Automotive World

Behind that mismatched front bumper are the same hardware upgrades found on the C63 AMG Coupe Black Series, and which include a modified 6.2-liter V8 engine pushing out 517HP and 620 Nm (457 lb-ft) of peak torque, an increase of 60HP and 20Nm over the regular model.

A recent study conducted by Max Warburton of Bernstein Research, a market trends and analysis firm, reveals which models sold in the U.S. are the most profitable for automakers.

Despite being blamed for almost anything, from the greenhouse effect to the costly bailout a couple of years ago, the study shows that Detroit’s Big Three light-truck models lead the list of the most profitable vehicles in the U.S.

And now, only a decade after resuscitating Maybach, Daimler is ready to accept defeat and stop producing the $350,000 luxury limousine when the next generation of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class hits the market in 2013.

“It would not make sense to develop a successor model”, Daimler Dieter Zetsche said in an interview with German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. “The coming S-Class is in such a way a superior vehicle that it can replace the Maybach.”

Targeting those that want added power and a more personalized look for their open-top SLS AMG, Brabus has developed a detailed program that starts with the engine bay.

Starting with the visual upgrades, the German tuner has developed a comprehensive aero package that includes a front apron, side skirts, a front fender attachment with an illuminated Brabus logo, a rear apron with a diffuser and an available roof spoiler.

The new Audi A6 received an “Excellent” rating with an overall score of 93 points. This is a huge improvement over the previous model's 79 points.

“The redesigned Audi A6 is an impressive car and a joy to drive”, said senior director of CR’s Auto Test Center. Consumer reports says that the significant improvement is attributed to the revamped model’s combination of strong acceleration, agile handling and comfortable ride as well its high-quality and quiet interior.

Other models included in CR’s mid-size luxury test were the Mercedes-Benz E350 BlueTec, the Infiniti M35h hybrid and the new Saab 9-5.

NASCAR, on the other hand, despite being much more low-tech, is the series to watch in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Michelle Obama booing Brave. But it remains solely an American thing.

Over the past year, we scooped the 2013 SL several times and even published photos of its body-in-white that recently made their way onto the web. But now, the Stuttgart-based carmaker has come out in the open, officially revealing a batch of photos and info on its new roadster that will be unveiled before the end of the year.

Though Mercedes doesn’t actually show us the finished product, the company gives us new photos shot during the development phase and more importantly, a detailed insight on some of the new SL’s novel features.

For the first time, the new SL is constructed almost entirely (89%) from aluminum, with the exception of high-strength steel integrated in the A-pillars and the (even lighter than aluminum) magnesium in the rear panel.

Last year, the two companies formed a 50-50 joint R&D venture called "Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co. Ltd" or "BDNT" for short, to create a new brand that will focus on the development of pure electric vehicles for China.

Naturally, as we're nearing closer to its debut that will take place at next year's Detroit Auto Show in January, more information is coming out. Earlier this week, German magazine Auto Motor und Sport published a set of what appear to be official pictures of the next SL's body-in-white, along with some very interesting details.

The images suggest that the all-new luxury roadster will retain the familiar SL silhouette while adopting styling cues from other Mercedes models such as the boxy nose that is becoming the brand’s new “face” and the SLK’s “Magic Sky Control” retractable rigid roof.

Now, if you're curious to see what it looks like on the move and how the new 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with 518-ponies (or 550HP if you opt for the AMG Performance Package) sounds in the latest iteration of the ML, you'll be happy to know that Mercedes-Benz has released a five-minute long video, which you can watch below.

At the heart of AMG's latest creation lies the firm's new 5.5-liter V8 biturbo engine that is rated (in North American specification) at 518-horsepower and 516 lb-ft (700Nm), representing an increase of 15HP and 44 lb-ft over its predecessor.

Now, there are rumors that Schumacher, who for the better part of the season has been outperformed by his teammate, Nico Rosberg, is once again contemplating retirement – this time for good.

This time, Mercedes published a fresh batch of 38 photos, perhaps in an effort to maintain interest in the 2012 B-Class amidst the storm of new arrivals that are swamping the media.

These cars can be used every day, making a home to office or school commute as comfortably as their more humble siblings, while they can also seat four or five people and have a decent boot, quality interiors, generous equipment, good looks and a prestigious badge.

The cropped image of the AMG version reveals part of the SUV's modified front end that gains a newly designed bumper with larger air vents and a lip spoiler.

For starters, you take the standard twin-turbo 5.5-liter V12 and tune it with a Brabus-developed crankshaft with longer stroke, increased cylinder bore and larger pistons. Now that you have a V12 with a 6.3-liter displacement, you can add four new camshafts and fine-machine the two cylinder heads of the V12 in order to optimize the mixture flow.