Mercedes-Benz

Bill Clinton famously said, "You can put wings on a pig, but you don't make it an eagle." But what the randy former president forgot to mention was that if you put wings on a Benz, you end up with one of the most awesome supercars known to man--the 160,000 pound ($253,000) Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

Ask the folks at AMG, a subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz specializing in high-performance cars, and they'll tell you the new SLS is designed to compete with thoroughbreds such as the Ferrari 458 Italia, Lamborghini Gallardo LP560, and Aston Martin V12 Vantage. … Read more

Subaru will treat owners of the 2011 Forester with a better-sounding radio through HD Digital Radio.

The service will be included with the "premium radio" package option on the Forester. HD Digital Radio offers more than 2,000 crystal-clear AM and FM stations without a subscription fee.

Other automakers that offer HD Digital Radio receivers include Audi, BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Land Rover, Lincoln and Mercedes-Benz. This option is a first for Subaru models.

The service will also offer iTunes Tagging. iTunes Tagging lets you capture information about a song on the radio and store it on your iPod … Read more

Audi today announced the all-new Audi A8 will have a starting price of $78,050. The Audi A8L will start at $84,000.

Audi A8 gets 17 miles per gallon in the city, 27 mpg highway, which puts it on par with the Mercedes-Benz S400 hybrid. It's also better than the fuel-economy numbers for the BMW 7-Series hybrid and six-cylinder models, Audi said in a news release.

Audi also announced the R8 4.2 quattro, which gains 10 more horsepower for 2011 and will have a base price of $114,200--unchanged from the 2010 model price. The Audi R8 … Read more

Mercedes-Benz released new photos of the Cigarette Racing AMG boat. The 46-foot Rider is capable of reaching speeds in excess of 130 mph. A pair of twin-turbocharged, 552-cubic inch 1,350 horsepower Mercury Racing engines powers it.

The Rider is inspired by the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Super Sports Car. Engineers at both companies worked together to bring the SLS-inspired watercraft to reality.

Although the boat is inspired by the car, it is also an amazing-looking craft with hand-applied AMG Alubeam silver and AMG Designo Mystic White paint in a bold design that echoes the AMG logo.

Mercedes-Benz this week opened a 415,000 sq. ft. cutting-edge facility in Jacksonville, Fla. The facility will house services for the southern region including sales, parts distribution, quality evaluation, and learning and performance.

The Autohaus-design facility will employ about 160 people to work at the new facility within each of the four business areas.

The quality evaluation center, for example, puts engineers closer to the dealers and customers. The team will use feedback to improve diagnosis and repair services.

Learning and Performance Center will offer more than 120 classes per year for Mercedes personnel.

"This new facility is an … Read more

OnStar adding Facebook, other apps; new flagship GPS models from Garmin and TomTom; and the King's Mercedes goes up for auction.

• OnStar to offer Facebook, voice-to-text?

• Hyundai unveils its first EV

• 2011 Bentley Continental GT widens stance, updates tech

• TomTom and Garmin announce flagship GPS models, app stores

• 2003-2006 Honda Accord iPod Installation Tutorial

Add this to your Christmas list--one of two 1970 Mercedes-Benz 600s once owned by Elvis Presley will be auctioned at Bonham's year-end sale in December.

The $15,000 Mercedes-Benzwas originally purchased in 1969 by the King who paid $5,500 in cash and financed the balance, according to an article in Auto123.com.

He kept the car for two years before giving it to a friend, James Leroy Robertson. The car traded hands again before being put up for auction at the Important Motor Cars and Fine Automobilia sale at Mercedes-Benz World in Surrey, England on December 6.

Aside … Read more

A new iPhone app is giving Mercedes-Benz owners care and attention from the luxury automaker even when they aren't in their cars. Mercedes-Benz's telematics service provider, Hughes Telematics, has released version 2.0 of its mbrace iPhone app, which lets users ask for local recommendations through a concierge service in their cars or just walking down the street.

Many automakers offer some sort of telematics service, the most well-known being GM's OnStar. And most of these services let users contact an operator through an in-car connection and ask for directions, roadside assistance, or recommendations for local restaurants … Read more

With a whole new look, the 2012 Mercedes CLS-class is set to debut at the Paris Motor Show on October 2 to October 17. This is the second generation of the popular four-door coupe. According to Mercedes, 170,000 CLS-class cars have been sold worldwide since October 2004.

The new design accentuates the long hood, but face of the car has changed. The radiator grille is not integrated into the hood, but it is formed separately. Another difference is the large, elongated dark air inlets with black grilles that also adds to the vehicle's sporty appearance.

Hand-sewn leather interior … Read more