Autoblog

In case there was any doubt that demand for big-displacement, high-output machines continues unabated in the face of calls for environmentally-conscious hybrids and a faltering global economy, Mercedes has announced an ambitious expansion of its AMG performance division. Over the course of the next year, AMG will open a whopping 175 new "performance centers" catering to power-mad consumers around the world.

The new outlets will allow an increased level of involvement for AMG customers as Mercedes moves to distinguish the tuning house's offerings as their own brand. Each outlet will be outfitted with matching décor and whatnot, but more importantly, will offer customers a direct line to AMG's performance Mecca in Affalterbach, Germany, and act as a local home base for the AMG Performance Roadshow. The expansion will focus on 15 key markets, including the United States, Japan, China, and of course, its home market of Germany. As if customers needed any more coercion to fall for a fire-breathing Teutonic masterpiece of engineering. Hit the jump for the details.

Saying that "only a fool would ignore" the emissions of a new vehicle and the current global economy, AMG head-man Volker Mornhinweg realizes that it can't keep building gas-guzzling supercars with reckless abandon. Not that the company will lose its performance edge, mind you. In fact, hybrids and diesels could offer a meaningful performance boost if tuned properly. How so? Torque. Diesel engines are known for their massive axle-shreading twist, and electric motors, an essential part of any hybrid powertrain, make maximum power right off idle, allowing for an internal combustion engine that's tuned for stratospheric revs.

In a recent interview with CAR, the notion of fitting a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter oil-burning V6 inside the C class was kicked around. Mornhinweg suggests such a vehicle is a distinct possibility as AMG moves forward. Hybrid technology could be based on the new drivetrain powering the recently-unveiled S400 BlueHYBRID. No matter what the future holds, we can be sure that the AMG crew is obviously not made up of a bunch of fools, and will therefore continue to offer cars with the highest performance pedigree, regardless of what's underhood.


[Source: CAR]

Typically when "music" is mentioned in the same sentence as AMG, it's in relation to the deep burble emanating from the exhaust pipes. But with all that Teutonic, sound-deadened cabin comfort, customers of the Mercedes tuning division have come to expect an equally impressive performance from inside the cabin. To that end, AMG has signed a new deal with the Danish audio gurus at Bang & Olufsen to provide their high-end automotive sound systems for these high-powered Mercedes models.

The deal is the third such agreement brokered by B&O, whose systems already appear in Audis and Aston Martins, spearheading a market proliferation that surely influenced the decision-makers in Affalterbach. Both AMG and Bang & Olufsen were clearly elated by the deal, and you can feel the sheer unbridled joy in the statement from AMG chairman Volker Mornhinweg: "Mercedes-AMG represents high performance and exclusivity. The same is true of Bang & Olufsen's in-car sound systems. Jointly, we are therefore able to meet Mercedes-AMG customers' expectations to sound systems." Contain yourself, Volk. Follow the jump to read the rest of the press release.

[Source: Bang & Olufsen]

Click above for high-res gallery of the AMG S63

There was a time when what we might call super-sedans were largely the province of a dedicated cadre of aftermarket tuners. Companies like Brabus, Alpina and, of course, AMG would generally start with mid-sized German sedans and transform them into something truly special. AMG in particular came to the forefront in 1987 after two decades of building special Mercs when they unleashed the Hammer. They had been building cars for two decades already, but the Hammer took things to a new level by installing a 5.6L V8 from the 560SEC coupe modified with twin-cam four valve heads into the mid-size 300E sedan. With that car, AMG set off an arms race that continues to this day. The tuners are still out there but AMG was eventually brought in from the cold when it was bought by Mercedes-Benz. Today AMG produces high performance versions of almost all Mercedes models and standing near the pinnacle of the lineup is the S63 sedan. Find out what the AMG S63 is like to live with after the jump.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Fans of the classic Gullwing Mercedes 300 SL have been eagerly awaiting the new Gullwing SLC supercar, which Mercedes' tuning house AMG has been spied working on over the last year. But if emerging reports are to be believed, the SLC won't wear a Mercedes badge at all. The true successor to SLR McLaren will reportedly be the first vehicle to be badged exclusively as an AMG product, forgoing the vaunted three-pointed star altogether.

Reports also indicate that with dimensions of 4650mm long, 2700mm wheelbase, 1950mm wide, and 1250mm high, the SLC will be similar in proportions to a Ferrari F430. Project C197, as the Gullwing SLC is internally known, is expected to make its debut at the 2010 Geneva show, with a cloth-roofed convertible R197 version to follow a year later.

[Source: Car via eurocarblog]

Eyebrows were raised when a photograph from the Rockies began circulating the interwebs. The rare shot shows a pair of delectable supercar test mules – the next-generation Pagani Zonda and the new Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series – undergoing testing side-by-side on public roads. Aside the from the rare occurrence of a non-homologated Zonda on American tarmac, speculation began to ramp up as to what the two were doing together. Conclusion: they must be sharing the same engine.

While that may be the case, it could be a simple instance of AMG doubling-up on their test time, since Pagani renewed its engine deal with the Mercedes tuning house. Previous reports suggested that the supercharged V8 from the outgoing SLR McLaren could be flipped around for duty in the next-gen Zonda, however the SL65 Black uses a much larger 600hp twin-turbo V12. Of course it's impossible to tell at this point, but we'll be keeping our eyes peeled in the meantime.

[Source: Fast Lane Daily]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2008 Mercedes SLK55 AMG

It sits there, all tension and sinew, ready to pounce on lesser cars. Start it up and it barks with a clear V8 voice that thumps off the neighbor's house, setting them discreetly peeking from behind their lace curtains. This is an SLK? Oh yeah. No longer a blocky Benz with dwarfism, the SLK55 AMG ripples with muscle and delivers speed like a spin kick to the temple. A bad-ass Mercedes, indeed.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Dan Roth / Weblogs, Inc.

Click above for a photo gallery. Follow the jump for video.

The SL65 AMG Black, in this Autoblogger's opinion, is everything the SLR should have been -- intimidating, mean, nasty, and fast. Granted, the butterfly-doored SLR had the last base covered, but compared to this latest Black Series ride, it looks cute and cuddly. Mercedes has now released a trio of official videos of the SL65 AMG Black, one of which features the new supercar doing its business on-track, making splendid noises all the while. Looks like Team Autoblog will be picking up a couple of extra Powerball tix this afternoon, since we have a new toy sitting atop the fantasy shopping list, but currently lack the greenbacks to even get ourselves on the waiting list. It's times like this when we wish we'd gotten into hedge funds...

Follow the jump for three fresh videos.


[Source: Road2Road.com]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the SL65 AMG Black Series.

After months of spy shots and speculation, the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series is finally out in the open. And with a $320,000 price tag, a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 and only 200 units on their way to the U.S., it's a serious stopgap between the deceased SLR and Mercedes' 2011 SLC gullwing supercar.

Mercedes' in-house tuners applied their tried and true philosophy to the SL65 AMG Black Series, beginning with a carbon fiber hood, fenders and trunk, along with nixing the retractable hard top in favor of a fixed carbon fiber roof with an integrated roll cage. As such, the Black is 550 pounds lighter than the stock SL65, coming in at 4,122 pounds.

Seven vents – three in the bumper, two on the hood and two in the fenders – feed copious quantities of air to the 6.0-liter V12, fitted with a duo of upgraded turbochargers. Power is up to 661 hp available at 5,400 rpm, while torque remains the same at 738 lb.-ft. With a five-speed automatic gearbox equipped with AMG's speedshift software, the Black can hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds on its way to a gearing-limited top speed of 199 mph.

Expect the SL65 AMG Black Series to debut in Paris, with sales beginning in the U.S. early next year.

UPDATE: Press release added after the jump.

The Pagani Zonda is still one of the most eminently desirable supercars on the street today, making Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches look downright plebian. But after eight years on the market, the Zonda is due for replacement, with test mules popping up here and there. Following the spy video we brought you earlier this month, this shot of a suspicious-looking Zonda test mule was caught undergoing testing. Although it wears the same bodywork as the outgoing model's, the suit fits a little looser after the Pagani's gotten back to the gym, and there's all sorts of vents and air ducts popping out all over the place. While Pagani seems hard at work in Modena preparing the successor to the current Zonda, AMG is reportedly working in Affalterbach on flipping the SLR's supercharged V8 around for the Pagani's mid-engine application.

[Source: AutoGespot]