Mercedes and AMG Blog, Performance, Tuning, Motorsport, and Modification News

We will not be getting the A45 AMG in the USA or the CLS63 AMG wagon so this drag race will not be taking place in North America. However, we will get the CLA45 AMG sporting the same 360 horsepower M133 four-cylinder motor mated to a seven speed dual clutch transmission with all wheel drive and we already have the standard CLS63 AMG. So, what we have here is a drag race preview between the AMG little brother versus the big brother CLS63 AMG sporting a 5.5 liter bi-turbo M157 V8 everyone should be familiar with. So who wins? ...

AMS Performance is going after the AMG scene pretty hard. They recently sponsored BenzBoost.com and are making waves in the M157 63 bi-turbo scene holding the wheel horsepower record as of right now. Boosted performance is not all AMS is up to as the M156 in the W204 C63 AMG is getting their attention in naturally aspirated form. Their AMS "Alpha C" package managed a very respectable 484 wheel horsepower on a dynojet in SAE correction. ...

The new C117 CLA-Class takes the Mercedes "four door coupe" niche started with the CLS-Class and takes it to the entry level. The car is a four door coupe but what if it were to be a two door? What would it look like? Well, the rendering shows what the CLA would look like were a two door. In all honesty, the sloping rear design just does not seem to work as well with the two door. Like the CLS, the car simply seems to work best around the four door coupe design. ...

Congratulations to Mercedes-Benz and AMG for setting a new Nurburgring lap record for a production based electric car as well as being the first to lap the 'Ring in under 8 minutes. The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive posted an official time of 7:56.234 (despite the released photo from AMG showing 7:55) breaking the mark previously set by the Audi R8 E-Tron with its 8:09 laptime. Also unlike the R8 E-Tron, the electric SLS has not been cancelled as Mercedes intends to deliver the goods. ...

After a thrilling victory for Nico Rosberg and Mercedes at Monaco the Formula 1 team was tasked with maintaining their momentum into the Canadian Grand Prix. Mercedes was able to do well finishing on the podium as Lewis Hamilton took third place. Sebastian Vettel won the Canadian Grand Prix and simply ran away from everyone else. Ferrari's Fernando Alonso finished in second place rounding out the podium of Red Bull Racing, Ferrari, and Mercedes. ...

BenzBoost and the entire GermanBoost network would like to extend a warm welcome to AMS Performance of Alpha Performance Package fame. You have heard of them (unless this is your first time on the internet) as their GTR packages are known world wide and quite simply dominate. AMS is expanding their tuning offering and will be moving to AMG platforms. These include the M156 motors as well as the twin turbo M157 AMG V8. ...

The next generation W205 C-Class is coming (likely to debut this year, possibly at Frankfurt in September) and as it completes testing more and more spyphotos are leaking out. This latest set is a little different as part of the car was captured without camouflage. The design shows the car getting a little bigger (makes some room for the smaller CLA on the entry level end) as well as design elements such as the rear lights from the new W222 S-Class. ...

Here is the new Audi S8 in action against some stout competition. The new S8 is very fast in stock form which the S8 you will racing happens to be. How fast? How does 11.9@118 in the 1/4 mile right off the showroom floor sound? It's not the lightest car though with a 4620 pound curb weight. Despite this, it hides its weight very well and actually does a great job against very formidable opponents namely the Eurocharged tuned S65 AMG with its twin turbo 6.0 liter V12. ...

Brabus does some great work thanks to having a close relationship with Mercedes-Benz. Their stuff is bsically OEM quality and that definitely has a market. It also definitely does not come cheap making that market rather small but lucrative. Introducing the B63 Widestar from Brabus based on the new X166 generation GL63 AMG. The GL63 AMG hustels plenty quickly for a 550 horsepower 5800 pound 7-seat beast capable of 13.2@109 stock in the 1/4 mile. ...

The A-Class unfortunately has never made it to the United States so that includes the new high performance A45 AMG. European manufacturers just do not believe hatchbacks sell in the USA. We have the CLA45 AMG to soothe the pain but these photos of the A-Class wearing the RevoZport pieces show a pretty good looking hatchback. They give the car new sideskirts, front lip, carbon hood, rear diffuser, carbon hood with vents, and a wing that is a bit boy racerish. ...

Some great results here from AMS Peformance with an M157 equipped E63 AMG at the drag strip. This car has the preliminary Alpha 9 package from AMS which AMS has shown a dynograph of claiming 787 horsepower at the wheels which is more than any other tuner thus far on the M157 V8 platform. This package on the E63 AMG resulted in a 1/4 mile run of 10.786@135.78 and a 60 to 130 mile per hour sprint of 6.58 seconds. ...

For the 2014 Formula 1 season teams will be switching to turbocharged motors. 2.4 liter naturally aspirated V8's have been used from 2008 until this season in 2013. They will be replaced with a 1.6 liter turbocharged V6 starting next year. Mercedes has been developing and testing their turbo motor for quite a bit and it seems Williams is impressed as they will run the Mercedes engine for 2014 making for a total of four teams using this motor. ...

Well, it seems Formula 1 is finally deciding to get with the times. Things are still at a preliminary stage but it is confirmed Formula 1 is working on making online live streaming of their races a reality. This news comes from the document Formula 1 submitted for flotation of F1 stock to the Singapore Stock Exchange. In order to get the most money possible it seems Bernie Ecclestone and Formula 1 are considering the additional revenue of leveraging digital assets. ...

This isn't even a race folks, it's an epic beatdown. An F10 M5 with a Manhart Racing "Stage 4" package just absolutely crushes a W204 C63 Black Series from a roll. A tuned F13 M6 with this same package was shown recently beating down a tuned Audi RS6 as well. All the Stage 4 package from Manhart Racing consists of is an ECU tune, exhaust, downpipes with cats still in place, and Gruppe M carbon airboxes. So bolt ons turn the M5/M6 into a monster? ...

Looking at the AMG lineup there is a bit of a hole. The W212 E63 AMG sedan exists with the M157 V8. The C-Class in both coupe and sedan forms has the M156 V8 to make for a C63 AMG model. If one wants a 63 AMG coupe above the C63 with an M157 V8 they have to jump all the way to the SL or CL despite the fact the E-Class already comes in an E63 AMG model with this motor. Quite perplexing that the E-Coupe is skipped over for an AMG model when practically ever other model short of the GLK gets one. ...

Congratulations to the Mercedes Formula 1 team as well as Nico Rosberg. Mercedes was finally able to turn their qualifying success into race success. With their fourth straight pole position finally their string of sitting on the pole paid off. Rosberg and Hamilton both did well and both started on the front of the grid in positions one and two but Hamilton finished in fourth place after dropping behind a safety car. Interesting that Rosberg seems to be outperforming Hamilton as of late. ...

Somebody at Mercedes-Benz really needs to make up their minds. With the W204 generation C-Class the CLK name was killed off. Instead of a CLK, Mercedes-Benz decided to do the C207 Mercedes E-Class coupe. This model shares a lot of parts with the W204 C-Class but the decision was made to make it an E-Class while the C would get its own coupe. This is all apparently set to change once again when the debuts marking the end of the C-Coupe that will now be a CLK. ...

Mercedes continues to dominate qualifying in 2013. How about a fourth straight pole position? That is exactly what Nico Rosberg was able to achieve for Mercedes today in qualifying. And if that was not enough, teammate Lewis Hamilton finished right behind him to take the second spot meaning Mercedes will start 1-2 tomorrow. This is also the second time now that Mercedes has started at the front of the grid with their cars taking the 1-2 spots. ...

The Mercedes-Benz Porsche 911 fighter called the SLC appears to be on track. The base model will feature 485 horsepower 4.0 liter twin turbo V8 power. If that is the case, expect to see this motor in the next generation W205 C63 AMG as well. The "S" variant will sport 550 horsepower which will be positioned against the Porsche 991 Turbo. Above this will be a 585+ horsepower track focused SLC Black Series which likely will go against the 991 GT2. ...