Mercedes has taken the wraps off its new-generation GT sports car, the 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL that will launch with two V8 models featuring all-wheel drive and rear-wheel steering.

It is the first time the SL will be offered as a standalone 2+2 model from AMG, having been developed from the ground-up by Mercedes-Benz’s performance arm.

Two variants will be available at launch – the 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL 55 4Matic+ and the 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL 63 4Matic+. Both will be powered by a hand-built 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine in two different states of tune, each paired with AMG’s Speedshift multi-clutch nine-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels.

It produces 350kW and 700Nm in the Mercedes-AMG SL 55 to deliver a 0-100km/h sprint of 3.9 seconds, on route to a top speed of 295km/h.

Output increases to 430kW and 800Nm in the Mercedes-Benz SL 63, dropping the century sprint to 3.6 seconds, while increasing its top speed to 315km/h.

Along with all-whee drive, the new SL comes standard with rear-wheel steering which allows the rear wheels to steer with the front wheels for smoother lane changes on the freeway, or turn in the opposite direction to the fronts at speeds below 100km/h for greater responsiveness.

AMG’s Active Ride Control also makes its debut on the new SL 63. It employs hydraulic anti-roll technology to replace the traditional passive stabilisation bars and is claimed to deliver a comfortable ride while keeping the car flat during cornering.

To keep weight in check, all suspension links, steering knuckles, and hub carriers are made from forged aluminium, while a special technique has been developed to reduce the heft of the car’s springs.

The SL 63 comes standard with an electronically-controlled limited-slip rear differential, which is part of the optional AMG Dynamic Plus Package on the SL 55.

Stopping power comes in the form of a set of 390 x 36mm drilled and vented composite disc brakes, clamped by six-piston fixed callipers at the front, and 360 x 26mm rear rotors with single-piston callipers at the rear.

A high-performance ceramic composite brake system increased the disc size to 402 x 39mm and 360 x 32mm, respectively which also brings further weight reduction.

A two-piece Airpanel helps improve the car’s aerodynamics, with two hidden louvres placed behind the front air intakes to help direct airflow to the car’s active undercar profile, unless engine temperature trigger their opening.

Around the rear, an integrated rear spoiler helps lower drag or increase down force, depending on the vehicle’s speed and driver’s input.

Stepping inside, the driver is greeted with a 12.3-inch high-definition digital instrument cluster set inside an aviation-inspired dashboard. A 11.9-inch portrait-style touchscreen featuring the latest generation MBUX infotainment system takes care of most of the car’s functions.

Standard features include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB+ digital radio, satellite navigation with live traffic and real-time parking capability, Car-to-X communication, Mercedes Me Connect, as well as the brand’s ‘Hey Mercedes’ hands-free voice assistance in 28 languages.

The Mercedes-AMG SL also borrows the latest active safety technology from the S-Class, including attention assist, active cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, lane-change assist, emergency stop, active brake assist with cross-traffic function, and blind-spot alert with safe exit warning.

When night falls, the digital light function allows the car to project warning symbols onto the road to warn the driver of hazards such as pedestrians, roadworks and intersections.

The new SL will be offered in 12 exterior colours, including two exclusive to the model, along with three roof colours to choose from.

The 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL is expected to land in Australia in the second half of 2022.

The post 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL63 & SL55 unveiled with V8 and AWD appeared first on ForceGT.com.

The next-generation Mercedes-AMG C63 S will lose its sonorous V8 engine that has powered the high-performance sedan since the 2005 W203 C55, and become the C63e S. As you would guess from its name, taking its place is a hybridised engine but with only half the cylinders!

Closely related to the M139 engine currently found under the bonnet of the smaller A45 S, the turbocharged four-cylinder in the C63e S will however, be rotated 90-degrees to a longitudinal position and tuned to produce 350kW – 40kW more than the A45 S.

But unlike the A45 S’ conventional turbocharger, the C63e S’ engine will be assisted by a F1-derived lag-free turbocharger with an inbuilt 6kW e-motor similar to the one fitted to the AMG One hypercar.

Destined to be the most potent four-pot in the world, the engine is connected to a nine-speed wet-clutch dual-clutch transmission, directing power to all four wheels. The car’s rear axle also features an electronically locking diff and 150kW/320Nm electric motor that spins to a lofty 13,500rpm and utilises a two-speed transmission, with the higher gear kicking in at 140km/h.

While no performance figures have been released, combined output could potentially be around 420kW/800Nm, with a 0-100km/h dash in the region of low 3.0 seconds.

The electric motor draws power from a liquid cooled 6.1kWh lithium-ion battery that is said to offer double the power density of conventional hybrid batteries.

Mercedes-AMG hasn’t revealed the plug-in hybrid’s electric-only range but confirmed that they are prioritising performance over range in this application, with pure EV mode available up to 130km/h.

There will be four stages of brake regeneration, with the most aggressive version generating an impressive 90kW. It will come with six drive modes – Electric, Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus, Race and Individual, as well as torque vectoring on both axles and brake-by-wire. Like cross-town rival, the BMW M5, expect a rear-drive only drift mode to be offered, too.

Like the rest of the W206 C-Class range, the C63e is larger in all directions, with overall length increased by 65mm, wheelbase up by 25mm and width increasing by 10mm.

The new-generation C63 is expected to arrive in Australia in early 2023.

The post Next-gen Mercedes-AMG C63e S drops V8 for hybrid-four appeared first on ForceGT.com.

The all-new 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class has been officially unveiled. Available in sedan and estate body styles, the new C-Class brings an evolutionary design, new interior and improved technology. Here’s all the essential info about the new C-Class.

Interior

The cockpit features a full LCD driving instrumentation screen, positioned right in front of the driver. Customers have a choice between a 10.25-inch or a 12.3-inch version.

The era of digitisation is also obvious in the central console, where a large touchscreen serves as the main interface into the car’s various functions, including navigation. Like the dashboard, the screen is orientated towards the driver. The central display has a screen diagonal of 9.5 inches as standard. A larger version measuring 11.9 inches is optionally available.

Powertrain

At launch, the C-Class is available with three petrol and two diesel powertrains, as well as a plug-in hybrid with electric range of up to 100km. All powertrains are matched with a 9-speed automatic transmission, and drive the rear wheels or all four wheels for 4Matic models.

Overview of Saloon and Estate models (petrol engines):

 Overview of Saloon and Estate1 models (diesel engines):

Technology

Rear-axle steering

The new C-Class is available with the optional rear-axle steering and the accompanying, more direct steering ratio at the front axle. At speeds below 60 km/h, the rear wheels steer in the opposite direction to the front wheels by up to 2.5° to aid parking and low speed manoeuvrability. At speeds above 60 km/h, the rear wheels steer up to 2.5° in the same direction as the front wheels for improved handling stability and safety at high speeds.

Digital Light

The new C-Class is equipped with LED High Performance headlamps as standard. The Digital Light system familiar from the new S-Class is available as an option. This revolutionary headlamp technology allows new functions, e.g. the projection of guide lines or warning symbols onto the road ahead. For example, Digital Light projects two guide lines when encountering roadworks. These roughly delineate the vehicle’s width. The driver is therefore given even better guidance in the narrowed roadway. The intelligent technology also highlights pedestrians in the danger zone with a spotlight function and clarifies their position with projected direction points.

Augmented Video

Augmented Video is available as optional equipment. A camera registers the surroundings in front of the vehicle. The moving images are shown on the central display. In addition, virtual objects, information and markers are superimposed on the video image. These include, e.g. traffic signs, directional arrows, lane-change recommendations and house numbers. This can make navigation much easier, especially in urban areas.

Dimensions

With a length of 4751 mm and a width of 1820 mm, the Saloon and Estate models are considerably larger than their predecessors. The wheelbase has increased by 25 mm to 2865 mm. Both the front and rear passengers benefit from the increased exterior dimensions.

Here are the most important dimensions:

The post 2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class: all you need to know appeared first on ForceGT.com.

First, a confession. I don’t usually pay much attention to older vehicles, as I can’t see the point in owning or driving an outdated piece of technology but there’s one exception – the iconic Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster.

It’s the one ‘old’ car that I’d happily own, if only I have a lazy US$850,000 to $950,000 ($1,193,000 to $1,333,000) lying around.

This 1961 example, just one of around 270 fitted with disc brakes and an iron-block engine before Mercedes-Benz replaced it with an alloy-block, is up for grabs, with the auction house expecting it to sell for the above price.

It was one of two SL’s owned by a postwar Mercedes collector which bought the cars in 1993 for his sons.

According to the auction listing, the car has never been fully restored but has been “religiously maintained”, including being maintained, repaired and serviced by the well-respected Paul Russell and Company.

The car was originally finished in White Gray, but the seller repainted it to a “period-appropriate” Ivory you see here. A new navy blue soft top has also been retrofitted to the car replacing the original hardtop, which will be included in the sale.

Inside, the blazing red leather interior complements an ivory-coloured dashboard and shift knob, along with the classic three-spoke wooden rim steering wheel.

The post 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster up for grabs for $1.2M appeared first on ForceGT.com.

The 2021 Mercedes-AMG E63 has received a facelift following the base car’s recent refresh, bringing with it a minor restyle, retuned air suspension, improved aerodynamics and additional options.

Like the regular models, the biggest change takes place around the back, with the new model getting a pair of reshaped horizontal taillights featuring stacked elements that now extend into the boot lid.

Further down, the rear bumper has also been rejigged with slightly different exhaust tips that are now nicely integrated.

Around the front, the changes are subtler with the facelifted model gaining a larger central cooling inlet within the front grille, as well as new all-LED headlights.

Side on, fresh 19-inch wheels on the E63 and 20-inchers on the ‘S’ not only complement the new look but are also said to deliver improved aerodynamic balance for handling gains on “country roads” and at “high speed”. Additionally, the 2021 E63’s front guards are also 27mm broader to house the wider front track and larger wheels.

Two new colours have been added to the range – Graphite Grey and High-tech Silver – the latter which was previously exclusive to the AMG GT.

Underneath the bonnet, the 2021 model carries over its predecessor’s 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 that pumps out 450kW and 850Nm in S guise, the only model available in Australia. While it’s no faster than before, it’s 0-100km/h sprint of 3.4 seconds is nothing to sneeze at. Top speed is electronically limited to 300km/h.

Like the outgoing model, the E63 features all-wheel drive and an active hydraulic locking rear differential. AMG has tweaked the E63’s multi-chamber adaptive air suspension to provide better ride comfort.

Stepping into the cabin, drivers will be greeted by a new AMG steering wheel with two-level touch pads, along with the familiar digital instrument cluster and infotainment screen.

The 2021 Mercedes-AMG E63 S is expected to land in Australia later this year, with pricing and full specification to be announced closer to launch.

The post Refreshed 2021 Mercedes-AMG E63 S bows in appeared first on ForceGT.com.

Rejoice! AMG’s most hard-core variant, the Mercedes-AMG GT R Pro is headed to Australia despite being ruled out for our market previously.

Confirmed by Mercedes-Benz’s local arm, just 15 units of AMG’s most focused variant will be offered locally with a price tag of $453,200 before on-road costs. That’s $84,500 dearer than the next most expensive GT model, the $368,700 GT R.

Globally, only 750 units of the GT R Pro will be produced, all packing the same 430kW/700Nm 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 as the GT R, but with a host of track-focused additions concentrated on three key areas: chassis, weight and aerodynamics.

So, what does the extra outlay buy?

There is a new coil-over suspension set-up with manually adjustable dampers at each corner with variable compression and rebound rates, along with variable spring pre-load length. Mercedes says the suspension can be adjusted via a ‘click system’ on the damper without the need for special tools.

There is also new anti-roll bars made from carbon fibre up front and hollow steel at the rear to increase stiffness and reduce weight, as well as spherical bearings on the lower and upper rear wishbones.

Elsewhere, the GT R Pro comes standard with electronically controlled dynamic engine mounts, ceramic brakes, along with lighter forged 20-inch alloy wheels. All in, the GT R Pro is 25kg leaner than the GT R on which it is based.

To improve aerodynamics further, the Pro features new active aero, along with a more aggressive front splitter and upgraded rear diffuser. Its rear wing is also made from milled aluminium and comes with a small but all-important Gurney flap. All the changes is said to bring an extra 99kg of downforce at 250km/h.

The Pro comes standard with AMG’s ‘Track Pack’ which is optional on lesser models. It brings a steel roll cage, seat braces, four-point safety harness for both occupants.

AMG claims the GT R Pro is good for a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.6 second. It is also 6.0 seconds quicker around the Nordschleife than the GT R.

The post Mercedes-AMG GT R Pro top-dog confirmed for Australia appeared first on ForceGT.com.

Following on the footsteps of the refreshed Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan, the 2021 Mercedes-AMG E53 Coupe and Cabriolet have also been updated with sharper styling, and more technology.

Up front, the revitalised models get AMG’s bold Panamericana grille, standard LED headlights and slightly tweaked front bumper, while the rear end features a new set of LED taillights matched with a redesigned rear bumper with integrated quad tailpipes. A fresh set of five-spoke 19-inch wheels is standard, with 20-inch wheels available as an option.

Two new exterior colours have been added to the catalogue for 2021 – Brilliant Blue Magno and Graphite Grey Metallic.

Customers can further customise their ride with the optional AMG Night Package, which brings blacked-out mirror housings and trim elements, along with black chrome exhaust tips.

Meanwhile, the optional AMG Carbon Fibre Package adds carbon fibre mirror caps, a carbon fibre lip spoiler and a carbon fibre boot lid.

Inside, the headline news is the latest MBUX infotainment system with a 12.3-inch central touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The rotary dial controller has also been replaced with a touchpad.

Unlike regular models, AMG variants come standard with Mercedes-Benz’s Tex faux leather seats with red stitching. Those wanting a sportier touch can opt for the genuine Nappa leather bucket seats in a new black and Titanium Pearl colour combo.

No changes have been made to the E53’s powertrain, that means both Coupe and Cabriolet continues to be powered by the same turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine developing 320kW and 520Nm of torque. Power is sent to the tarmac via a nine-speed transmission and 4MATIC all-wheel drive system.

The E53 also gets an extra “Sport Plus” drive mode on top of Slippery, Comfort, Sport and Individual, and is said to improve acceleration and shift times. An AMG Ride Control Plus air suspension is standard and comes with Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus modes.

The 2021 Mercedes-AMG E53 Coupe and Cabriolet will arrive in Australia early next year.

The post 2021 Mercedes-AMG E53 Coupe debuts with revitalised looks appeared first on ForceGT.com.

Mercedes-Benz’s first ever seven-seat compact crossover, the GLB, has arrived priced from $59,900 plus on-road costs.

Described as a more practical and roomy alternative to the GLA, the GLB is available with the option of seven seats. To accommodate the extra row of seats, the GLB is significantly bigger in all directions compare to the GLA or even the B-Class.

Put side-by-side with the GLA – which itself is due for an update – the GLB is 53mm longer, 30mm wider and 164mm taller than its sleeker sibling, while its wheelbase is 130mm longer.

The GLB claims a segment-best rear headroom of 1,035mm and 967mm of legroom in the five-seat model, along with 560 litres of boot space which is expandable to 1,755 litres with the rear seats folded. The company says there is enough room for people up to 168cm tall in the third row of seats.

Fulfilling its family-friendly brief is ISOFIX child seat anchors and top tethers to fit up to four child seats across the two rear rows.

Mercedes-Benz has cleverly wrapped up all the practicality in an off-road design with a bluff front featuring a chunky six-point grille flanked by a pair of rectangular headlights.

Its profile is highlighted by square-off wheel arches with black cladding, muscular shoulder lines, short overhangs, upright glasshouses and distinctive window line kink. Around the back, the rectangular theme continues with in the rear light clusters.

Inside, the dashboard comes across as a more rugged interpretation of the A-Class’ dash. While the massive flat-screen display and turbine-style air vents remain, there is now a large cutout in the dash where the screen sits, as well as a large aluminium-look tubular trim piece in front of the passenger.

The MBUX infotainment system is now available with mood-lifting Energizing comfort control that links up with select Garmin smart watches to improve its precision. Amenities to the third-row include one-touch Easy Entry function, twin cupholders and non-slip cubby holes, each with its own USB port.

The GLB will be offered with a choice of two petrol and diesel engines at launch, kicking off with the GLB 200 sporting a Renault-derived 1.33-litre M282 turbocharged four-cylinder petrol producing 120kW at 5,500rpm and 250Nm from 1,600 to 4,200rpm.

It is mated with a Getrag seven-speed dual clutch transmission that enables a claimed 0-100km/h time of 9.1 seconds, en route to a top speed of 207km/h. Fuel consumption is rated at between 6.0 and 6.2 litres per 100km.

Moving up to the GLB 250 will score you an in-house 2.0-litre M260 turbocharged four with 165kW at 5,800rpm and 350Nm from 1,800 to 4,000rpm.

It is paired with Mercedes’ new eight-speed 8G-DCT that promises a 0-100km/h sprint in 6.9 seconds before topping out at 236km/h. The engine is rated to return 7.2 to 7.4 litres per 100km.

Topping the range is the Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 powered by an AMG-tuned 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine pumping out 225 kW and 400 Nm. Driving through an eight-speed auto with AMG Dynamic Select and 4MATIC all-wheel-drive, the AMG GLB 35 propels from rest to 100km/h in just 5.2 seconds.

An extensive suite of AMG performance-focused features fitted to the AMG GLB 35 includes an AMG exhaust system with silent start, an AMG high-performance braking system, AMG speed-sensitive power steering and AMG Ride Control Sports Suspension with adaptive damping.

On the safety front, the GLB comes with the expected range of driver assistance systems, including Distronic adaptive cruise control that can now adapt the speed to corners, crossroads and roundabouts, as well as automatic restarts if Active Parking Assist is selected. The Active Steering Assist function now comes with hands-free Active Lane Change Assist.

Mercedes-Benz GLB pricing (excluding on-road costs)

Mercedes-Benz GLB 200: $59,900

Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 4MATIC: $73,900

Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4 MATIC: $88,900

The post Mercedes-Benz GLB arrives priced from $59,900 appeared first on ForceGT.com.

Suspension and chassis expert KW Automotive has developed a fully adjustable coilover suspension kit for the Mercedes-AMG G 63.

Designed to improve the G wagon’s handling without sacrificing ride comfort, the KW DDC coilover suspension are compatible with the onboard electronics and are controlled by the factory sensors of the Mercedes-AMG G 63. The variable suspension offers up to 30mm of lowering on the front and rear axles.

Featuring KW’s multi-valve damper technology, the coilover kit uses solid piston shocks with two separate proportional valves for both the compression and rebound stages. The AMG G 63’s standard adaptive damping system is compatible with the KW coilover suspension and continues to offer three modes: Comfort, Sport and Sport+.

It’s claimed that the AMG G 63 benefits from significantly more direct road holding and improved handling in the sportiest Sport+ setting.

The Mercedes-AMG G 63 is powered by a bi-turbo, 4.0-litre V8 making 430 kW of power and 850 Nm of torque, up from 420kW/760Nm produced by the outgoing model’s 5.5-litre V8. Power is channelled through an AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9-Speed automatic transmission to a permanent all-wheel-drive system, including a low-range ratio with shift-on-the-move. The 2-tonne Mercedes-AMG G 63 can accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 4.5 seconds.

The post Mercedes-AMG G 63 sharpened with KW coilover suspension appeared first on ForceGT.com.

The all-new 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class has been spied almost fully undisguised, revealing its fresh styling inside and out.

Shared on Twitter by Ray Chen, the images show an evolutionary front styling with a wider Mercedes grille flanked by a pair of slimmer headlights.

Around the back, the changes are slightly more significant, with a pair of horizontal taillights connected by a chrome strip that runs the entire width of the car. Further down, we spot what look like tailpipe finish but it remains to be seen whether they are real or fake.

It’s a different story inside, where the new S-Class’ interior is a big departure from the outgoing model. There’s a huge Tesla-esque portrait style infotainment system taking pride of place on the two-tier dashboard, along with a relatively large digital instrument screen behind the new three-spoke steering wheel.

Given the lack of physical buttons on the dash, the central display will likely be used to control most functions in the car.

Like the new Lexus LS, rear seat passengers also get their own touchscreen nestled in the centre armrest to control various functions from the back, while the leather seats feature a quilted pattern for a more luxurious vibe.

Based on the MRA II platform, the all-new S-Class is expected to be slightly bigger than the current model and feature Level 3 autonomous driving where permitted by law. It also gets active suspension along with rear-wheel steering for improved ride and handling.

Under the bonnet, we can expect some sort of electrification, along with mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, as well as a V12 for the range topper.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is anticipated to make its debut in September.

Source: Ray Chen via Carscoop

The post 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class spied with radical new cockpit appeared first on ForceGT.com.