Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Mercedes

Street Racing Car
There are several subtypes for this illegal behavior involving planned events. One of them, and by far one of the most popular, is drag racing. In this two or more cars can compete, and it is similar to the red-light green-light spontaneous scenario. Except in the planned event it will usually be three honks of a horn, whereupon the third the participants take off down a designated length of road. The first one to reach the finish line, usually two cars parked across from each other, is declared the winner, unless the contest is 2 out of 3. During this the vehicles will often be redlined, however shifting while redlined is very risky, and poses the severe risk of totally ruining the car’s transmission and damaging the engine. Therefore the driver must be very skilled at shifting before redlining, managing the acceleration to prevent spin, and finally maneuvering next to another vehicle with no barrier in between. The results of these races can be tragic, as both cars could be going at more that 100 miles per hour, and another car, unaware of the event, pulls out on its normal route. What then occurs is a spectacular accident in which many men women and children have so far lost their lives. This is why many races occur between the hours of 2 and 5 AM.


Candyred Supra


Finally comes one many people are familiar with. The run. Or specifically, the Cannonball Run. The Cannonball run is a point to point race, meaning it might start in New Mexico and end in Texas at specified town at specified ending locations. This means that the races can last for more than one day, and will usually have a navigator accompanying the driver in order to make it there quickly, and avoid any wrong turns. Today in the United States the laws are so stringent that it is virtually impossible to organize one of these in which the participants can actually go over the speed limit. However this does not preclude one that facilitates navigation as the primary winning factor, as long as the speed limits are kept and all cars actually go the speed limits it is not illegal, or at least not as noticeable. Such an example would be a starting location in Los Angeles, and an ending location in a small obscure town in Florida. The navigation across the country and keeping pace while using the different roads and interstates available could give some drivers ample opportunity to outpace their competitors. The last major event in which speed was the factor occurred in the late 70’s to early 80’s. However the ones where navigation is the key are still ongoing today, although obscure.
An alternative that was directly spun off from the Cannonball involves rallies on non-public roads, and have actually become in some cases sanctioned sports, as there is minimal risk to the public on private property, plus the addition of signed waivers. There are also other vents, like the Gumball 3000 and the Players Run. Most of them are called rallies rather than races due to the legal implications of hosting a race across the U.S. Overall most forms of the racing today exist in the spontaneous group, or the small drag or grouped events rather than large nation wide races that stretch more than 2-3 thousand miles.
There are many different and odd words in the street racing community, and every region has their own variations, however some of the more common terms are known throughout. Some people may be left behind in the conversation if they talk to someone who participates in the community of illegal racers. Thus I will extrapolate a few of these terms and words for you.
http://impressivecars-impressivecars.blogspot.com/http://impressivecars-impressivecars.blogspot.com/

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Mercedes

There are several subtypes for this illegal behavior involving planned events. One of them, and by far one of the most popular, is drag racing. In this two or more cars can compete, and it is similar to the red-light green-light spontaneous scenario. Except in the planned event it will usually be three honks of a horn, whereupon the third the participants take off down a designated length of road. The first one to reach the finish line, usually two cars parked across from each other, is declared the winner, unless the contest is 2 out of 3. During this the vehicles will often be redlined, however shifting while redlined is very risky, and poses the severe risk of totally ruining the car’s transmission and damaging the engine. Therefore the driver must be very skilled at shifting before redlining, managing the acceleration to prevent spin, and finally maneuvering next to another vehicle with no barrier in between. The results of these races can be tragic, as both cars could be going at more that 100 miles per hour, and another car, unaware of the event, pulls out on its normal route. What then occurs is a spectacular accident in which many men women and children have so far lost their lives. This is why many races occur between the hours of 2 and 5 AM.
http://carmodifcation.blogspot.com/
Over-steer racing, otherwise known as Touge racing, is an ever gaining popular motorsport and illegal activity on the street, where the vehicle is purposefully drifted in order to turn, by over steering the vehicle and causing something that normal people would take a load in their pants to on a rainy night. The sport on the street usually involves two cars that will race around a winding road, with one car trying to keep up with the other car. If the car behind can keep up, he or she is declared the winner of that round. This is then repeated with the roles reversed, where the car behind is now the car in front. Should the car behind fall behind, the car in front is declared as the winner. Should there be a tie, another round may be done, or a drag race to finish it off as a tie breaker may be done. The risks of losing control in drifting are much higher than the previous two covered so far. In fact this is one of the very dangerous forms of the sport.
Finally comes one many people are familiar with. The run. Or specifically, the Cannonball Run. The Cannonball run is a point to point race, meaning it might start in New Mexico and end in Texas at specified town at specified ending locations. This means that the races can last for more than one day, and will usually have a navigator accompanying the driver in order to make it there quickly, and avoid any wrong turns. Today in the United States the laws are so stringent that it is virtually impossible to organize one of these in which the participants can actually go over the speed limit. However this does not preclude one that facilitates navigation as the primary winning factor, as long as the speed limits are kept and all cars actually go the speed limits it is not illegal, or at least not as noticeable. Such an example would be a starting location in Los Angeles, and an ending location in a small obscure town in Florida. The navigation across the country and keeping pace while using the different roads and interstates available could give some drivers ample opportunity to outpace their competitors. The last major event in which speed was the factor occurred in the late 70’s to early 80’s. However the ones where navigation is the key are still ongoing today, although obscure.
An alternative that was directly spun off from the Cannonball involves rallies on non-public roads, and have actually become in some cases sanctioned sports, as there is minimal risk to the public on private property, plus the addition of signed waivers. There are also other vents, like the Gumball 3000 and the Players Run. Most of them are called rallies rather than races due to the legal implications of hosting a race across the U.S. Overall most forms of the racing today exist in the spontaneous group, or the small drag or grouped events rather than large nation wide races that stretch more than 2-3 thousand miles.
There are many different and odd words in the street racing community, and every region has their own variations, however some of the more common terms are known throughout. Some people may be left behind in the conversation if they talk to someone who participates in the community of illegal racers. Thus I will extrapolate a few of these terms and words for you.
Jump - First of all there is what is known as the jump. This is also known in professional drag racing; as such you probably know this one. It means to leave early before the green light, flag, or horn has been activated or sounded. As such it is breaking the rules and the race can be redone should the other driver stay at the line. However, should the other racer go when the first one jumps it will be considered a valid race – and unlike professional sports it is not a grounds for disqualification.
Move - Also known as a break, or a kick, as in to kick off or break away. In this one car shoots off before the others have the signal or flag. As such the person who does this is liable to actually be kicked out, or have physical violence from other participants descend upon them. However this is also used as a handicap for new drivers, as they start the race, and the others start as soon as they see the new driver pull out. It can also be done as a way of handicapping someone who may have been wronged in a previous race, allowing for them to have a head start. But usually it is the cause for a severe beating and backlash.
Dig - Cars line up with the front bumpers all at the same line. Then they race to another destination, either like a drag or continuous. Digging in, so to speak.
http://carmodifcation.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Mercedes-Benz brings CGI technology to India

“Effortless performance with excellent fuel economy,” is just what the CGI technology from Mercedes-Benz has to offer. The firm has launched this technology just recently in India. Riding a brand new car with an age old technology does not fit into the scenario of a luxury car manufacturer. Thus, the firm has unveiled its plan for gasoline engine technology in India.

During the launch, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bharat Balasubramanian, Vice President Product Innovations & Process Technologies, Group Research & Advanced Engineering, Daimler AG stated, “The CGI technology heralds a new era in gasoline engines with improved output, optimized consumption and even more impressive emission statistics.”

This new technology CGI engine is the first one-of-its-kind in the world to use sophisticated petrol direct-injection engine with spray guided combustion process. CGI engines use sophisticated piezo-injectors (also seen on the F700 DiesOtto concept). Mercedes-Benz has replaced the previous 4-in-line petrol engine with the world's first spray-guided direct petrol injection and chosen to move over to direct-injection technology for its petrol engines. The powerful, efficient and clean engine has four catalysers and a series of in-engine measures mean that as well as meeting all current legislation.



Thursday, April 8, 2010

New Mercedes E-Class Coupe launched!

The Mercedes-Benz family of cars has grown bigger by the launch of the E-Class Coupe in India. Powered by a 3.5 liter V6 engine which churns out 272hp of power at 6000rpm, the car is one of the most aerodynamic cars in the world which boasts of a drag co-efficient of as less as 0.24. The car will come with a price tag of Rs. 56.38 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai).

“The E-Class CoupĂ© makes an unambiguous statement about a lifestyle characterized by beauty and sophistication. With its expressive styling, premium equipment, state-of-the-art technology and high safety standards, the New E- CoupĂ© meets the needs of young individuals looking for a car that is athletic, striking and passionate. The vehicle rounds off the automotive product range and targets a clientele for whom style and individuality is of significant importance,” said Dr. Wilfried Aulber, CEO, Mercedes Benz India.

The car features a few state of the art features like the ATTENTION ASSIST (drowsiness detection system), selective damper control, preventive occupant protection Adaptive Main Beam Assist, PRE-SAFE® technology and Intelligent Lighting System which makes the car feel more or less alive. The car has the ability to react in cases of danger and probable accidents in an independent manner. With various mind boggling features, the car is positioned as one of the top most in the Mercedes Benz Luxury class.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Mercedes-Benz GL 350 CDI BlueEfficiency launched

Mercedes-Benz India today launched the most premium SUV in Indian market- the New GL 350 CDI BlueEfficiency. Powered by a three litre V6 diesel powerplant, the new GL is able to churn out 510 Nm of max torque and achieves the 0 to 100 figure in 9.5 seconds. The top speed claimed by the company is 210km/hr and consumes 10 litres of petrol per kilometer.



Dr Wilfried Aulbur, Managing Director and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India Pvt. Ltd. along with Mr. Chandravadan Bhandari and Mr. Deven Bhandari, Directors, B. U. Bhandari Motors Pvt. Ltd. at the launch of two new variants of the New GL 350 CDI BlueEfficiency (Luxury & Executive edition) in Pune

The new GL- Class is equipped with an off- road pro- engineering package, 7 G- Tronic gearbox, a 4Matic Permanent all- wheel drive, Electrically folding third row of seats, panoramic sunroof and a host of other entertainment and luxury features. There is also the AIRMATIC air suspension, the precise speed-sensitive power steering and the ADS Adaptive Damper System fitted as standard. The new SUV also dons special off-road features such as Downhill Speed Regulation (DSR), hill-start assist and off-road ABS to assist the GL-Class driver off road.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Wilfried Aulbur, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India said “The GL-Class is clearly head-and-shoulders above competition and sets benchmarks in areas of luxury, safety and performance. It is built for ensuring extraordinary performance both on and off the road. In its segment the GL-Class is largest SUV and the only one that offers full size third row seats with independent with AC vents. Its on-road poise, muscular appeal and attractive 19” alloys coupled with a enhanced ground clearance of 307mm- the best in its segment, makes the GL-Class a very attractive proposition, while BlueEFFICIENCY tag is a statement of its environmental compatibility.”

The new GL- Class is positioned with two varaints- the GL Executive and the GL Luxury priced at Rs. 63.57 lakhs and Rs. 68.48 lakhs respectively.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

'Pure Fascination' in Kochi - Mercedes Benz unveils new S- Class

(L-R) Mr. Debashish Mitra, Director of Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz India along with Mr. S Sivakumar, Managing Director, Rajasree Motors Pvt. Ltd. at the unveiling of "Pure Fascination" in Kochi
Mercedes-Benz today set off a high-octane start to the year for the South Indian luxury car market by bringing the "Pure Fascination" to Kochi. This theme was highlighted during its participation at the Auto Expo 2010 reflected the company’s strategy in the near future for Indian market. On display, were the seven models launched by the company since Janaury, 2010. The new S- Class was also unveiled for the first time while the M-Class, E-Class & GL-Class models made its first public appearance in Kochi.
 
The Director of Sales and Marketing of Mercedes-Benz India Mr. Debashis Mitra in a statement said, "So far, we have registered a good start to the year 2010 and February sales have been encouraging. We started the year with the presentation of the SLS AMG at the Auto Expo 2010. In the past eight weeks we continued this product excitement with 10 new product introductions. We have reinforced the Mercedes lifestyle quotient with the 10th edition of the Mercedes-Trophy while our association with Manish Arora ensures exciting fashion evenings with his unique couture "Fascination Collection" inspired by Mercedes. With our network expansion and upgradation program, we are now present in 25 cities with more than 50 touch points, the largest for any luxury player in India. A few projects are remaining, e.g. a 12-car display showroom in Hyderabad, a 16-car display showroom in Chennai and a 26-car display brand center in South Delhi. These will be finished within the next few months and will set standards in their segment. We are looking forward to an exciting 2010 and markets like Kochi are the growth engines of the emerging Indian luxury landscape."

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Mercedes Launches New M-Class Variants in India


Mercedes-Benz today launched the 2010 M-Class in two variants for India. The Sport Edition of the M-Class is priced at Rs. 55 Lakhs while the Luxury Edition is priced at Rs. 60.9 lakhs Ex-showroom Delhi.
In terms of technology, the 2010 M- Class takes forward exciting features like permanent four-wheel drive and 4ETS traction systems to the next level by incorporating additional functions such as Downhill Speed Regulation, Acceleration skid control(ASR) and the off-road ABS system. The AIRMATIC air suspension significantly improves ride comfort, while the Adaptive Damping System (ADS), adjusts shock absorber response to suit driving situations. The double-wishbone front suspension makes a significant contribution to reduce roar and tyre vibration, ensuring impressive driving dynamics with its raised aluminium wishbones. The rear axle has a four-link suspension system. Standard-fitted 19” light-alloy wheels emphasise the sporting pedigree of the new M-Class.
The radiator grille is sub-divided by three black louvres with chrome trim, the rear tail lights with LED technology and the rear tailgate with its discreet spoiler edge and a panoramic rear windscreen add to the allure of the vehicle. The M-Class additionally includes features like PARKTRONIC, Electric Sliding sunroof, Front Memory seats, Media interface & Audio system with 6-CD changer, mini-spare wheel.
Interior Sports Package of the Sports edition consists of interior lighting package, sports instrument cluster, sports pedal system made of brushed stainless steel with rubber studs, Alcantra/ARTICO man made leather upholstery with contrasting topstitching, electrically adjustable front sports seats. While the Exterior Sports Package includes 19 inch 5 twin spoke light alloy wheels, rectangular tailpipes with chrome trim, aluminum-look roof rails, chromed waistline trim strip, load sill guard on the rear bumper in chrome and simulated front underguard in stainless steel. In addition to the Exterior sports package; the luxury edition includes a wood/leather multifunction steering wheel, Thermotronic 3-Zone Automatic climate control, harmankardon LOGIC 7® Surround Sound® system (12 high performance speakers with 610 watts output), Anti-Theft Protection package & Leather seats.
The M-Class has secured the highest rating of five stars in the European NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) crash tests. The M-Class is also the first vehicle in its market segment anywhere in the world to be fitted as standard with the anticipatory occupant protection system PRE-SAFE®.

Mercedes launches S-Guard

German car giant Mercedes-Benz on Monday launched its armored limousine S-Guard with a price tag of around Rs 6 crore (ex-showroom) making it the most expensive car to hit the Indian market. The S- Guard which is built in line of the S600 is housed with a 12 cylinder 5.5 cc petrol engine which churns out 517hp and 830 Nm of max torque and can touch a maximum speed of 210 km per hour.



Mercedes-Benz India board member Suhas Kadlaskar said the S- Guard is engineered to provide effective protection against the threats posed by terrorist attacks. ''The armor is designed to resist rifle-launched projectiles from military weapons, which have a velocity almost twice that of bullets fired from a revolver. They also offer resistance to shrapnel from hand grenades and explosive charges,'' he added.

The car is basically targeted at corporate and political leaders, government officials and celebrities and incorporates all the luxury features of Mercedes limousines. The S- Guard now surpasses the Maybach, also manufactured by Mercedes which comes with a price tag of Rs. 5.5 crore.


Friday, November 20, 2009

Merc Baby SLS on the Anvil



Now that you have just recovered from the one-sided love affair with the Mercedes SLS, behold another mantrap from the same family. What you see here is the second installment of pure automotive bliss from AMG. Just like the bigger (and costlier) SLS which is the first car to be developed, grounds up by AMG, the baby SLS will give some serious competition to biggies like the 911, Audi R8, Ferrari California and Aston Martin V8 Vantage.


It is rumored that the baby SLS will revive the SSK tag from 1928. It will use a lightweight aluminum space-frame chassis and a double wishbone suspension, at all four corners. It will sport an all-new 500bhp twin-turbocharged 5.4-litre V8 engine that is being developed for the upcoming CLS55 AMG mated to a seven-speed double-clutch transaxle and locking diffs from the SLS.

However, the best part of the news is that the SSK will be around £70,000 cheaper than the SLS which means that it will retail for £85,000 (Rs. 66 lakh, excluding taxes). So whenever Merc decide to get their baby to India, which will be around mid-2013, expect it to retail for a cool 1.5 Crore Rs.


*** Image courtesy autocar.co.uk***


Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Mercedes SLS AMG rolled out in Germany



Mercedes’ news supercar, the SLS AMG is now available across all AMG showrooms in its homeland, Germany. The SLS retails for a whopping price tag of 177,310 Euros, which translates to 1.22 Crore rupees without taxes. And if Mercedes were to get a couple of them for their favorite Indian clients it would cost them Rs. 3.08 Crore (On-Road). If however, these lucky folk decide to tick some of the ‘optional extras’ boxes, then they would have to shell out some more, for example, 11,305 Euros (Rs 7.81 lakh) for the carbon ceramic brakes and 1200 Euros (Rs. 83,000) for the AMG performance suspension.

Thankfully though, with the SLS’ ballistic performance and the fact that it’s the purest handling Mercedes so far, the price tag seems like a bargain. Its predecessor, the SLR McLaren was almost twice as expensive and not even half as good!
 
Specs:

6.2 - litre V8
563 bhp, 650 Nm
1620 kg