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s400

For sale: Bulletproof Mercedes S400 Hybrid

Oligarchs no longer have to choose between safety and the environment: the world's first bulletproof Mercedes S400 Hybrid went on sale early this year.

Texas Armoring's custom Mercedes S400 Hybrid retails for $255,000 to start; it's capable of withstanding multiple high-power assault rifle rounds at close range from weapons like the AK-47 and M-16. Customers are free to enhance security with options such as electric-shock door handles and hidden ballistic steel bumpers, but that costs extra.

Why, might you ask, would anyone want a bulletproof hybrid?

The answer has less to do with the environment and … Read more

Audi A8 to begin at $78,050, Audi TT to start at $38,300

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

85: Texting worse than drunken driving!

Texting is more dangerous than drunken driving, Mercedes rolls out a hybrid, BMW puts Google search in the dash, and we drive the Porsche Cayenne GTS.

Listen now: Download today's podcast SHOW NOTES

• Texting worse than being drunk when it comes to driving

• Mercedes S400 BlueHybrid

• Clean diesel Jetta TDI good in all 50 states

• RFID driver's licenses in N.Y.

• Google search comes to BMW dashboards

• Cayenne GTS driver's notes

• Pontiac G3 on the way. Oh boy.

Mercedes' first hybrid is also first with lithium ion

After years of claiming that blue is the new green (in reference to its BlueTec diesel developments), Mercedes-Benz has taken a side step and introduced a hybrid to the market, the S 400 BlueHybrid. The modified S-Class sedan benefits from the addition of Mercedes' first hybrid drivetrain and the world's first implementation of a lithium ion battery in a production vehicle.

The battery, which makes this whole deal possible, is remarkable in that it's surprisingly compact thanks to lithium ion tech. The entire assembly is only slightly larger than a standard 12-volt car battery. The small size allows … Read more