They say that karma has a funny way of circling back towards people who gain from other people’s losses. It sure looks like the ugly truth for Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom whose extravagant lifestyle has been put on hold thanks to copyright infringement charges. Really, they had it coming. The wife even pleaded to the courts asking them to give back at least some of her property in order to keep their household thriving. Part of this property is a $202,000 G55 Mercedes SUV. “I am simply asking the courts to return my own property and make reasonable provision for our family’s ongoing maintenance and care,” says Mona Dotcom. In case you’re wondering just how wealthy the couple is, imagine that the hubby slash founder is up against copyright holders who have been cheated out of at least $500 million in claims. Sweet day to be one of those copyright holders. Check out the license plates on the couple’s cars. Just shows how they feel owning that much money through twisted ends. Looking at these Mercedes-Benz vehicles, it’s hard to feel sorry for these two. Source: inautonews.com See original here: Megaupload founder’s wife pleads return of confiscated Mercedes-Benz

As the spotlight has shifted to battery-powered cars, other promising alternative fuels have been left in the dark. That’s especially true for yesterday’s transportation stars, fuel-cell vehicles. But that doesn’t mean progress has stopped. California is still planning to get 20,000 fuel-cell vehicles on the road, starting in 2015. Part of the state’s zero-emissions vehicle mandate requires oil companies to install 68 hydrogen-refueling stations in five cities and along highways between those cities by 2015. The hydrogen would most likely be produced on site from natural gas, although some would use renewable sources. So far, a handful of these stations exist: 37 are funded or under construction and institutional backers are trying to raise $65 million to build the rest – from $45 million from the state, $12.5 million from regional air-quality districts, and $7.5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy. A partnership of automakers and California government agencies has set up a hydrogen infrastructure trust fund to manage the money. The requirements to create that infrastructure are triggered once automakers announce plans to collectively sell 20,000 fuel-cell vehicles in the state. Although in its infancy, that process is already under way. While automakers such as Nissan and Mitsubishi seem to be committing to battery powered plug-in vehicles, Mercedes-Benz has delivered 37 F-cell fuel-cell-powered cars, Honda has leased 23 FCX Claritys in California, and dozens of Toyota and General Motors fuel-cell vehicles are driving around the state, which count towards the mandate. Craig Childers, an engineer at the California Air Resources board who helped write the state’s zero emissions vehicle standards, says fuel-cell vehicles amass additional credits (over battery electrics), because of their typically long range and short refueling times. We caught up with a few F-cell drivers at EVS26, the 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium held recently in Los Angeles. The drivers we spoke with are committed to ending their dependence on oil and each leased an F-cell for two years at $849 a month. (Mercedes has a new, more affordable program for three years at $550 a month with $2,500 down.) At an evening social gathering outside...

What do you get when you soup up an already fast car using a package centered on a Stealth aerodynamic kit? That’s the Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG Stealth by tuner German Special Customs. The aerodynamic body of this tuned car, as well as its body color, really shows off the design that’s influenced by stealth airplanes. There’s a new hood with a broad shaft, fresh side skirts, and a broader front fascia. Instead of the Mercedes-Benz logo adorning the front grille, the GSC emblem is displayed on that section. Oh, the new bumber is also laced with LED daytime running lights for added functionality and style. With those additions and the performance upgrades provided for the Stealth’s 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, the custom vehicle generates 225 horsepower more than the standard AMG variant. The Stealth’s 750 horsepower is aided by a new exhaust system, bigger turbochargers, and a bonus water cooler. New 20-inchers are in place, while drivers will also get to play nice with the front axle’s adjustable suspensions. The GSC CLS 63 AMG Stealth has a top speed of nearly 350 kph, while its 0-100 kph time is rated at a mere 3.7 seconds.   Original post:  The CLS 63 AMG Stealth by GSC

The Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class is a compact crossover vehicle and the first smaller utility vehicle from the German automaker. First introduced for 2009 as a 2010 model, it marked the first-ever entry from the German luxury automaker into a segment already occupied by many of its rival luxury brands, with the likes of the BMW X3, Acura RDX, Infiniti… Read more: Mercedes-Benz GLK Class

The Mercedes-Benz G Class—also called the Gelandewagen or G-Wagen)—is a tall, boxy sport-utility vehicle. It’s truly unique in today’s market, with only the Jeep Wrangler and Toyota FJ Cruiser lending the same off-road-centric, retro feel. Those who want the same kind of feel would have to otherwise consider an older Land… View original post here: Mercedes-Benz G Class

The third generation of the Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV was launched recently in India, and it comes with exciting news that the vehicle will be priced some 15 percent less compared to the last iteration seen in the country. This allows the German automaker to be competitive with the prices offered by BMW and Audi for vehicles in the same segment. BMW has managed to leapfrog Mercedes-Benz for the lead in India’s luxury car market, and the latter is already at risk of losing the second spot to Audi. The repriced M-Class line should help contribute to Mercedes-Benz’s efforts to regain the lead in this market. “We are confident that the quality drive and the luxurious experience it can deliver will be a big hit with the customers and it will be warmly received,” said Peter Honegg, the managing director and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India. The M-Class has had a strong showing in India since it was introduced to that market in 2008. Over 1,500 units have been sold, and the third-gen model should continue to add to that figure. In addition, there are 100 units of the AMG variant set to go on sale—although those have already been presold. “We expect to become number luxury sellers of luxury cars in India by 2020, the growth will get a boost when the compact models enter the Indian market,” added Honegg. Excerpt from: New M-Class Launched in India

Running a quarter mile in just 11 seconds is not an impossible feat for the Mercedes C63 AMG. However, this video is interesting because of who’s driving the car. A 60-year old woman who adores drag racing is behind the wheels of the super car. You read that right, 60-year old and drag racing. Doesn’t looks like these phrases could be together eh? But yes, in this clip, you can definitely watch this woman who even shared what’s in her Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG before she joined her husband, who I suppose is as old as she (or close?), on the track. The hubby drives a Dodge Viper. Original post: A 60-Year Old Drives the Mercedes C63 AMG

Calculate finance and lease payments for Mercedes-Benz cars anywhere?You can do that with the new tablet or smartphone app that can be downloadedfrom http://eff.m.mercedes-benz-bank.de/ ! This application works best for people who are already interested in a Merc car, for example, the person is in the showroom of a dealership. What the app does is it scans the price tag QR code of the car and then brings the information directly to the mobile rate calculator. Lease offers can also be computed as run time, mileage and payment can be altered. A customer can finance a lease with the right monthly rate for him or her. The rates and offer will be sent to the customer’s email and they can even send it in social networks. Jay Schell of Mercedes-Benz Bank said, “The mobile rate calculator is for us a further step in providing our products for customers to easily and quickly accessible. We bring our financial services for Mercedes-Benz in particular the younger audience closer. ” This app is also targeted for salesmen in dealerships as this can also be used to tailor fit payment plans for prospective customers during a sales call. Source: Mercedes-Benz Bank Read the original here:  Mobile Rate Calculator by Mercedes-Benz Bank

The new BMW 3 Series Touring F31 will have to compete in the next few months against offerings from Audi and Mercedes. The all new 3er Touring runs head-to-head with the Audi A4 Avant and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate. While the 3er is a brand-new offering, the Audi A4 Avant received a facelift this year. The C-Class Estate went through that process in 2011. As always with a new BMW model, we put together a visual comparison that highlight the design features of similar models in the segment. In standard form, BMW and Mercedes offer their sports wagons with a rear-wheel drive transmission, while Audi stick to its front-wheel-drive architecture. Of course, an all-wheel-drive optional transmission is offered across these models. Other differences arise in the automatic transmission: BMW F31 offers a ZF eight-speed box, Mercedes relies on an in-house seven-speed automatic transmission and Audi offers a variable multitronic or seven-speed dual clutch transmission.  All three vehicles can be upgraded with numerous assistance systems. Exclusive to BMW is the Head-Up Display and a rear window that opens separately into the operable standard tailgate by pressing a button. With 1,500 liters of stowage space with rear seat folded, the BMW also offers the most cargo space. The new BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon will launch in Europe later this year and is set to arrive in US showrooms in Spring 2013. Powertrain details for the US as well as pricing, specifications and standard/optional equipment will be announced at a later date. [Images: BimmerToday ] Original post: Photo Comparison: New BMW 3 Series Touring vs. Audi A4 Avant vs. Mercedes-Benz C-Class Estate

To kick its addiction to oil, the United States needs a raft of alternatives; no single alternative is likely to replace such an entrenched market any time soon. But electric car advocates at the Electric Vehicle Symposium held recently in Los Angeles say battery-powered cars are the one alternative that can meet all needs. Electricity isn’t a fuel per se, only an “energy carrier.” To generate electricity, you have to produce power from some other fuel source, such as coal, oil, and nuclear, or harness energy from renewable source, such as wind, hydro, or solar. Interestingly, this flexibility answers some big concerns of alternative-fuel critics. In covering the alternative fuel movement, we often encounter pushback from people who say they don’t know how this or that fuel will ever make sense where they live. Some say ethanol won’t work because there are no E85 pumps in much of the country, and the average price is often higher than gasoline once you factor in ethanol’s lower energy content. Yet in the upper Midwest, there’s no shortage of ethanol stations, and the fuel sells for significantly less than gasoline. ( Learn more about ethanol .) Others note that natural gas is not available in their region, and some report that electricity is produced from coal where they live. Looked at holistically, it seems likely that such arguments may break down along regional lines: Ethanol may make sense close to where excess corn is grown. Electricity is cleanest in regions with abundant renewable supplies. Like electricity, hydrogen can be made from a variety of feed stocks, including fossil fuels and renewable resources, but costs are still high and vary dramatically by feedstock and region. But it’s hard to sell different cars running on different types of fuel across the country. Electric cars can bridge this gap, say supporters, because electricity is only an energy carrier. You could sell battery-electric cars across the country, then make electricity from different sources, depending on what makes the most economic sense in each location. From where I sit, that seems a much more appealing solution for consumers than buying a car that effectively has regional ties due to the specialized refueling infrastructure. America...

Jenson Button of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 driver will be at the Brands Hatch at the DTM this weekend. He will drive the Mercedes-Benz DTM race taxi with Gary Paffett as his passenger. But before he do that, he will take some time to practice with the new car, because he still need to familiarize himself with controlling and maneuvering the new race car. “Brands Hatch is one of the circuits where I cut my teeth in junior single-seaters and I have many fond memories of the place – in Formula Ford, the Formula Ford Festival, and in British Formula 3. It’s one of the greatest tracks in the world, and a place with an awful lot of motorsport history, ” Jenson Button said. He added his excitement saying, “It’s going to be a fantastic experience to head back to Brands Hatch to watch the DTM race there on May 20. I think the new DTM rules are going to provide the British fans with some really close, tense and exciting racing – and I’ll be hoping that Gary Paffett, my Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team-mate and our test and development driver, will be able to hold onto his lead in the championship with another win. “Gary’s also given me the chance to drive the DTM ‘race taxi’ with him – it’ll be the first time I’ve driven Brands since doing F3 there back in 1999. It’s going to be very cool. I think the DTM weekend will be a great event – it’s a fantastic series with some excellent, close racing and some of the best drivers in the world. For me, it’s going to be a great personal experience and a fantastic opportunity to get up-close and personal with all the British fans who have been supporting me over the years.” On the other hand, Norbert Haug, Mercedes-Benz Motorsportchef expressed his gladness that Button will be there at the British race track when he said, “Like most of the current crop of Formula 1 drivers, Jenson takes an interest in the DTM, so he was pleased to accept our invitation to the Brands Hatch weekend. I am sure he will have a lot of fun driving one of our DTM ‘race taxis’ and watching the race itself.” Source: Daimler More: The New DTM Car to be Driven by Button at the Brands Hatch

Last February, Mercedes-Benz was recognized as the number one car brand in Australia, getting 95% rate in terms of customer service. That’s not the only achievement that the company got from Down Under, because the W204 which is the current C-Class, surpassed the 30,000 unit sales target. David McCarthy, Mercedes Australia Pacific’s Senior Manager for Corporate Communications said, “We wanted to deliver to our customers the same outstanding value in our “Edition 30” C-Class that they have enjoyed since the vehicle line was launched. We have delivered over 30,000 of the current generation C-Class sedans in Australia, this alone is a significant figure but it is between 35 and 98 percent higher than our traditional competitors.” Original post: 30,000 Unit Sales for C-Class W204 in Australia Surpassed

Predictive Powertrain Control—mark that down as the latest of new technologies Mercedes-Benz is bringing to its vehicles. This is found in the cruise control system offered with the Actros truck, and it has the ability to shift the gears on a vehicle based on the topography scanned by the GPS on the unit. This way, the truck—as well as other vehicles the system will be put inside in the future—can get the optimal gears depending on location, thus saving fuel in the process. According to numbers released by Mercedes-Benz, Predictive Powertrain Control has a claimed fuel efficiency boost of three percent. In addition, the system comes with something called EcoRoll that allows for automatic single and double downshifts. The system makes a big enough difference for fleet operators that are looking to cut back on those fuel costs. With other automakers trying to make their respective cruise control systems smarter, each one is trying to add that little bit of extra to make things more attractive for prospective purchasers. Predictive Powertrain Control could just be that feature that puts Merc cruise control systems over the top, although it is not known if this system will be applied to Merc’s passenger cars. Read the original:  Merc’s New GPS-Based Cruise Control Touts Gear-Shifting and Fuel Efficiency

The Edo Competition Mercedes C63 AMG sprints 0-62 mph in 4.1 seconds with a top speed 213 mph More here: Mercedes C63 AMG T-Model by Edo Competition

As if being arrested for supporting North Korea’s bid for world domination thru the exportation of harmless ceramic tiles enroute to Kim-JOng iL’s beloved country wasn’t crazy enough, a group of Korean traders in Tokyo, Japan were served a fresh plate of arrest warrants for another mischievous act – shipping out secondhand Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Now, as avid fans of the brand, it is not part of our intentions to deprive our NoKon brothers of their God-given right to enjoy the fruits of German engineering. The only problem is, the Japanese government seems to be against the idea of senior NoKon officials getting command of the said fleet of exported vehicles. Sources say that the Mercedes-Benz vehicles were intended for delivery to the Iranian Embassy north of the DMZ. Apparently not, says investigators handling the case. The vehicles are suspectedly being transited through South Korea while the group’s ceramic exports are being shipped through Dalian, northern China. It appears that the Chinese are strictly against the exportation of used vehicles as well, thus the Korean traders chose not to bundle-deal their tiles with the Mercs and instead shipped the cars separately through their native port. No matter how funny that sounds, this piece of news from Japan only proves one thing – that the powers-that-be in North Korea can’t resist the charm of Mercedes-Benz. Well, it’s no surprise now is it? Source: mainichi.jp Here is the original:  Korean traders under wraps for illegal export of Mercedes-Benz