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Organizers canceled this weekend’s GP2 Asia race due to the civil unrest in Bahrain. It has been reported that police and the military fired rubber bullets and tear gas to break up thousands of demonstrators at the Pearl Roundabout; three deaths have been reported. The GP2 Asia organizers released the following statement:

“Following the current events in Bahrain, at the request of the Bahrain Motorsport Federation, it has been decided that the remainder of the meeting which was supposed to take place this week at Bahrain International Circuit is cancelled due to force majeure.” (SOURCE: gp2series.com News Room)

The current development cast considerable doubt that the Grand Prix will take place as scheduled March 13th. The F1 teams are scheduled to begin a test at the circuit on March 3rd.

Related articles

• Racing Canceled at F1 Circuit Amid Bahrain Unrest (abcnews.go.com)
• F1 fears grow as Bahrain protests stop feeder series event (cnn.com)

Here’s the press release, the Gran Turismo5 Signature Edition Challenge:

The virtual world of Gran Turismo®5 makes dreams come true with the chance to win a real Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has announced that an exclusive competition for owners of the Gran Turismo®5 Signature Edition will go live on Monday, 27 December 2010. The racing competition will see the ultimate winner get their hands on a brand-new, real-life Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG worth €180,000. With 15 regional winners from across 22 countries set to benefit from a stint at the Mercedes-Benz Driving Event, the winner of the spectacular gull-wing, 6.2 litre supercar will have to demonstrate to the judges that he, or she, is best placed to handle the SLS’s 571hp that delivers acceleration of 0-100km/h in 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 317km/h.

The limited-release ‘Signature Edition’ of Gran Turismo 5 included a number of exclusive and collectable items, both virtual and real, but the voucher code contained in the GT5 leather wallet is the key to entry to the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG competition. To enter the competition, first make sure you have downloaded all the latest updates to GT5. Then owners of the Signature Edition will need to redeem their voucher code via PlayStation®Store on their PS3™, and register their details on gran-turismo.com [1] .

Once they have completed these steps they will be able to access the Signature Edition Challenge from within GT5. The Challenge takes place in Gran Turismo 5’s innovative B-spec mode – where players take the role of team director with their own AI drivers doing the racing. The Challenge is being held over a series of five, five-lap races on different circuits. The choice of B-spec mode opens the competition to more than purely the fastest GT5 racers as players, and there will be no limit on the number of times entrants can complete the races. In-game leaderboards for each region will display the top 50 race times for each circuit, as well as the top 250 combined times across the five races.

Entrants with the fastest total time from each region [2] at the closing time (23:59 (GMT) on 31 January 2011) will be invited to take part in the second phase of the competition – the Mercedes-Benz Driving Event. Winners from each international region will compete against each other in a series of real driving challenges under the scrutiny of judges. Points will be awarded for each challenge with the winner taking home the stunning SLS AMG.

Gran Turismo 5 has shipped 5.5 million copies worldwide since launching on 24 November, but limited copies of the Signature Edition were available throughout the 22 countries participating in the competition, with the majority being snapped up on launch day. With the SLS AMG featuring on the cover of GT5, it was a natural progression for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Mercedes-Benz to develop the Signature Edition Challenge, a manifestation of PlayStation®3’s (PS3™) brand promise that ‘the game is just the start’.

Commenting on the Signature Edition Challenge, Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi said: “We have enjoyed a brilliant working relationship with Mercedes-Benz throughout the production of Gran Turismo 5 and the stunning prize that they have offered for this competition is a testament to that. I am particularly happy that we have developed such a balanced challenge which both newcomers to the Gran Turismo brand, and more experienced racers, will find equally enjoyable.”

[1] Entrants must be 18 or over, resident in a participating country, hold a full driving licence and be in good general health. Other eligibility criteria apply. Full terms and conditions are available at www.gran-turismo.com

[2] Regions shall comprise one or more participating countries. The number of entrants that will qualify to stage two will vary per region. Full details are set out in the terms and conditions.

SOURCE: http://eu.gran-turismo.com/gb/news/d18458.html

AMG Market Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG – Gullwing Photos Here

Mercedes has insisted that it is committed to Formula One despite a disappointing season during 2010.  At the start of the season, Mercedes had hoped to challenge for the drivers’ and constructors’ titles.  However, they were unable to mount a serious threat to their rivals, ultimately settling for fourth in the constructors’ race.  Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche insisted there was no doubt that Mercedes would continue its involvement in the sport:

“We have been in Formula One for some time and we’re staying there for the longer term,” he told the DPA news agency.

“On the one hand, we can’t have expected more as a newly formed team. We would not have complained if we had won the championship, of course, but it wasn’t a realistic expectation.”

Earlier in the year, Mercedes GP PETRONAS driver Michael Schumacher revealed that his ultimate ambition remains to win another Formula One World Championship.

And, the new DTM championship winner Paul Di Resta has revealed that he has already turned his attention towards securing a spot with a Formula One team.  The Mercedes-Benz driver saw stiff competition from team-mates Bruno Spengler and Gary Paffett but secured the championship in the season-ending race in Shanghai on Sunday (November 28th).

But rather than basking in the glory of his success, Di Resta has stated his ambition is to progress into Formula One in the near future.

“It’s no secret that I always wanted to be part of a Formula One team and I’m certainly hoping I can get a seat there next year,” he remarked.

Di Resta added: “My dream is to become Formula One World Champion, and that’s the next box in my book I’ve got to tick off. I’ll keep praying it happens.”

The 24-year-old Brit secured the DTM championship with a second place finish in China, which meant that he ended the season four points above team-mate Paffett.

Next Generation Mercedes-Benz SLK Features Enhanced Restraint Systems

The next generation Mercedes-Benz SLK features enhanced restraint systems with two-stage driver and front passenger airbags.  The headbag provides generous lateral protection for the head impact area.  A further thorax airbag in the seat backrest protects the upper body in the event of a side impact, Mercedes-Benz explained.  The seat belts, meanwhile, serve to highlight the high safety standards of Mercedes-Benz.

“Another new feature finding its way into the standard equipment of the forthcoming SLK comes in the form of the NECK-PRO crash-responsive head restraints, developed by Mercedes-Benz.  The German carmaker explained: “They support the driver’s and front passenger’s head in the event of a rear impact and reduce the risk of whiplash.”

Automatic child seat recognition is also fitted as standard.  The Mercedes-Benz SLK will be launched to the world next year, and will be made available in Britain in June.  The agile sports car will feature a new, exciting design, and exceptionally high levels of comfort.

FULL PRESS RELEASE FROM MBUSA, MONTVALE, NJ:

Following its inaugural year in the U.S., Mercedes-AMG is presenting a new season for driving enthusiasts who want to sharpen their advanced driving skills at the AMG Driving Academy. Among the list of enhancements is the addition of a Pro Level for 2010. Under the guidance of top professional instructors, the AMG Driving Academy offers the opportunity to personally experience the excitement of motorsports and the track capabilities of Mercedes-AMG vehicles including the all new 563 hp SLS AMG, capable of 0-60 mph in less than four seconds.

Originally founded by Mercedes-AMG in Affalterbach, Germany in 2007, the AMG Driving Academy launched in the U.S. in 2009. More than six-hundred driving enthusiasts participated in the advanced driver program last year, and participants now have the opportunity to attend an advanced three-day Pro Level program at one of the top circuits in the U.S., Road Atlanta. Program participants have the opportunity to get behind the wheel of several AMG models including the E63 AMG, SL63 AMG, C63 AMG, SLK55 AMG and SLS AMG. Continue reading » »

AMG Market News/Press Release from Stuttgart/Brackley – The MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team can confirm that seven-times Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher will make his racing return in 2010 with the Silver Arrows team. With seven Drivers’ World Championships, 248 Grand Prix starts, 91 victories, 154 podium finishes and 68 pole positions, the 40-year old German needs no introduction following an illustrious and record-breaking Formula One career from 1991 to 2006 at the Jordan, Benetton and Ferrari teams. Michael’s return to racing with MERCEDES GP PETRONAS sees his return to Mercedes-Benz Motorsport where he began his racing apprenticeship as part of the Junior Programme in 1990, racing in Group C sports cars and DTM, and sees Michael renew his partnership with Ross Brawn with whom he won all seven of his World Championships. The announcement confirms the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS driver line-up for the 2010 season with Michael partnering his compatriot, 24 year old Nico Rosberg, in the Silver Arrows cars.

Michael Schumacher: “MERCEDES GP PETRONAS represents a new challenge for me both in a sporting and a personal context. It is a new chapter in my racing career and I am really looking forward to working with my old friend Ross Brawn and my companions from my days with the Mercedes Junior Programme. I am convinced that together we will be involved in the fight for the Formula 1 World Championship next year and I am already looking forward to getting back onto the race track. For me, this partnership closes the circle. Mercedes supported me for so many years when I began my Formula 1 career and now I can hopefully give something back to the brand with the star.”

Nico Rosberg: “It is fantastic that Michael is returning to Formula One and will be my team-mate at MERCEDES GP PETRONAS. It’s a great challenge for me to be up against one of the best drivers of all time. I’m sure that we will form a very strong partnership as he will have lost none of his speed! It is also great news for our sport and the fans.”

Ross Brawn: Team Principal of MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: “I am delighted that we can confirm today that Michael will make his much-anticipated return to Formula One next year and drive for our MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team. As seven-time World Champion, Michael’s outstanding record in Formula One speaks for itself and I am looking forward to working with him again. With the completion of our driver line-up, I believe that we now have the most exciting partnership in Formula One with Michael and Nico, who provide the perfect mix of talent, experience, speed and youth. We can now turn our full attention to the preparations for the new season and everyone at MERCEDES GP PETRONAS is extremely excited about the challenge ahead. With the investment and support in our team provided by Daimler, Aabar and our new title partner Petronas, and with two such exciting drivers, we have all of the building blocks in place to have another successful season in 2010.”

Norbert Haug: Vice-President of Mercedes-Benz Motorsports: “In April 1991, when I had been in charge of the Mercedes-Benz Motorsport programme for just six months, Michael was standing beside me on the balcony one evening. Without the slightest doubt, he said in a low voice: “It’s about time that I got into Formula 1″. Michael had just turned 22 years of age and four months later, he made his debut at Spa in a Jordan. Mercedes-Benz helped him to this point and the rest is history: seven World Championship titles, more than any racing driver, 91 Grand Prix wins, more than any racing driver. Michael has more of everything than every other driver. As part of the Mercedes Junior Programme, Michael had raced in Group C sports cars and competed in a few DTM races. Ross Brawn, then our opponent at Jaguar, quickly realised Michael’s talent and they went on to win all seven of his Drivers’ World Championship titles together at Benetton and Ferrari. Our sporting ambition has always been that Michael should drive again where his professional career had started and Michael knew that. We often joked about it after the races and discussed the prospect seriously several times during the last 14 years in Formula 1. It didn‟t happen in 1995, it didn’t happen in 1998 and it didn’t happen in 2005. I am delighted that it will now happen in 2010. I am very much looking forward to working with Michael and everybody at Mercedes-Benz and Daimler extends a very warm welcome to our ‘apprentice’ of 19 years ago. That apprentice is now the most successful racing driver of all time.”

World Champion Michael Schumacher Interview (Mercedes, Video):

Daimler AG together with Aabar Investments PJSC will take over 75.1 per cent of the Brawn GP team, with Daimler taking 45.1 per cent and Aabar 30 per cent. The rest of the 24.9 per cent will remain with the current stakeholders. With 9.1 per cent, Aabar is the biggest single shareholder of Daimler AG. This transaction is subject to the approval of the EU and the Swiss cartel authorities.

The background to this decision are the new terms and conditions for Formula 1. The “Resource Restrictions” set by FOTA and FIA effectively limit expenditure for the design, construction and running of the racing cars. In addition, there will be a significantly higher income available for a Formula 1 team generated by the commercial rights of the racing series following the signing of the new Concorde Agreement.

The partnership between McLaren Mercedes has been in place since 1995 and ended its 15^th joint Formula 1 season in 2009. The change to the form of cooperation is taking place by mutual agreement. Mercedes-Benz and McLaren will continue to co-operate with each other and the supply of engines could continue until 2015.

The McLaren Group have set themselves new targets, especially in the automotive sector, and Daimler understands and respects these new strategic objectives. For this reason, it has been agreed that the buy-back by the McLaren Group of the 40 per cent McLaren share owned by Daimler AG will be completed by 2011.

By taking this decision, Mercedes-Benz resumes its marvellous motor racing history on the 75^th anniversary of the Silver Arrows, the world’s most unique racing cars. Mercedes wants to continue the tradition in the style of these flawless Silver Arrows, which put their stamp on each era by winning the majority of the races they competed in.

“Mercedes-Benz is the most valued and best-known premium automotive brand in the world. This brand looks for competition of the utmost quality in all relevant fields in order to continually improve its performance in the face of such new challenges”, explains Dr. Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

“Due to the new Formula 1 environment, we will face the competition in future on the most important motor sports stage with our own Silver Arrow works team.

“Our new Silver Arrow Formula 1 team is a great sporting and technical challenge and we will tackle this with sporting spirit and full of enthusiasm.”

Mercedes-Benz will restructure their Formula 1 program and work hard to achieve further savings, going beyond the already completed steps for significant cost reductions and improved efficiency.

Since 1995, the beginning of the partnership, McLaren and Mercedes-Benz have competed in 256 Grand Prix events and have achieved 60 victories. In 1998, 1999 and 2008, the British-German team won the drivers’ World Championships, as well as the World Constructors’ Championship in 1998. The McLaren Mercedes team became runner-up in the World Championships ten times, with five times in the drivers’ and constructors’ rankings respectively.

After winning the drivers’ title with Lewis Hamilton last year, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes finished third in the World Constructors’ Championships this year. The 2008 World Champion won two races with his current car, the MP4-24, achieving a first historic victory with the brake energy-recovery system, KERS Hybrid. No other driver scored more points in the last eight races from the season’s total of 17 races than Lewis Hamilton.

“I want to thank McLaren for a successful collaboration over the last decade and a half”, says Dr. Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. “For the benefit of both Mercedes and McLaren, we will continue our partnership cooperation in future. We will be rivals on-track but, off-track, we will cooperate with McLaren and the other teams in order to create the best possible product for spectators worldwide.”

“We look back on 15 successful years of great collaboration with McLaren; in that time, we won four world-championship titles and finished ten times as runner-up in the drivers’ and constructors’ rankings,” states Norbert Haug, Vice-President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport. “Since the first victory in the 1997 Australian Grand Prix, the modern Silver Arrows have achieved a total of 60 victories in 223 races to ensure that our brand symbol, the star, stands for the greatest successes in Formula 1. We thank our partner and will continue to work with McLaren based on an excellent partnership.”

Mercedes Grand Prix, the management team of the former Brawn GP team, will continue to work under the leadership of Ross Brawn, who will continue in his well-known role. The Formula 1 team, as well as the engine team of Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines, will be coordinated by Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, headed by their Vice-President, Norbert Haug.

“Brawn GP has been through an incredible journey over the last 12 months. From fighting for our survival to forging a strong relationship with Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines, winning both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ World Championships, and now accepting Daimler and Aabar’s offer to buy our team, which will secure its future”, Team Principal Ross Brawn looks back on a difficult beginning of the year which eventually turned into an extremely successful season.

“Both I and my fellow Directors at Brawn GP are incredibly proud of our staff, drivers and everyone associated with our team and thank them for their commitment, outstanding teamwork and their focus on achieving results in sometimes difficult circumstances. The senior management group will remain in place to lead our team and on behalf of everyone at Brawn GP, we are honored to be representing such a prestigious brand as Mercedes-Benz in Formula One next year and will be working together to do our best to reward their faith in our team.”

The new Silver Arrow team, Mercedes Grand Prix, will compete in Formula 1 as a works team in its own right. Synergies between the 100 per cent Daimler-owned subsidiary Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines in Brixworth, UK, and the Mercedes Grand Prix team based about 28 miles from there in Brackley in the UK, will create even greater efficiency.

It is our target to develop a model for our Formula 1 activities which will initially be run with significantly reduced budgets by Mercedes-Benz and which, in the foreseeable future, will be self-financing”, comments Norbert Haug. “Furthermore, we naturally want to inspire our faithful spectators and TV viewers worldwide and maximize media coverage for our brand. With Formula 1, Mercedes-Benz can continue to clearly demonstrate its willingness to compete and win on the most important motor sports competition stage in the world.”

Khadem Al Qubaisi, Chairman, Aabar Investment PJSC comments: “Aabar is delighted to join forces with Daimler AG and its world leading brand Mercedes-Benz in order to create a new Formula One Team which follows in the footsteps of the longstanding and successful tradition of the famous ‘Silver Arrows’.

Ever since Aabar became the largest shareholder in Daimler AG, the cooperation between our two organizations has been exemplary, and we have already co-invested in Tesla. Aabar is confident that further successes will follow in this arena.

“Bearing in mind the recent outstanding success of the Abu Dhabi GP, which brought Formula One to the United Arab Emirates for the first time, it is especially exciting to realize that next year, our own cars will be in the field, with the genius of Ross Brawn, who is still deeply involved with the team, now backed by the unrivalled excellence of Mercedes-Benz across the entire spectrum of automotive technology. It is a fantastic prospect, which makes me both pleased and proud for my country.”

Hello,
This email is aimed at driving instructors within the UK, and those associated with the industry. If you fall outside of that category, then please accept my apologies for contacting you and unsubscribe from this email list by sending a reply to this email with Unsubscribe as the subject line.

Full details about DIPOD can be found at www.dipod.co.uk including the ability to listen to the podcast online.

So we have re-started the Driving Instructors Podcast (DIPOD), which is a free podcast aimed, surprisingly enough, at Driving Instructors (that’s hopefully you!). I have been busy trying to source as many email addresses as I can that belong to driving instructors, and yours is one of those. I have made a massive list of them all and put them in my email program, and intend to use the list to let you know when a new installment of the podcast is online.

The new show (Show 1 of the 2nd series) is now online and ready for ! consumption. In this first show I am joined by a couple of hopefully regular contributors, Nick Ibbott and Steve Rigby. Even if you don’t have a sound card, it is possible to either download the mp3 and listen to it on a player or burn it to a CD and listen to it in the car.

Visit the website www.dipod.co.uk!

I hope you enjoy the podcast.

With many thanks,
Peter King

Warning: The entire 10 tracks are in a zip file, which is a 76 meg download. Unless you have a high-speed connection don’t bother trying to download such a huge file.

Here’s an excerpt of the latest Mixed Tape newsletter with the link to download the free music tracks provided by artists throughout the world:

With its masterful handling and agile elegance, Mercedes-Benz’s latest sports model, the slinky SLS AMG, takes the driving experience to a new level.

The soundtrack to this exceptional test drive, Mixed Tape 28, also pursues new, groundbreaking routes between the continents, genres and styles. In their quest for the perfect sound, some of our ten select newcomers have crossed state boundaries and even oceans to find their own signature style, the right collaborators – or simply themselves.

Our listeners can take a less roundabout route: just visit www.mercedes-benz.tv/mixedtape for a shortcut to the latest installment of our free download compilation.

So, buckle up and enjoy this musical test drive!

Your Mercedes-Benz Team
www.mercedes-benz.tv/mixedtape

The marketing arm of MBUSA has picked up on the trend and just the other day I received a special advertisement in the form of an email newsletter. The focus is preparing your Mercedes-Benz for the fall. Here’s an excerpt of the items they featured that might be worth checking out – all three of the items below are available at your local Mercedes-Benz dealership:

Rear-Seat Entertainment System
Bring along your favorite DVDs on your summer travels, and turn your back seat into a dynamic theater for passengers. The system includes two independently functioning 8″ LCD displays, two noise-reducing wireless headsets, one remote control that can operate both displays and three auxiliary jacks that enable the use of gaming devices (devices not included). Vehicle applicability may vary.

Universal Media Interface or Nav + 4
Nav + 4 is a multifunctional navigation system and entertainment center available as a standard audio system upgrade for most MY08 – MY09 C-Class and MY10 GLK-Class vehicles with an Audio 20 CD head-unit. Together, Nav + 4s map navigation, with real-time traffic for life at no additional cost, and in-vehicle music integration allows you to keep your finger on your music streams and your commute routes – all accessed simply and conveniently through integrated steering wheel controls or the central controller.

Two-Tone Wheels
Emphasize the exclusive style of your Mercedes-Benz, and update your look, with Genuine Mercedes-Benz Two-Tone Wheels. Each wheel is engineered with state-of-the-art technology and safety-tested to uphold our rigorous standards so that you can experience the superior performance and enhanced driving responsiveness along with the eye-catching style you expect from Genuine Mercedes-Benz. Available for select vehicles.

Tommy Kendall is best-known for his dominating SCCA Trans-Am Series career where he won four championships in the 1990′s, including a near perfect season in 1997 where he won nearly every race on the schedule. Tommy is a successful television broadcaster and analyst today, and is currently hosting the Speed Test Drive on SpeedTV.

“I’m very excited about being a part of this incredible program with Mercedes-Benz and AMG says Tommy Kendall. I’ve had a great relationship with Mercedes-Benz and the AMG Challenge for many years, but as a racer, you are always looking to push the performance envelope to the limits of both yourself and your equipment.”

“People always tell me that I have the greatest job in the world on ‘Test Drive’ because I get to push incredible vehicles to the limit on great race tracks, and then evaluate how they perform. The AMG Driving Academy gives people the chance to do just that by really picking up the pace from where the Challenge leaves off, and push participants and AMG vehicles to the limit at three of my favorite tracks in the U.S. Graduates can then advance through higher levels of the AMG Academy systems both here in the U.S. and in Europe, which is another great benefit of this program.”

You can join Tommy Kendall at the U.S.-debut of this world-renowned high performance driver training program this Fall, continuing the global expansion of the AMG Driving Academy founded by AMG in Affalterbach.

We are privileged to offer you the exciting opportunity to be one of the first participants here in the United States. Experience the true performance capabilities of a selection of the latest AMG vehicles ­by getting behind the wheel, on a racetrack, and receiving coaching from world-class professional racers and instructors at three legendary racetracks: Laguna Seca Raceway (CA), Lime Rock Park (CT), and Palm Beach International Raceway (FL).Only a limited number of seats are still available for a discount of 20% at Palm Beach International Raceway and Lime Rock Park if you enroll by August 31, 2009.

AMG Driving Academy Registration Center phone: 800-217-6916
For program info, including dates and track details, visit the
AMG Driving Academy Website.

Daimler AG reported sales for the Mercedes-Benz Cars division in the U.S. (Mercedes-Benz and smart combined) of 16,271 units, a decline of 26.45 percent compared to June 2008. All sales figures in this release are on an unadjusted basis unless otherwise noted.

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) reported June sales of 15,155 vehicles, a decline of 22.58 percent compared to June 2008. The volume leaders for the month were the C, E, and M-Class with sales of 4,583, 2,781, and 2,362 respectively. The company’s new GLK compact SUV continued to exhibit strong demand, outperforming all of its competitors for the first half of the year. On a year-to-date basis, the company sold 85,088 new vehicles, a decrease of 28.66 percent over the comparable period last year.

smart USA recorded 1,116 sales in June 2009, year to date sales now total 8,567 units, a decline of 24.84% percent YTD. Since its introduction in the United States, there are over 33,000 smart fortwos traveling the highways throughout America. The smart fortwo offers the right balance of power, outstanding fuel efficiency, innovative safety features, environmental friendliness and excellent value and is the vehicle that truly meets the intent of the recently announced Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) program, aka “cash for clunkers.” The smart fortwo already exceeds the Obama Administration’s 2016 CAFE requirement which mandates a fleet average of 35.5 mpg and has many other environmentally friendly attributes. In June, the smart fortwo earned recognition as Edmunds.com’s Most Loved Convertible for the second year in a row and Kelly Blue Book’s Top 10 Coolest Cars Under $18,000.

Additional vehicle sales infor

mation for MBUSA will be announced in a separate press release issued by Mercedes-Benz USA.

Under the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), you can trade in a clunker and purchase a smart fortwo and pay $99 per month (smart’s offer details and more info here).

Powerful power delivery, impressive pulling power, exhilarating agility – coupled with frugal fuel consumption. The AMG 6.3-liter V8 engine in the new Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG combines these apparently contradictory qualities. All thanks to an entire package of efficiency-enhancing measures.

Mercedes-AMG E63 Photos

With peak output of 386 kW/525 hp from a displacement of 6208 cc the AMG 6.3-liter V8 engine ranks among the world’s most powerful standard-fit eight-cylinder naturally aspirated engines. The rated speed of 6800 rpm and the maximum engine speed of 7200 rpm are the hallmarks of this high-revving engine. But it also boasts enormous pulling power: developing 630 newton meters at 5200 rpm, the AMG V8 offers more torque than any other naturally aspirated engine in this displacement and performance class. High pulling power at low engine speeds, instant responsiveness and exhilarating high-revving flexibility are the strengths of the AMG 6.3-liter V8 engine unveiled in 2005.

With fuel consumption of 12.6 liters per 100 kilometers the new E 63 AMG betters its predecessor by 1.7 l/100 km or 12 percent, despite the extra output of 8 kW/11 hp. As such, the new high-performance saloon leaves the competition standing. This significant reduction in fuel consumption comes courtesy of a wealth of innovative measures: the E 63 AMG is the first AMG model to feature alternator management with braking energy recovery as standard. The controlled fuel supply, friction-optimized twin-wire-arc-sprayed (TWAS) coating on the cylinder walls and the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission with the Controlled Efficiency consumption-optimized transmission mode and wet start-up clutch, which replaces the torque converter, (see page 15) are crucial elements in improving efficiency.

Recuperation: generating energy during braking

Alternator management on the new E 63 AMG takes advantage of the engine’s overrun phases and braking to recover kinetic energy. This energy is then used to charge the battery, rather than being wasted by simply generating heat. This recuperation assists the driver not only during braking action but also helps convert the braking energy into electrical energy. Conversely, the alternator is switched to no-load operation during acceleration, thus reducing the load on the engine. All of which saves fuel: some 0.15 litres per 100 kilometres as per NEDC ratings and up to 0.2 l/100 km on urban roads with frequent overrun and braking phases.

The twin-wire-arc-sprayed (TWAS) coating on the cylinder walls – used exclusively by AMG – produces outstanding low friction while reducing fuel consumption at the same time. The electronically controlled fuel supply works in the same way: depending on the power requirements and outside temperature, the system operates at a demand-actuated fuel pressure of between 3.6 and 4.5 bar and is regulated at lightning speed. 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.

Know-how from motor racing went into the design

In typical AMG fashion, the design of the AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine has been based closely on its motorsports counterparts. As customary with the thoroughbred racing engines, the AMG engineers opted for a closed-deck design with the crankcase made entirely out of aluminium for the eight-cylinder unit. To produce a crankcase with superb torsional stiffness, the bottom section of the crankcase has been designed as a bedplate. This produces a very stiff tunnel for the crankshaft which can easily withstand the high combustion pressures and reduces flow losses within the crankcase. The resulting improvement in mechanical efficiency helps reduce fuel consumption. An oil scavenger integrated into the bedplate reduces engine oil foaming.

The finely balanced crankshaft is designed for the highest stresses, consists of the high-quality forged steel alloy 42CRMo4V, rotates in five crankshaft bearings and features six counterweights for perfectly balanced masses. Torsional rigidity, long-term structural strength and inertia characteristics are also to the very highest standards. Two lightweight connecting rods forged by the cracking process are connected to each of the four crank pins. During this process, the utmost production precision is made possible by a predetermined breaking point created by a laser beam. Extremely close weight tolerances between the eight connecting rods are also ensured by precision machining. The same principle is also used for the cast, lightweight pistons. They are made from a durable high-temperature alloy. Pressure-controlled oil spray nozzles in the crankcase ensure optimal cooling of the highly stressed piston crowns.

Variable intake manifold with two internal throttle flaps

The aerodynamically designed intake system with large cross-sections and the variable intake manifold made of magnesium with two integrated throttle flaps ensure superlative cylinder charging. Its task is to ensure a strong torque curve by lengthening the airflow distance at low engine speeds. At higher engine speeds the intake manifold switches to short airflow distances to achieve a high peak performance. The two throttle flaps can be opened to their maximum in just 100 milliseconds at full throttle, and the driver perceives this as extraordinary responsiveness.

Rigid valve train, four overhead camshafts

The 32 valves in the cylinder heads are operated by bucket tappets. Their space-saving design allows a stiff valve train and therefore high engine speeds with large valve opening cross-sections, which in turn benefits output and torque. The large intake valves have a diameter of 40 millimetres, while their opposite numbers on the exhaust side measure 34 millimetres.

All four overhead camshafts are continuously variable over a range of 42 degrees. Both the intake and exhaust camshafts are adjusted as a function of engine load and engine speed, ensuring extremely high output and torque values and smooth idling, and especially low exhaust emissions. Depending on the engine speed, the valve overlap can be varied to ensure an optimal supply of fuel/air mixture to the combustion chambers and efficient venting of the exhaust gases. The system is driven by a duplex roller chain and intermeshing pairs of gear wheels.

Sophisticated engine cooling solution

A powerful oil pump is used for the oil cooling system on the engine. As in thoroughbred racing engines, the engine is cooled on the sophisticated cross-flow principle. In the interests of optimal in-engine friction and fuel economy, the temperature of the coolant is also variably controlled. The lightweight, compact and powerful cooling module – located behind the large apertures in the AMG front apron – for coolant, engine, transmission and power-steering oil ensures non-critical operating temperatures – even under the extreme stress of the racetrack. The hot air from the suction-type fan used for engine oil cooling is vented via the side apertures in the AMG front apron.

Distinctive AMG V8 vocals, efficient emission control system

The newly composed AMG V8 vocals fully live up to the expectations of a powerful high-performance saloon: a powerful engine sound when accelerating coupled with restrained running characteristics during smooth cruising, providing hallmark Mercedes long-distance comfort. The AMG experts have resolved this conflict of aims with a newly developed AMG sports exhaust system; it comes with carefully matched tube cross-sections and two newly designed chrome-plated twin tailpipes.

Thanks to efficient emission control technology, the E 63 AMGmeets current EU 5 exhaust emission standards and all requirements of the U.S. market (LEV-II standard, On-Board Diagnosis II and oxygen sensor diagnosis).

Engine production – tradition of hand-built excellence

The AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine has traditionally been built by hand. In the AMG engine workshops, which were opened in 2002, a highly qualified engineer assembles an eight-cylinder 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 characteristic AMG engine plate is testimony to the highest standards of workmanship. Production takes around three hours.

In the coveted “International Engine of the Year Awards 2009″, 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 took first place by a wide margin in each case.