Category Archives: Mercedes

Mercedes

Pistonheads Sunday Service at Mercedes-Benz World

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My first Pistonheads Sunday Service attended and what better way to start than at Mercedes-Benz World who displayed a variety of AMG Black Series, provided passenger laps in AMG cars and track side parking for the first 600 who registered in advance.

Along with the current model line was a famous owners section including Nigel Mansell’s 560 SEC and my favourite; Britt Ekland’s SL Pagoda.

Mercedes-Benz SL 230 Pagoda

Google search brings up an old advert by Amari advising ‘Supplied new by Normand Mercedes in Park Lane and delivered to Britt Ekland at Pinewood Studios in 1965 So the story goes.’

A great selection of members cars including Porsche Carrera GT, Ferrari Enzo, McLaren MP4-12C, Ford GT, Mercedes-Benz SLS, Porsche GT3 RS (997), Lamborghini Countach among others.

The weeks lead up was particularly exciting with a ride in the new 571 bhp CLS AMG, words cannot describe the savagery and the noise of ‘AlMighty God’ acceleration. 0-60 takes just 3.8 seconds and no doubt the top speed will be over 200 mph with the limiter removed.

Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG

Mercedes

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Experience

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An awesome experience at Mercedes-Benz World brand experience centre in Brooklands, Surrey! This facility has been setup as a Marketing front for Mercedes-Benz and allows drivers of all ages to experience beginners vehicles right up to the £168k SLS AMG.

Starting off in the E63 AMG, I drove the usual AMG drivers package including straight line performance and breaking testing, wet circle and experiencing black ice simulation with driver aids switched off and finally the race circuit.

E63 AMG

SLS AMG

The 575bhp 6.2L Mercedes-Benz V8 is a monster and is such a different animal to the usually refined AMG cars such as the E63 I drove. The E63 was incredibly fast but the handling was very smooth and the suspension had an every day feel to it – I’m used to the E46 M3 ride as my every day car. The SLS on the other hand, had a much more uncouth idle and low speed engine noise and at full throttle there was a fantastic gurgle and crackle from the exhaust. The only car I can compare this to is a TVR Tuscan with the low windscreen, long bonnet and savage acceleration. The grip on the corners and steering feedback through the handling circuit was very impressive and didn’t feel as tail happy as was portrayed on Top Gear. It’s officially on THE list!

While you can’t experience the top end thrills in comparison to the likes of Silverstone and other track days, it is the only track experience I’ve encountered where you can drive a performance car with traction control turned off, have guides assistance at ‘hanging the back out’ and feel the thrills of actually driving 0-60 mph (and more) in 3.8 seconds while hanging on to the steering wheel. I never really did feel like I truly got to explore the Ferrari 355 at the Silverstone track day, whereas I had an E63 AMG in a full 180, a 3/4 wet lap with the back hanging out and really gave the SLS some stick and this means tyres screeching, the back stepping out and full throttle in 1st, 2nd and 3rd rather than just 4th-6th gear around a track. Missing the acceleration already.

Stats:
Engine: 6.2L V8, 563 bhp
Performance: 0-60 in 3.8 and 197 mph limited
Cost: £168k + options

Mercedes

End of Season Grand Prix Event 2009

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Powered by Mercedes-Benz Live, the Brooklands brand experience center hosted the End of Season Grand Prix Event on Sunday 8th November 2009. Highlights included brushing shoulders with Lewis Hamilton, David Coulthard, Mika Hakkinen, Heikki Kovalainen and Ross Brawn plus some familiar faces on the presenter front. For those who haven’t heard an F1 car before and even those that have, the sound was phenomenal being just feet away from the track. F1 cars included Mclaren Mercedes with Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen show boating with donuts, burn outs, drifting on the wet circle by Lewis and general crowd pleasing. The Brawn F1 cars made an appearance on the track but no Button present, however Hamilton did note he wouldn’t mind having him as a team mate at Mclaren next year. The Mercedes DTM car weighing in at just over a ton with 500 bhp was a fire spitting monster! The sound made the F1 pace car seem like an SL350 in comparison. A fantastic day out and all free to the public if they made their registrations on the Mercedes-Benz World website within four days of the event being announced.

Mercedes-Benz Touring Car

F1 Pace Car

Mercedes-Benz-World

Mercedes-Benz-300SL

Silver Arrows

Ross Brawn Gullwing

Mercedes-Benz 300SL Collection

Mclaren F1 Brooklands

David Coulthard

Mika Hakkinen

McLaren F1 Brooklands

Lewis Hamilton Interview

Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series

Mercedes-Benz SL65 SLR Stirling Moss

Heikki Kovalainen Interview

Mercedes-Benz SLR 722

Mercedes Gullwing

Brabus Bullit

Brawn F1

Mercedes

What are Mercedes up to

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So Mercedes think they can produce more exotic, exciting, exhilarating and better accelerating cars than their German rivals do they?

Well lets take a look at the latest efforts from Merc: –

The fabulous Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has a 6.3 litre V8 engine which delivers 571 BHP and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. This monumentous partnership translates into chest crushing acceleration from 0 – 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. This performance is matched with a stunning body and of course, Gullwing doors.

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

You may have also noticed the latest track prepared SL keeping the F1 cars at bay on the safety car laps. A volcanic roar that perhaps the road version doesn’t have, but you can have the same looks and similar performance.

Mercedes-Benz SL F1 Pace Car

Mercedes really is on form this year, I would put them above BMW and Audi in terms of looks and performance but not quite sure if the handling is there yet. There is a sense of the traditional Mercedes-Benz comfort element retained with automatic boxes fitted even in their sports models.