Typically we’ve been having to present official Wald Black Bison vehicles sporting Wald wheels and other Wald goods, hardly ever do we get to spot a full Wald Black Bison vehicle sporting someone else’s wheels. This time around, to show off Wald’s new Black Bison kit for the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG, we decided to give the spotlight to Need 4 Speed Motorsports that put together this beauty.

In typical fashion, Wald’s Black Bison kit transforms the S63 AMG to a much sportier and more aggressive vehicle, while maintaining the class and style Mercedes is known for from the factory. Instead of outfitting the S63 AMG with a set of Wald wheels however, Need 4 Speed Motorsports turned to Vossen’s CV-1 wheels in a 21-inch sizing. To round it all off, Need 4 Speed also equipped the S63 with a lowering package and air suspension.

What do you guys think? Nice to see a full Wald Black Bison car sporting someone else’s wheels eh?

GALLERY: Wald Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Black Bison

[Source: GT Spirit]

Another Mercedes-Benz model, another Brabus creation. Brabus unveiled their tuning program for the new M-Class and announced that its official debut will be at the upcoming Essen Motor Show. Brabus modifications for the new M-Class encompasses every facet of the vehicle, outfitting the M-Class with a body kit, engine upgrade and interior changes.

Starting with the aesthetics, Brabus gives the M-Class an all new front spoiler and attachments for the air inlets for the front end. Their new side skirts feature puddle lights and optional door sills with the Brabus logo. For the rear, Brabus offers an all new rear bumper and spoiler that attaches to the tailgate. And best of all, all Brabus body accessories are manufactured in Pur-R-Rim plastics, the same material used by factory Mercedes.

As always, wheel offerings from Brabus range from 18- to 22-inch with a variety of styles. Brabus recommends a 22-inch fitment, with their Monoblock VI, E, Q and G “Platinum Edition” wheels. Brabus will pair up the wheels with your choice of Continental, Pirelli or Yokohama tires with sizing up to 295/30/22 front and back and wheel widths as wide as 10-inch.

Suspension modifications for the new M-Class were designed in collaboration with Bilstein and for M-Classes with standard suspension, components are available that will lower the M-Class as much as 1.2-inch. The M-Classes with airmatic suspension gets a control module that will lower the M-Class 1.2- to 1.6-inch. Braking performance is also enhanced with six-piston calipers in the front and four-piston calipers in the rear – all of which is outfitted with larger, cross-drilled rotors.

Brabus only announced an engine enhancement for the ML 350 BlueTEC 4Matic, upgrading power from 258-hp to 306-hp and torque from 457 lb-ft to 509 lb-ft. Brabus plans to have an engine upgrade for all models of the new M-Class.

Lastly, interior accessories include stainless steel scuff plates with a backlit Brabus logo, matte-anodized aluminum pedals, door-lock pins and foot rest. Seats can be reupholstered with Mastik leather and Alcantara.

No pricing was announced.

GALLERY: Brabus Mercedes-Benz M-Class

Consumer Reports recently compared four luxury sedans in the January issue of the magazine, pitting the Audi A6 against the Infiniti M35h, Mercedes-Benz E350 BlueTec and Saab 9-5, with the refreshed A6 receiving an overall test score of 93, tying Infiniti’s M37 at the top of the charts. The previous generation A6 had scored a disappointing 79.

For the A6, Consumer Reports raved about how agile, comfortable, quiet and quick the vehicle was. The model tested was a 3.0T Quattro Premium Plus with a supercharged 3.0L powerplant with 310-hp. Consumer Reports was able to get 22-mpg out of the sedan, enjoyed the eight-speed transmission and found braking performance to be very good.

Mercedes-Benz’s E350 BlueTec received top honors for fuel efficiency with 26-mpg, while the M35h received an excellent road test score despite reporting that its power delivery tend to be jerky and abrupt. Consumer Reports also reported that the M35h’s handling and braking wasn’t as brilliant as the M37′s.

Lastly, and probably to no one’s surprise, Saab’s 9-5 was deemed disappointing and seen as a poor value.

Mercedes-Benz promises that we’ll see the next-generation SL in all its glory before the year is over, and more details have been released as they work towards their goal. The revamped SL roadster will feature a body shell made of 89-percent aluminum, making it almost 310-lbs lighter than its predecessor.

In addition to the lightweight body, the new SL will also feature Magic Vision Control, a new intelligent, high-efficiency windscreen wiper/washer system. The system channels water to the windscreen just in front of the wiper blade lip in the direction the wiper is moving. The result will probably be something revolutionary when we witness it in person; we’ll no longer have to see water splashing on the windshield while it cleans itself.

Mercedes will also be utilizing the free spaces in the aluminum structures in front of the footwell as resonance spaces for bass loudspeakers, giving the new SL a unique FrontBass system. The result will give the SL a concert hall ambience even with the top down.

The aluminum body won’t just be lighter, it’ll also be safer and more rigid. Mercedes employed different processes to make different various types of aluminum based on what the component’s function would be. In a complete breakdown, the body shell features 44-percent cast aluminum, 17-percent aluminum sections, 28-percent aluminum sheet metal, 8-percent steel and 3-percent of other materials. Mercedes also addressed the potential sound issues of aluminum with plenty of consistent sound insulation.

GALLERY: 2013 Mercedes SL Concept

Boy oh boy. We’ve seen some pretty bad project cars in our time, some of which can’t be unseen. This, however, might be the most atrocious yet. The victimized vehicle comes from Bosnia, where its owner decided to transform the Mercedes sedan with some Bugatti styling. Unfortunately it just didn’t work out very well and the result is, well… horrendous.

If you didn’t even look at the front of the vehicle, you’d probably be confused as to what the builder was trying to obtain. But the front-end is clearly Bugatti-influenced, along with the rear doors receiving a widebody treatment with the traditional Bugatti flares. Unfortunately the whole thing is just a mess, and not a hot one at that.

Source: Mercedes Turned Bugatti Galibier

[Source: Jalopnik]

White or red just not cutting it for your 517-hp Mercedes C63 AMG Black Series? Need something a little more flashy and attention grabbing? You’re in luck, with Mercedes announcing the C63 AMG Black Series will also be available in a new Solar Beam color choice, which looks to be a brilliant pearlescent shade of yellow.

Few details have been provided but pictures of the car from a drive event at Laguna Seca were posted on the Mercedes-Benz Canada Facebook page. It surely looks much more aggressive than its red and white counterparts and a nice touch are the contrasting black wheels and carbon fiber accents. Too bad this didn’t come out earlier, Bumblebee could have been a much cooler, Solar Beam Benz.

GALLERY: Solar Beam Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series

Mercedes-Benz and AMG have turned to Facebook to generate some hype about the upcoming debut of the ML63 AMG. The timing seems to hint at a possible unveiling of the “Sport” SUV at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show. The teaser photo clearly reveals that the new AMG variant of the ML packs a much more aggressive front end with larger intakes and a front spoiler.

It’s also safe to assume that the new ML63 AMG will sport the 5.5L V8 bi-turbo, the same engine found in the CL63, S63 and CLS63. In its stock form, it pushes out 520-hp and 516 lb-ft of torque but with the AMG performance kit can pump out up to 570-hp.

Look for full details with AutoGuide’s LA Auto Show coverage starting November 16th. And see our complete show preview here.

Brabus has unveiled arguably their best project yet, a Mercedes-Benz CL Coupe packing 800-hp thanks to a stroked 6.3L V12 twin-turbo. Based on the CL 600, the tuning geniuses at Brabus modified the factory 5.5L with a custom crankshaft, larger cylinder bore and new forged pistons.

But the engine modifications didn’t stop there. With the newly rebuilt shortblock ready to go, Brabus turned their attention to the top-end of the motor, installing four custom camshafts, new machining for the cylinder heads and then bolted on their twin-turbo system complete with new exhaust manifolds, and four water-to-air intercoolers. Bolt-ons include a carbon fiber ram air intake and stainless steel exhaust with free-flow metal cats.

As if the 800-hp wasn’t impressive enough, the CL 800 Coupe is capable of pushing out over 1,047 lb-ft of torque, but has been electronically limited to 811 lb-ft. To withstand all the extra power, Brabus beefed up the five-speed automatic transmission while also adding a limited-slip differential with a locking rate of 40-percent.

0-62 mph comes in at a scant 3.9 seconds while it hits 124-mph in just 10.3 seconds. Top speed has been limited to 217-mph, which is more than enough.

Obviously any project by Brabus includes exterior and interior modifications. A full styling package was added to accent the Brabus Monoblock wheels that are available in 18- to 22-inch sizes. Their lowering module was also installed, lowering the CL almost a full inch. A big brake upgrade round off all the performance modifications.

The interior sports a black and white theme with Brabus logos embroidered and found throughout the decor. No pricing was announced on the project, but we’re assuming it won’t be cheap.

GALLERY: Brabus Mercedes-Benz CL 800 Coupe

We’ve already known that former Formula 1 double world champion Mika Häkkinen will be piloting an SLS AMG GT3, and now we have our first preview of him preparing to get back behind the wheel in a competitive fashion.

It’s been four long years since Mika has raced competitively, so it’s interesting to see how Mercedes-Benz is hyping it up. Really for us, the video is all about staring at the amazingly beautiful SLS AMG GT3 taking laps around a real race track in its full glory. There is seriously very few race cars that rivals the SLS AMG GT3 in the aesthetics department.

Check out the video after the break.

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Mercedes is currently developing a super light version of its popular E-Class reports Auto Bild magazine. Through an extensive use of carbon fiber, Mercedes is hoping to shave off an impressive 770-lbs from the current models, targeting a curb weight of under 2,900 lbs. By using a carbon fiber structure, Mercedes will be able to eliminate the B-pillar, possibly creating more radical designs on the popular E-Class chassis.

Naturally with a lighter body, these superlight E-Classes will sport even better performance with a more favorable power-to-weight ratio. This would also benefit in the mpg department if Mercedes opts to use smaller and more fuel efficient engines in order to power the svelte E-Class. Rumor has it that Mercedes has these E-Classes scheduled to release sometime in 2015 and will hopefully produce around 20,000 annually.

Continuing on its success in building multiple Black Bison packages for various Mercedes-Benz models, Wald has decided to show off its newest tuning package for the SL Class. As we’ve come to know and expect from Wald’s Black Bison line, the SL Class receives an aggressive body kit that can be ordered in either glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) or carbon.

The styling package revamps the exterior of the SL, giving it a much more aggressive design, replacing the front bumper, front fenders, side skirts, rear arch extensions and a rear trunk lip spoiler. The front bumper features large intakes, daytime running lights and side vents while the rear bumper features vents and an aggressive diffuser.

As usual, Wald has a huge collection of wheels available for various makes and models, with them choosing a 20×9-inch and 20×11-inch Renovatio R12 two-piece wheel setup for this particular SL.

No pricing was announced from Wald.

GALLERY: Wald Black Bison SL Class

It appears that Brabus didn’t want to wait until the 2011 Essen Motor Show to release the details on their Mercedes-Benz CL500 and S500 4MATIC tuning programs. In fact, they decided to launch two new power kits for the 4.7L V8 twin-turbo engine, taking the stock 435-hp and 516 lb-ft of torque to all new heights.

The more mild of the two power kits, the Brabus B50 – 490 PowerXtra, takes the CL500 and S500 4MATIC to 490-hp and 575 lb-ft of torque. The B50 – 520 PowerXtra however will give the 4.7L 520-hp and 604 lb-ft of torque. Both power gains are achieved through an ECU retune.

Brabus is also offering the CL500 an aerodynamic package, featuring a new front lip, side skirts with LEDs, a rear bumper and a rear spoiler. No styling package was announced for the S500.

As usual, Brabus has a variety of 18-, 21- and 22-inch wheels available for various Mercedes-Benz models including the CL and S Class. No pricing for the power package of the aerodynamic package was announced.

[Source: Zercustoms]

GALLERY: Brabus CL500 4MATIC

Kicherer has pulled the cover off their Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Wagon project, revealing their C63 T Supersport package that helps give the 6.2L V8 540-hp and 472 lb-ft of torque, impressive gains over the factory 457-hp and 443 lb-ft of torque.. The additional power comes courtesy of an ECU retune and stainless steel exhaust system.

Helping get all the power to the ground, Kicherer also outfits the C63 AMG Wagon with a PowerConverter for the accelerator, eliminating the delay often experienced by fly-by-wire pedal systems. For the outside, the C63 T Supersport packs plenty of sport with the addition of a styling kit, constructed of carbon fiber and includes a front lip, new grille, sill extensions, mirror covers and a rear diffuser. On their demo car, Kicherer outfitted the wagon with a set of 20-inch three-piece RS-1 wheels.

On the inside, Kicherer added even more luxury to the C Wagon with an Alcantara headliner and dashboard, while the seats were reupholstered in Nappa leather with contrasting piano backs. No pricing was announced.

[Source: German Car Scene]

GALLERY: Kicherer C63 T Supersport

We are already highly anticipating Michael Schumacher’s unveiling of the DTM AMG C Coupe at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show but now Mercedes has teased us with a video of the new car. Mercedes DTM driver Gary Paffett gives us some comments about the new machine in the video, building even more suspense to see how Mercedes will compete against BMW‘s DTM racer and Audi‘s A5.

The official unveiling will take place on September 13th, 2011 with Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg, Gary Paffett, Mercedes-Benz Motorsports chief Norbert Haug and Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche taking center stage. The 2012 DTM season is shaping up to be one of the best, and we’re highly anticipating news of a race series to bring the DTM machines over to America.

Check out the video after the break.

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So many of us has been waiting anxiously for Brabus to show the world their Mercedes CLS Rocket successor, and it looks like one enthusiast took matters into their own hands.

Dan Buzdugan did his own rendering of what he thinks the new Brabus Rocket will look like, giving a Brabus style to the entire project. There’s little to no details surrounding the new Rocket, but we’re positive Brabus will improve on their 2005 rendition that featured 720-hp from its 6.3L twin turbo V12 powerplant. At the time it set all sorts of records for a vehicle in its class, including the top speed of a street-legal sedan at 225.2-mph. It won’t be long until we see its successor and we hope it’s worth every minute of the wait.

[Source: PS-Garage]

Mercedes-Benz has just released detailed photos of its new second-generation B-Class, which is set to debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. Last month we were teased as to what the new B-Class would look like, and now that we’ve got the full picture, well, it’s not so clear that it’s any less of a stain on Merc’s impressive design history as of late.

Several models of the B-Class will be available to European buyers, with the B180 sporting a 1.6L turbocharged engine with 120-hp and 147 lb-ft of torque, while the B200 will have 154-hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. Europe will also receive a 1.8L diesel, delivering 107-hp and 184 lb-ft of torque in the B180 CDI, while the B200 CDI will feature 134-hp and 221 lb-ft of torque.

Mercedes has also announced that it is looking at producing a limited production F-Cell variant that will hopefully be released in 2015.

GALLERY: Mercedes-Benz B-Class

After having revealed the SLK350 model, Mercedes‘ AMG division has just announced the new SLK55 AMG. Like the previous SLK55, this model gets a 5.5-liter V8 engine, but that’s where the similarities stop. Making 415-hp and 398 lb-ft of torque, this motor is a naturally aspirated version of the twin-turbo 5.5-liter found under the hood of the E63 AMG, CLS63 AMG and S63 AMG.

But much like its biturbo counterpart, this 5.5L V8 also features a start/stop system in order to save fuel. In the Controlled Efficiency mode, the V8 will manage its cylinders by cutting off cylinder-two, cylinder-three, cylinder-five and cylinder-eight between 800- and 3800-rpm, helping conserve fuel while still offering enough performance for day-to-day driving. The powerplant is mated to a seven-speed AMG Speedshift Plus transmission, enabling a 4.5 second 0-60 mph time.

Standard brakes are 14.2-inchers in the front while the rear features 13-inchers while suspension enthusiast looking for a true driving experience can opt for AMG’s Handling Package that features stiffer tuning, rear differential lock, two-piece front disc brakes and a leather/Alcantara-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel.

To help the SLK55 stand out from the crowd, the AMG model features a special body kit and badging. The SLK55 AMG plans to make its grand debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show next month and should be at the dealerships by early 2012. No pricing was announced, but look for it to be in the $70,000 range.

GALLERY: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG

The closest most of us will ever get to piloting a true DTM race car would be in Gran Turismo 5, and even then the results aren’t always pretty. Those that have unlocked some of the rare collectible race cars in any Gran Turismo knows what it’s like to try to control it for the first time.

Naturally when we heard that MotoGP champion Nicky Hayden strapped himself behind the wheel of a Mercedes DTM race car, we were curious to see what would happen. Obviously we weren’t the only ones, as he had no problems letting the cameras roll.

Hayden, also knock as The Kentucky Kid, won the MotoGP World Championship in 2006 and there’s no doubting his prowess on all things two-wheeled. Tack on another two wheels, a whole lot of horsepower, a wet track and cold tires and the results are pretty similar to what we experience the first time we try to pilot a supercar in Gran Turismo. We can’t laugh at Hayden though, as he’s the one that was fortunate enough to get behind the wheel of Mercedes’ DTM race car while we’re still waiting for the loading screen to finish on our PS3.

Check out the video after the break.

[Source: Jalopnik]

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Back in March, Wald previewed its Black Bison package for the newly-revamped Mercedes CLS, and now we can feast our eyes on official photos of the finish product.

The complete Black Bison kit will come with an all new front bumper, complete with LED daytime running lights, sport front fenders, side skirts, a rear bumper with LED brake light, exhaust tips, plus a trunk and roof spoiler. You’ll be able to pair the styling package up with available Wald wheels for the new-generation CLS, though we personally wouldn’t go for the ones on the demo car.

Many of Wald’s designs have been misses in the past, but this kit is undoubtedly a hit!

GALLERY: Wald Black Bison Mercedes-Benz CLS

It’s not as bad a replica as the Chinese Lamborghini Reventon clone, but that doesn’t say much. This time around, a Russian enthusiast fabricated his own Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren replica, completely out of steel, and presumably in his own workshop. The original source states that the replica was built and assembled by its owner manually and without the use of high-tech instruments. We’re not really sure what their definition of a high-tech instrument is, but we’re guessing a welder isn’t on that list.

While we won’t sit around and talk about the craftsmanship and actual fabrication work that went into this replica, we are pretty impressed by how well it resembles a genuine SLR McLaren. The owner has also named it Valentina, after his wife. Hopefully she’s flattered. But maybe she’s filing divorce papers now.

GALLERY: Steel Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Replica

[Source: GTSpirit]

With every new Mercedes-Benz refresh on an existing model, one can expect Brabus to not be far behind with a tuning package for it. The tuners at Brabus got to work quickly on the new-generation SLK, releasing both a styling package and power package for various SLK models.

For the SLK 200 BlueEFFICIENCY, Brabus’ ECO PowerXtra B20 CGI performance kit will add 26-hp and 22 lb-ft of torque. For the 250 BlueEFFICIENCY model, the B25 CGI performance kit will add similar gains. An additional 10-hp can be found on the SLK 250 thanks to a larger intercooler and an electronically-controlled sport wastegate valve.

The B25S CGI kit, offered for the SLK 250, will bring horsepower to 240-hp and torque to 273 lb-ft, giving it a 0-62 mph time of 6.2 seconds and a stop speed of 154-mph.

For the outside, Brabus has outfitted the SLK with new front spoiler lips, LED daytime running lights, side sill attachments, a rear diffuser, a trunk lid spoiler, and a center-mounted rear reflector. A stainless steel exhaust system with quad-tips can also be had, giving the car a sportier note. For those looking for interior modifications, Brabus offers high-gloss, polished stainless-steel scuff plates with the Brabus logo alongside aluminum pedals and shifter. Custom requests for upholstery with Brabus Mastik leather and Alcantara are also available.

GALLERY: Brabus Mercedes-Benz SLK

Carlsson has hopped onto the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG modifying bandwagon, bringing a world’s first to the super car aftermarket. Now available to both convertible and coupe SLS AMG owners is an electronic lifting system that can raise the front and the rear of the SLS by almost 1.6-inch with a touch of a button. Once the vehicle hits 50-mph, Carlsson’s Tronic lift system will automatically lower the vehicle back to its original height. The lift system can also be combined with a coilover suspension kit to further lower the sports car by .6-inch to 1.4-inch.

In addition, Carlsson has produced a lightweight wheel for the SLS AMG in 20- and 21-inch sizing. The recommended widths are 9.5-inch in the front and 11-inch in the rear. The wheels from Carlsson are approximately 40-percent lighter than conventional cast wheels of the same size on the market.

Finally, Carlsson is now offering interior upgrades to SLS AMG owners, equipping the vehicle with high-quality Napa leather throughout the interior. Color choice of stitching is available to the customer at no additional charge.

GALLERY: Carlsson Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

[Source: GT Spirit]

Mercedes-Benz has quietly dropped the V12 variants from its SL-Class model lineup, leaving the SL600 and SL65 AMG nowhere to be found. This may mean that significant changes could be coming to the SL-class lineup for its 2013 refresh, as Mercedes did confirm that the phasing out of its top models is in anticipation for the SL’s next generation.

The SL600 was powered by a 5.5L V-12 powerplant with 510-hp and 610 lb-ft of torque and was dropped from the 2011 SL-class lineup. For 2012, the SL65 AMG is now noticeably missing, taking away the 604-hp and 740 lb-ft of torque from a twin-turbocharged 6.0L V12. Though there could be several reasons on the removal of the V-12 models from the SL-class lineup, one obvious one would be the pricing and performance offered by the SLS AMG.

While the SL lineup has yet to get Mercedes’ new twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8, that engine will likely spell the end of the twin-turbo V12, producing 518-hp and 516 lb-ft of torque in the E63 AMG and an incredible 550-hp and 590 lb-ft of torque with an AMG Performance Package.

[SourcE: duPontRegistry]

Renntech is known to maximize performance out of every Mercedes-Benz model imaginable, and this time they’ve taken their talents to the SLS AMG supercar. Their new long tube headers adds 20-hp and 20 lb-ft of torque to the factory 563-hp and 480 lb-ft values. These long tube headers were engineered within Renntech’s state-of-the-art facility and features tri-metal, 200-cell catalytic converters and are ceramic coated to reduce heat in the engine bay.

In addition to the horsepower and torque gains, the SLS AMG gains a much throatier note from its naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 powerplant. The result is a finely tuned addition to the SLS AMG’s already remarkable performance and with Renntech’s brand name behind the product it’s guaranteed to last.

Check out a video of Renntech’s SLS AMG after the break.

GALLERY: Renntech SLS AMG

[Source: Speedlux]

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