoltán Glass, will be digitized by The National Media Museum in Bradford, UK.

While the name Zoltán Glass may not ring a bell, he was one of the most prolific automotive photographers of the 20th century. In the 1920s and 1930s, he was commissioned to take hundreds of photographs of Mercedes' production and racing cars (most notably the Silver Arrows).

As part of this extensive effort, the museum will turn Glass' negatives into high resolution digital photos using a "calibrated high-end medium-format camera" that creates a neutral copy of the original. These pictures (a roughly 100MB TIFF file) are then feed through special software which converts them into a positive image.

The unique project aims to scan nearly 6,000 images taken by Glass, with an emphasis on the 1930s and 1950s. Scheduled to be completed in April 2010, the collection will be available for historical editorial work and various other projects.

Jen_Kenne

That is great news, John, but there are other threads that fit your topic and would receive a wider readership.

JohnH4260

2010 Mercedes-Benz S250 CDI BlueEfficiency: First S-Class with Four-Cylinder Engine
Mercedes-Benz is going to present a new S-Class version which will carry the same 4-cylinder diesel engine found on the current C- and E-Class and capable to deliver 224 hp… Now don’t be sad, because this new engine has almost the same strength as the current 350 CDI V6 engine with 2987cc that delivers 235 hp and 540 Nm of torque. With this new engine, the S-Class will show a fuel consumption of just 5.9 liters/100 km (39.87mpg) while CO2 emission will reach approximately 155 grams. Comparing it to the BMW 730 which delivers 245 hp, 540 Nm of torque and a fuel consumption of just 6.8 liters/100 km (34.59mpg), it is clear that the new S250 CDI BlueEfficiency has an advantage!

Ferri

Now why can't they hybridize this one?! Though, this model does not appear to need help being economic.

gyzmo123

I wonder what WSH thinks of this one...

MBZFAN55

"girly" engine ?

Red Marko

Probably... what the hell are they doing?
Maybe MB, playing the tune to the green Gore crowd, should borrow Honda's push mower engine and implement ultimate cutting vs weight efficiency ratio.
Closely following Smart's "death trap" successful design

Wrong turn MB!

SL2003driver

It would depend on how many of his rich friends bought one and if the leather was soft and thick enough

K-A

No more Aston?

SL2003driver

No more Aston, no dealer support. They even put the wrong oil in my car. 5w30 syntec versus 10w60 synthetic RS and then lied to me saying Aston changed the requirements.

Red Marko

Aston - gorgeous car.
Unfortunately, to look at only.
To drive, stick to MB
...but you knew that before, right?
...or you were hoping for a "Change"...

SL2003driver

Your right. I was hoping and if I had a local dealer that was good it would of been a different outcome. The MB is a more heavyduty and I am sure reliable car atleast since 2007. I can now say I owned a Aston Martin, but I will not miss all the attention I got when driving. Kind of felt like a target.

softgenious

MB's have really raised the reliability of their cars since 07. My 07 S550 has been perfect so far with zero issues.

Red Marko

Agreed

JohnH4260

Latest S-Class Technology for Voice-Operated System
The latest generation of the LINGUATRONIC voice-operated control system is entering series production with the 2009 S-Class. Instead of saying the town and street separately as before, drivers can speak the desired destination as a single command - for example “Stuttgart, Epplestraße”. The system immediately begins to work out the route, only pausing to enquire whether a house number is to be entered as well. In Germany, LINGUATRONIC understands around 80,000 town names and 470,000 street names entered in this way. This new, particularly convenient destination input works in six languages and more than 15 European countries.

A dialogue with LINGUATRONIC is practically a person-to-person affair. Around a dozen female speakers and one male speaker lent their voices to the S-Class, recording the individual words, phrases, numerical sequences and names which the system almost instantly joins together into easily understood information and instructions as the situation requires when interacting with the driver. The “voices of the S-Class” come from various European countries, where the ladies - and one man – concerned work for radio and TV stations or synchronising studios.

Scientists spent more than two decades working on the development of a computer-based voice recognition system. In 1996 Mercedes-Benz was the first automobile brand to offer such a system in a car - though initially only to operate the onboard telephone. Voice-operated control has come on in leaps and bounds since then: the times when town and street names had to be spelled out are long gone. When controlling the telephone, audio and navigation system, the latest version of LINGUATRONIC, which Mercedes-Benz offers in various model series, works on the principle of whole-word input.

In the case of the S-Class, Mercedes engineers use the term “one-shot input” to describe the currently most advanced development stage of the system, where the town and street names can be spoken as a direct sequence.

This new procedure currently works for the following languages and countries:
* German: Germany, Austria and Switzerland
* English: Great Britain, Gibraltar and Ireland
* Spanish: Spain
* French: France, Monaco, Belgium and Switzerland
* Italian: Italy, San Marino, Vatican City and Switzerland
* Dutch: Netherlands, Belgium

Voice-operated control is not just about understanding the driver’s wishes, but also about entering a dialogue with him. The system responds in a friendly voice if it has failed to understand something, for example, or if it wants the driver to confirm certain operating commands. While it would be perfectly possible to generate these voices synthetically - i.e. by computer - Mercedes-Benz holds a low opinion of such “lifeless” announcements, preferring a person-to-person dialogue for its voice-operated control system.
Mercedes-Benz and its system partners have contracted professional female speakers and one male speaker who lend their voices to the voice-operated control and navigation systems of Mercedes models. For each language, it takes three days to record the words, phrases, numerical sequences and names written on around 100 manuscript pages as the basis for the route guidance and voice operation dialogue.

The system joins thousands of individual recordings together for the dialogue
During the recording work in the studio, each of the well over 1000 “takes” is individually saved and encoded, so that the computer is rapidly able to access the relevant command rapidly as the situation requires, adding other information to it if necessary. It is therefore important for the speakers to use the same intonation throughout, so that the information sounds immediate and natural when the system formulates its responses from various acoustic fragments, e.g. telling the driver where to turn off, which lane to take and which road to choose.

The navigation system “speaks” more than a dozen languages
The specialists at the Mercedes development centre make a fundamental distinction between the voice-operated controls with which the car obeys its driver’s every word, so to speak, and the language information used for route guidance. The navigation system in the S-Class “speaks” more than a dozen languages, which are available in the different national versions of the unit. These include Danish, German, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Turkish, Russian, US-English, Japanese and Chinese.

When it comes to interacting with drivers and giving them directions, Mercedes-Benz primarily uses female voices. The only exception is Turkey, where drivers prefer to receive directions from a male voice. The “voices of the S-Class” also work for radio stations, synchronise films, do voiceovers for advertising spots, read talking books and perform in theatres.

JohnH4260

Strong Economy Buoys Mercedes-Benz S-Class
China's positive economic growth has helped make the country the biggest market for the S-Class sedan by Mercedes-Benz.

The German luxury sedan maker last week officially launched the ninth generation of S-Class sedans in the China market.

"In addition to the excellence of our flagship S-Class, we believe that the overall Chinese environment played a major role in China becoming the largest S-Class market in the world," said Klaus Maier, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz China Ltd.

Maier cited the success of the government's stimulus package that dampened the effects of the global recession.

"The government's stimulus measures have a more far-reaching effect, as it did not only help limit the impact of the downturn, but it actually spurred and boosted the growth of China's overall economy," Maier said.

Bjoern Hauber, general manager of sales and marketing for Mercedes-Benz China Ltd, said strong economic growth led to the growth of China's wealthy class, which is spurring demand for luxury products.

Wealthier customers also are demanding more personalized goods with extra features, he said.

"With the launch of the ninth new generation S-Class models, we will meet the specific and diversified needs of those very customers," Hauber said.

In the first seven months of this year, Mercedes-Benz sold nearly 31,700 luxury vehicles to Chinese customers - a 49 percent jump over last year. Total sales of S-Class cars in the Chinese mainland reached 7,250 units.

"In addition to China's encouraging market environment, the success of the S-Class can be attributed to a number of factors, including the strength of the S-Class product and heritage, as well as our attention to customer needs," said Hauber.

It was in the 1990s, when more people began driving cars that some Chinese businessmen began to yearn for a "Daben" (big Benz), the Chinese nickname for Mercedes-Benz.

Younger buyers
"Chinese customers now understand the value and brand reputation of the S-Class," Maier said.

Hauber said Chinese customers are different than customers in Western countries. For instance, the average age of an S-Class customer is 55 in Europe and 40 in China, he said.

"This younger age group in China can be accredited to the country's rapid economic development in recent years. The booming Chinese economy has led more people to become wealthy at a younger age," Hauber said.

As Mercedes-Benz's flagship model, the S-Class has been the perennial market leader, holding a market share of more than 41 percent in China's top luxury segment.

"This achievement has given us strong confidence for the market performance of the new generation S-Class in this market," Maier said.

"We are continuing the same strategy that we have adhered to, which led to the success of the S-Class. This means that we will continue to offer a diversified S-Class product portfolio to meet the different and discerning needs of our customers," he said.

Big, But Cleaner
The new S-Class sedans introduced last week included the environmentally friendly, low-fuel S-400 Hybrid.

The S-400 Hybrid is the first series-production vehicle to be equipped with a hybrid drive system using a lithium-ion battery.

"We are once again ahead of competitors, giving us great confidence for its market performance in China," Maier said.

The S-400 Hybrid boasts a fuel consumption of 8.0 liters per km, or just 188 grams per km.

"The environment has become such an important topic for the Chinese government. We foresee future demand by Chinese customers for eco-friendly cars in the luxury segment," Maier said.

Mercedes-Benz is targeting the optimization of its vehicles with combustion engines, with the goal of making the gasoline engine as fuel-efficient as the diesel - and the diesel as clean as the gasoline engine.

For example, the carmaker's BlueTec diesel driving system, which emits around 60 percent less nitrogen oxide and 80 fewer particulates.

At the Detroit Auto Show in the United States earlier this year, Mercedes-Benz introduced its pilot emissions-free vehicles with electric drives and fuel-cell vehicles.

Along the way to what the company calls zero-emission mobility, Mercedes-Benz has introduced a series of green technology products including BlueTec, BlueTec Hybrid, Diesotto and Fuel-Cell. Luxury cars and fewer emissions are by no means contradictory, Maier said.

JohnH4260

10 Most Expensive Cars to Own and Drive
Here is a list of the 10 most expensive-to-own new vehicles, according to Edmunds.com. Four are from Mercedes-Benz and all but one are European imports. When you consider that the cars on our least-expensive-to-own list cost $0.39 per mile or less to own, the idea of paying $3 to $4 a mile is staggering.

In addition to the average market transaction price and financing rates, the estimates of what it truly costs to own these cars include factors such as fuel, insurance, repairs, maintenance and depreciation. The end result is a ballpark figure for the total cost over the first five years of ownership, as well as the cost per mile based on driving 15,000 miles per year.

All estimates come courtesy of Edmunds.com which features a “True Cost to Own” calculator.

1. Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series
Starting price: $301,750
5-year total: $364,471
Cost per mile: $4.86
What pushes the Black Series up the price ladder from the SL65 AMG is the wide use of carbon-fiber body parts and some under-the-hood enhancements. Its 670-horsepower, 6-liter twin-turbo V-12 slingshots this two-seater to 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds. It’s also loaded to the gills with high-tech standard equipment.

2. Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG
Starting price: $202,825
5-year total: $244,363
Cost per mile: $3.26
Capable of reaching 60 miles per hour from a standstill in just over four seconds, the S65 AMG combines opulent interior appointments with outrageously aggressive performance. It uses the same 6-liter twin-turbo V-12 found in other high-end Mercedes models but in this application it develops 604 horsepower.

3. Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG
Starting price: $205,575
5-year total: $230,771
Cost per mile: $3.08
A strikingly handsome coupe, the CL65 AMG is more than a pretty face. Its 604-horsepower, 6-liter twin-turbo V-12 is capable of going from zero to 60 in just over four seconds. Standard gear includes a rearview camera and nighttime vision assist.

4. Audi R8
Starting price: $126,400
5-year total: $159,753
Cost per mile: $2.13
If your goal is to get noticed, there is no surer way to do it than behind the wheel of Audi’s R8. Sleek, fast and decadent, the R8 uses a mid-mounted 420-horsepower 4.2-liter V-8 to turn all four wheels. It can dash from zero to 60 in just over four seconds. Sure it’s expensive, but it is arguably the most accessible exotic on the market.

5. Porsche 911 Convertible Turbo
Starting price: $141,650
5-year total: $159,393
Cost per mile: $2.13
With an extra-cost options list as long as your arm, this two-seat drop-top offers an array of customizing choices. A 480-horsepower, 3.6-liter twin-turbo flat six-cylinder engine funnels output to all four wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. It gets to 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds.

6. Audi A8 L W12
Starting price: $122,625
5-year total: $153,588
Cost per mile: $2.05
The “L” in its name refers to this luxury sedan’s stretched wheelbase, while the “W12″ indicates it packs the potent 450-horsepower, 6-liter, W-12 engine under its hood. Fewer than six ticks of the clock are needed for the A8 L W12 to reach 60 miles per hour. Among its standard features are massaging front seats and four-zone automatic climate control.

7. Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
Starting price: $106,620
5-year total: $146,096
Cost per mile: $1.95
The Zeus of ‘Vettes, the ZR1 is a supercar by any measure. Motivating it to a zero to 60 time of just over three seconds is a 638-horsepower supercharged 6.2-liter, V-8. Although it doesn’t possess the amount of high-end bric-a-brac many of the other entries on this list do, pound for pound and dollar for dollar it may just be the best sports car in the world.

8. Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
Starting price: $125,775
5-year total: $138,613
Cost per mile: $1.85
The only SUV on this list, the Cayenne Turbo S packs Porsche performance into an off-road-capable all-wheel-drive uber package. Turning all four wheels is a 550-horsepower, 4.8-liter, twin-turbo V-8. Reaching 60 miles per hour from a stop takes a hair less than five seconds. A 14-speaker surround-sound audio system and a hard-drive-based navigation system are standard.

9. BMW M6 Convertible
Starting price: $111,725
5-year total: $138,186
Cost per mile: $1.84
The high-performance version of the 6 Series, the M6 is fitted with a 500-horsepower 5-liter, V-10, providing this soft-top with zero to 60 sprints of less than five seconds. A 13-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system and adaptive xenon headlights are standard.

10. Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG
Starting price: $99,775
5-year total: $137,749
Cost per mile: $1.84

No sedan better captures the sleek flow of a coupe’s styling than the Mercedes-Benz CLS. In its hopped-up guise as the CLS63 AMG, it complements its drop-dead curb appeal with an asphalt-chomping 507-horsepower, 6.2-liter, V-8 engine. Reaching 60 miles per hour requires just a bit more than four seconds with a top speed of more than 180 miles per hour.

JohnH4260

BRABUS S-Class SV12 R with 750 hp to Debut in Frankfurt
Brabus has announced plans to introduce the insane SV12 R at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Based on the facelifted Mercedes S 600, the SV12 R features a biturbo twelve-cylinder engine that has been outfitted with a special crankshaft, forged pistons, revised camshafts, optimized cylinder heads, and a 0.8 liter increase in displacement (5.5 to 6.3 liters). Brabus also added larger turbochargers, a more efficient intercooling system, a high-performance stainless-steel exhaust, and new engine electronics.

Thanks to all these improvements, the engine produces an unfathomable 750 hp (740 bhp / 552 kW) (20bhp more than the previous SV12 S version) and an electronically limited 1,100 Nm (811 lb-ft) of torque. As you would expect, the performance is mind boggling. 0-100 km/h (62 mph) takes 4.0 seconds, while the dash from 0-200 km/h (124 mph) takes 11.9 seconds. Hold your foot down and you'll eventually hit the electronically limited top speed of 340 km/h (211 mph).

To keep the SV12 R controllable at these kinds of speeds, Brabus added a high-performance braking system with 12-piston aluminum fixed calipers in the front and six-piston aluminum fixed calipers in the rear. The calipers grab onto massive 380 x 36-mm (15.0 x 1.42 inches) vented and cross-drilled discs in front and 355 x 28-mm (14.0 x 1.1 inches) discs in the rear.

In terms of styling, the front end features an agressive apron with LED daytime driving lights. The apron has been specially engineered to reduce lift and maximize cooling of the engine and front brakes. Further back, there are aluminum sport front fenders and attractive rocker panels with integrated entrance lights. At the rear, Brabus equips the SV12 R with a trunk-mounted spoiler and a bold rear apron which also features integrated lighting.

Envisioned as an office on wheels, the car features an ultra-slim notebook computer, a color printer, and internet access. When the laptop is docked in the trunk, a headliner-mounted 15.2-inch TFT screen serves as a computer monitor (it can also display TV and DVDs). Other unique features include two interior USB ports, electric curtains, and yachting-inspired maple and Wenge wood trim. If that doesn't seem exclusive enough, Brabus offers power deployable tables, illuminated scuff plates and a sport steering wheel among other things.

JohnH4260

More photos of the BRABUS SV12 R Mercedes-Benz S600

JohnH4260

Mercedes-Benz to Unveil Vision S500 Plug-in Hybrid Concept
According to World Car Fans, there's a new hybrid S-Class concept from Mercedes-Benz slated to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week. Unlike the previously-announced mild hybrid version of the S400, the new Vision S500 will reportedly come equipped with a plug and capable of powering itself solely on electric power for considerable distances.

At the heart of the concept will be a lithium ion battery pack that will store 10 kWh of power, giving it an electric-only range of over 18 miles (30 kilometers). That power storage unit will send its electrons to a 60-horsepower (44 kW) electric motor mated to an unknown gasoline-fed V6. Together, the twin power sources will reportedly push the big Benz to 60 mph in under 5.5 seconds.

Naturally, fuel economy and emissions are of paramount concern with this type of machine, and the S500 PHEV won't disappoint. We're not sure what standard was used to come up with the 73.5 (3.2L per 100 km) mpg figure, but it appears to compare rather favorably with other competing luxury hybrids. Stay tuned for more when we hit the floor in Frankfurt.

JohnH4260

Tough All Over: Luxury Cars Abandoned in Dubai
A few short years ago, Dubai was the epicenter of conspicuous consumption. Its mammoth hotels, opulent resorts and over-the-top shopping centers represented the manifestation of man's insatiable hunger for energy.

Today, with a global financial crisis underway and oil prices halved from their highs, even Dubai has fallen on hard times. As unemployment takes its toll, the number of abandoned vehicles has risen by 20%.

Luxury cars worth hundreds of thousands of dirhams can be found gathering dust on roadsides across Dubai, the remnants of the city-state’s economic boom that was brought to an abrupt halt by the global financial crisis.

The financial crisis forced many companies to slash jobs and those made redundant who had taken advantage of easy credit during the boom found themselves unable to meet car payments... Dubai Municipality said 1,476 vehicles were recovered in the year to July 31, compared to 1,227 during the same period in 2008...

...Throughout Dubai there are dust-covered cars with violation notices stuck to the windscreens, warning the owners that their vehicles will be removed in 15 days. Once removed the municipality stores them at the Al-Qusais scrap yard.

In a sand pit in one affluent Dubai neighbourhood, the Springs, a Land Rover Discovery sits motionless covered in dust with "another one bites the dust" written on a grimy side window...

...A few miles down the road in another residential district called Al-Barsha, a Porsche Boxster is parked with keys in the ignition. On the passenger seat are documents for a 144,000-dirham ($39,200) loan taken out at a Dubai bank.

The number of vehicles that have been abandoned in Dubai as become the stuff urban legend, with rumours of thousands of cars being dumped at the airport as debt-laden, high-flying execs flee the emirate after losing their jobs in the global financial crisis...
MoneyWeek confirms the airport-as-permanent-parking-lot meme:

There is a "regular astonishing sight" at Dubai's international airport, says Mark Hollingsworth in ES Magazine: dozens of luxury cars – Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, BMW, etc – abandoned with their keys still in the ignition. In some cases, notes of apology are taped to the windscreens.

The owners of these vehicles are mainly British expatriates, who have left in a hurry because they faced "crippling debts" as a result of Dubai's financial meltdown and their own profligate behaviour. Many of them, says Hollingsworth, have defaulted on loans; rather than risk arrest and jail, they drove at top speed to the airport where they jumped on the first flight to London.
And if you're looking for bargains, word has it that prices on used luxury cars dropped 40% from January to March.

Jan AMG

Where have you found this article? It's from January 2009 ..

JohnH4260

Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG
The Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG and S65 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 combined with effortless superiority and state-of-the-art technology - both of the top S-Class models from Mercedes-AMG embody all of these characteristics and more: the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG, with its 386 kW/525 hp AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine developing 630 Newton metres of torque, is capable of accelerating to a speed of 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds. The Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG, meanwhile, demonstrates even greater superiority: its AMG 6.0-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 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 chrome-plated louvres in the case of the Mercedes-Benz S65 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 emphasize 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 diffuser insert is now painted in the same colour as the vehicle body. New rear lamps with 52 LED's 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 sports exhaust with two chromed twin tailpipes, featuring a V12 design in the case of the Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG. Visual aspects which distinguish the V8 from the V12 model also include the attractive AMG light alloy wheels: the S63 AMG has 19-inch multi-spoke wheels painted titanium grey with a high-sheen finish and fitted with 255/40 (front) and 275/40 (rear) tyres. The S65 AMG, on the other hand, comes with 20-inch forged wheels painted in titanium grey with a mirror finish and fitted with 255/35 (front) and 275/35 (rear) tyres.

Crosswind stabilization, 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 ESP® Electronic Stability Program.

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 ESP® Electronic Stability Program and not only improves responsiveness but also active handling safety, which is particularly noticeable 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 high-performance braking system continues to provide optimum creep strength, deceleration and sensitivity. The front axle features a double floating brake calliper. This exclusive 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.

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 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG welcomes the driver with large, animated "AMG V12 BITURBO" lettering in the instrument cluster's central display. The main menu provides the driver with information about engine oil temperature, current gear range, battery voltage, and the RACETIMER, which displays lap times when on the race track. In the case of the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG, the extensive range of standard equipment includes not only PASSION leather appointments, with natural leather in the seat side bolsters, but also front sports seats with climate control, massage, multicontour and driving dynamics control functions. The Exclusive PASSION leather upholstery in the S65 AMG, meanwhile, with its AMG V12 diamond pattern design, exudes an air of even greater refinement. Ample use of burr walnut trim elements and the AMG-specific analogue clock, featuring an IWC design, are a given in both models. Both the SPEEDSHIFT 7G‑TRONIC of the S63 AMG, as well as the five-speed automatic SPEEDSHIFT transmission of the S65 AMG, are fitted with DIRECT SELECT gearshift. Gear changes are carried out by means of 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 models set new standards when it comes to active and passive safety through a 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. The 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 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:
AMG 20-inch double-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
AMG trim elements in carbon/piano lacquer
AMG floor mats

While the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG is available in short or long-wheelbase versions, the S65 AMG is only available as a long-wheelbase version.

Ferri

Great post! A few short years ago I could not land a job at McKinsey or comparable-caliber company to save my life. Answers alluded to the main contention, that I had not graduated from the "right" school. Today, I have a couple of analysts that work for me that graduated from schools that would have perhaps placed me at the jobs I had once coveted (but I would not be their employer, in most likelihood, so go figure).

Funnily enough, now that I have the means I find I haven't nearly the cravings my penniless former self had for luxury cars. I would literally fall asleep dreaming of a brand new S-Class every night in my early 20s. At 30, and finally with the means to do afford one, I have yet to pull the trigger on a zero-mile model. I do devour any literature on new models, like the one posted in this thread, however. Who knows what may happen.

JohnH4260

Even Millionaires Can See the Benefits of Budgeting
SOMEONE with $100 million has nothing to fear, not even fear itself.

But not long ago, a client with such assets called and asked Bruce Bickel, her wealth adviser at PNC Wealth Management, to put her on a budget.

“She said we’ve never done this before, and we think we should,” said Mr. Bickel, managing director of private foundation management services at PNC. “It’s all relative. Their loss has put them in a fear response.”

That mindset is a direct result of the financial panic that turned one year old this week. At this time last year, Richard Fuld was center stage in the financial crisis; Ken Lewis, chief executive of Bank of America, was being hailed as Merrill Lynch’s savior; and Bernard L. Madoff was little known beyond the financial world.

None of that is true today. And even though a year has passed, wealthy investors remain cautious.

The Boston Consulting Group predicted this week that worldwide wealth would not return to 2007 precrisis levels until 2013. It also said it found that the number of millionaires was down 18 percent and that, across the board, clients of wealth management firms had lost trust in their advisers.

“There is a shattered confidence we haven’t seen in a long time,” said Bruce Holley, senior partner at the firm. “The wealth management business is a very emotional business, and people can react in kind to that.”

This explains how someone with more than $100 million in assets can ask her adviser to put her on a budget. As far-fetched as it may sound to someone struggling to make a mortgage payment, such a request reflects the changes in attitudes about wealth in the last year.

SHOW ME THE MONEY Watching where your money goes is more than just having a budget. “One of my families said, ‘If you’re worried about spending, then you’re not wealthy,’ ” Mr. Bickel said. “But across the board, there is greater discernment with use of discretionary income.”

That discernment has taken many forms. One is charity. Many of the two dozen private foundations Mr. Bickel advises have become more focused in their giving. In one case, the family used to give to various cancer-related charities, but it now concentrates on cancer research. The family has not reduced what it gives, just focused it on a particular area to have greater effect.

Still, any budgeting is bound to encompass personal expenses, even for those with plenty.

“People who would get a new Mercedes-Benz S550 every couple of years aren’t doing it now,” said G. Moffett Cochran, chief executive of Silvercrest Asset Management, which has an average account size of $30 million. “The next car may not be an S550; it may be an Acura. There’s an awareness of conspicuous consumption.”

This feeling is gaining ground. Mr. Bickel said he has been helping parents talk to children about cutting back and doing so without feeling guilty. “They say, ‘My teenager isn’t driving a BMW; she has to drive a Ford Focus,’ ” he said. “I tell them not to worry about it. The need is the car. The desire is the BMW.”

In both cases, the car buyers could probably buy any car they wanted. But they are thinking more about what else they could do with that money. This caution, too, is reflected in their investing practices.

EASY DOES IT Even though stock markets have rebounded from their lows this year, wealthy investors have not rushed back in.

Nancy Rooney, head of the Northeast investment business for J.P. Morgan private wealth management, which serves clients with $1 million to $25 million, said she has seen two types of investors become cautious in their investing.

The first have new money and had not experienced serious market swings before. They had been focused on their quarterly gains and largely ignored the risks. Having lost a lot more money than they thought possible, they are struggling with the shock of it.

Or, as Mr. Cochran put it, “Many people thought they were gunslingers.” Now, he said, “They’re not gunslingers any more.” Mr. Holley described the sentiment as a return to “meat and potatoes” investing.

Now, that group is focused more on the risk of an investment than its possible return. One result is they are poring through all the disclosures before investing, and they are not as worried about missing out if they are pressured to invest too quickly.

The second group is older and held wealth longer. They exhibited almost a knee-jerk reaction to the crisis and put a lot of money into cash early on. They continued to stand on the sidelines through the initial rebound. Only now are they looking to invest in safe assets, like prerefunded bonds secured by United States government obligations.

“We are very gradually working with them,” Ms. Rooney said. “For many of them, it was a loss of confidence in themselves as well as in the markets.”

Mr. Cochran said he believed many clients thought the world was coming to an end last September. That it did not end has not consoled them. They are still hesitant with new investments.

One reason is that many do not want to tie up their assets and then not have access when and if they need money. No one wants to have to sell a good asset at a bad price to cover living costs. The problem, though, is that cash or money market funds will not keep pace with inflation. So they will have to dip into the principal of their portfolio.

One longtime real estate investor Ms. Rooney spoke to said he understood the ebb and flow of investment returns but was still spooked by what happened last fall. “The inability to access all of his funds immediately sent a panic though him that he hadn’t focused on before,” she said.

This means, for now at least, that even savvy investors are willing to pass on investing with a top manager if they feel their money would be locked up too long.

“Even when the markets rebound, we don’t expect people to get in with the same speed as before to the high-yielding assets,” said Monish Kumar, global leader of asset and wealth management at Boston Consulting.

THE FUTURE Caution, like thrift, can be detrimental to an economy in crisis. If wealthy investors steer clear of stocks for the medium term, the trading rally of the last few months could slow. If they are afraid to lock up their capital for the longer term, private equity partnerships and hedge funds could suffer. And if wealthier people eschew the heavy debt load they had recently embraced, their savings may increase but the banks that had eagerly lent to them will feel the effect. And this will then affect less-affluent investors.

Yet these are all ifs born of a mild recovery. Last year at this time, few advisers would have predicted that the economy would have come back this far this soon.

“Many of our clients are very happy to be sitting on bond portfolios and cash reserves,” Mr. Cochran said. “What I can’t answer is whether that money is permanently on the sidelines.”

Regardless, a budget isn’t a bad idea.