So, you call yourself a car guy. Fair enough, you’ve browsed on over to AutoGuide so you must have at least a little petroleum in your veins. But are you a true automobile enthusiast? Do you know your accelerator pump from your synchronizer? Here are 10 vehicles every car guy needs to know about.
Rudi Koniczek and the people that make Rudi & Co. are a part of a tiny niche within a niche of automotive enthusiasts. They are restorers and classic car barn finders, traveling across the world for leads and clues that will reunite them with rare vintage cars thought to be lost forever.
Their most recent adventure has brought the group to a garage door step in Santa Monica, California. The relic in question is the last remaining alloy bodied 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing needed to complete the recovery of all 29 ever produced.
When Koniczek approached this 300SL, he knew the search was over when the metal didn’t stick to a magnet he ran across the body. While the other 28 Mercedes-Benz 300SL alloy bodied coupes are all accounted for, this particular chassis (#21) has stayed hidden for approximately forty years.
The fastest car of its time, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL remains an icon and a legend today. The 29 alloy bodied 300SLs pushed the envelop even further as it was lighter and faster than the standard model. Lighter alloy body panels replaced steel and Plexiglas windows replaced glass while a high-lift cam, stronger brakes and a modified suspension set up enhanced the 300SL’s performance.
The story behind this particular 300SL Gullwing date all the back to 1955, when the parents of the current owner gave it to him as a college graduation present. A daily driver until the early 1970s, the owner left the car in the garage after its transmission failed.
The owner did make an attempt to repair the vehicle himself, as the Gullwing was found lifted on jacks with its wheels and transmission removed. However, discouraged by the complex German engineering, the car was left untouched since. After that the garage slowly accumulated with large computers and electrical components over the years, which provided Koniczek and his team a bit of a challenge when they removed the vehicle from the garage.
The last alloy bodied 300SL is now relocated to Victoria, British Columbia, where Koniczek and his team will begin restoration on the car early next year. In the past, Koniczek has restored almost a hundred 300SL sports cars during his forty years in business, including the 300SL alloy bodies serial number one through six.
[Source: VancouverSun]
Mercedes-Benz revealed its hydrogen-powered gullwing F 125! luxury car concept, offering a glimpse at what the company’s vehicles will look like in the year 2025.
The F 125! – named for Mercedes-Benz’s 125th anniversary – illustrates the company’s styling direction for the next decade and beyond while also highlighting Mercedes-Benz’s commitment to developing hydrogen-powered technology. Mercedes foresees a range of 1,000 km (621 miles) for the F 125! thanks to the combination of the car’s fuel cell drive system and plug-in technology. Helping to increase the range is a new hydrogen storage unit which integrates the hydrogen tank with the floor assembly. In addition to the hydrogen storage unit, the F 125! uses a 10 kWh lithium-sulfur battery stored behind the rear seats. The battery can provide enough power for a range of 50 km (31 miles).
Thanks to Google Translate, we were able to whip up a wacky title for this article, but the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Cell is all business, aside from the Banana Popsicle Yellow paint.
Making 525 horsepower and 649 lb-ft of torque through all 4 wheels, the SLS E-Cell will hit 60 mpg in 3.9 seconds, a couple tenths slower than a gasoline SLS. The conversion to electric power necessitated minimal changes, as the battery and motor take up the same space as the gas engine and gearbox, although weight is up by 800 lbs due to the added mass of the electric drivetrain. The front suspension has been redesigned to accomodate the car’s conversion to electric power, with a multi-link setup and pushrods replacing the double-wishbone setup on the standard car.
Mercedes is committed to producing the SLS E-Cell for the 2012 model year, and expect it to cost more than the GNP of an African country when it comes to market. It will probably be worth it.
Gallery: Mercedes-Benz SLS E-Cell
The story of John Z. DeLorean reads like a movie script, and that is probably why Hollywood is looking to make a movie about it.
The man behind such greats as the original Pontiac GTO and the Firebird, went on to make his own car, and with a little help from Government funding, started the factory in Northern Ireland of all places.
However, money was still tight and to raise capital for his struggling car company, DeLorean was caught in a drug trafficking scandal, from which he was later acquitted.
Despite the troubles, the DMC-12 did go into production, and also became the star of one of the biggest movie franchises ever, the “Back to the Future” trilogy.
Now it looks like a movie on the life and times of Mr. DeLorean are in the works. According to Forbes magazine, the movie idea has been kicking around since 1997, but now it seems to be picking up speed. Stephen Wynne, the current boss of DeLorean Motor Company (which is now based out of Texas), has hinted talks with none other than George Clooney to play the lead role. A big name like Clooney would certainly help move the project along, and he does also have more than a glancing resemblance to Mr. DeLorean.
Everything seems to still be in speculation stage at the moment, but lets hope this story makes it to the big screen in the near future.
[Source: Forbes]
Mercedes introduced the SLS AMG supercar, the spiritual successor to the legendary 300SL Gullwing, at the Frankfurt Auto Show.
Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 Formula One World Champion, was on hand for the SLS AMG’s premiere, hopping into the supercar’s driver seat as the press mobbed him.
Powered by the same 6.2-liter V8 engine found in all of AMG’s 63 models, but with reworked internals, the SLS makes a total of 563hp and 479 ft-lbs of torque – enough to propel the SLS AMG all the way to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 196 mph.
The engine uses a dry-sump lubrication system (great for serious abuse), as well as a transaxle and a double-clutch seven speed transmission. That tansaxle layout means that the tranny is located out back (for an ideal weight balance of 48/52) and it attached to the engine by a carbon fiber driveshaft.
The projected curb weight is just 3,571 lbs, due mostly to the fact that this is the first model Mercedes has ever produced with an all aluminum chassis and body.
Weight is also saved by using carbon ceramic brakes and light weight wheels, that measure 19×9.5-inches up front and 20×11-inches in the rear. Tires measure 265/35/19 front and 295/30/22 rear
It may surprise you to learn that these are the first images of the new SLS AMG supercar from Mercedes. Not only does the car look startlingly familiar to the legendary 300SL Gullwing, but thanks to spy photos (some of which were even provided by Mercedes) and a few leaked images here and there, there’s a good change you’ve already seen this new 563hp retro-styled exotic.
Powered by the same 6.2-liter V8 engine found in all of AMG’s 63 models, but with reworked internals, the SLS makes a total of 563hp and 479 ft-lbs of torque – enough to propel the SLS AMG all the way to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 196 mph.
The engine uses a dry-sump lubrication system (great for serious abuse), as well as a transaxle and a double-clutch seven speed transmission. That tansaxle layout means that the tranny is located out back (for an ideal weight balance of 48/52) and it attached to the engine by a carbon fiber driveshaft.
The projected curb weight is just 3,571 lbs, due mostly to the fact that this is the first model Mercedes has ever produced with an all aluminum chassis and body.
Weight is also saved by using carbon ceramic brakes and light weight wheels, that measure 19×9.5-inches up front and 20×11-inches in the rear. Tires measure 265/35/19 front and 295/30/22 rear.
As for the styling we have to say its growing on us. From some angles its achingly beautiful, while from others it’s just ok. We’ll report back as soon as it’s unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show on September 15th.
Well ahead of the car’s launch at the Frankfurt auto Show this September, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG super car has been revealed by not one but two European sources. The first is respected German car magazine AutoBild and the second is the lesser-known Autowereld publication from the Netherlands.
The design of the 571hp, 6.2-liter super car is most certainly reminiscent of the iconic 300SL gullwing, something which isn’t surprising considering the new SLS was designed to pay homage to that great sports car by using the very same type of doors.
There is the possibility that both publications are using an identical artist’s rendering, but that seems unlikely.
[Source: Autowereld and AutoBild]
If the pictures of Mercedes’ new supercar, the SLS AMG, weren’t enough for you, then we’re happy to announce that we have video!
Mercedes has released several short clips of its new supercar undergoing testing at such locales as Pikes Peak, Laredo, Texas and, of course, in the snow-covered Swedish north.
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The SLS AMG uses the awesome 6.2-liter V8 engine found in all of AMG’s 63 models, but with even more power. Thanks to reworked internals the engine now makes 563hp and 479 ft-lbs of torque – enough to propel the SLS AMG all the way to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 196 mph.
The engine uses a dry-sump lubrication system (great for serious abuse), as well as a transaxle and a double-clutch seven speed transmission. That tansaxle layout means that the tranny is located out back (for an ideal weight balance of 48/52) and it attached to the engine by a carbon fiber driveshaft.
The projected curb weight is just 3,571 lbs, due mostly to the fact that this is the first model Mercedes has ever produced with an all aluminum chassis and body.
Weight is also saved by using carbon ceramic brakes and light weight wheels, that measure 19×9.5-inches up front and 20×11-inches in the rear. Tires measure 265/35/19 front and 295/30/22 rear.
It’s baaaaack! After the SLR recently bowed out with it’s last (Stirling Moss) iteration, Mercedes hasn’t wasted any time in producing a new supercar – with gullwing doors!
No photos sans-body camo are available but we do have all the details on this new beast.
Called the SLS AMG, the new model from AMG seems to finally be something that driving enthusiasts and magazine bench-racers alike can enjoy.
For starters, it uses the awesome 6.2-liter V8 engine found in all of AMG’s 63 models, but with even more power. Thanks to reworked internals the engine now makes 563hp and 479 ft-lbs of torque – enough to propel the SLS AMG all the way to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 196 mph.
Hold on.. it gets better! The engine uses a dry-sump lubrication system (great for serious abuse), as well as a transaxle and a double-clutch seven speed transmission. Finally, a Benz that doesn’t come with an automatic!
That tansaxle layout means that the tranny is located out back (for an ideal weight balance of 48/52) and it attached to the engine by a carbon fiber driveshaft.
Want more? How about launch control and an average fuel economy of 18 mph combined.
But there is still one important thing missing.. the weight. But once again with this new car, AMG hit it right on the nose. The projected curb weight is just 3,571 lbs, due mostly to the fact that this is the first model Mercedes has ever produced with an all aluminum chassis and body.
Weight is also saved by using carbon ceramic brakes and light weight wheels, that measure 19×9.5-inches up front and 20×11-inches in the rear. Tires measure 265/35/19 front and 295/30/22 rear.
“Mercedes-Benz is presenting an exhilarating super sports car in the guise of the new SLS AMG, which is bound to set the pulses of all car enthusiasts racing that extra bit faster. The SLS AMG is emotion pure and simple for the Mercedes-Benz brand and is set to become one of the most alluring sports cars of our era,” says Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.
As for AMG Boss Volker Mornhinweg, he had this to say: “Our customers will experience with the SLS AMG the expertise of our sports car manufacturer Mercedes-AMG, built up over 40 years of motor racing, along with the kind of scintillating design that only a top athlete from the Mercedes-Benz stable can offer.”
The SLS AMG will be launched in the Spring of 2010.
More on the SLS AMG after the jump:
