Auto's & Moto's

Continuing their tradition of developing the most powerful Mercedes models in existence, BRABUS has just unveiled the latest member of their high powered luxury sedan family. It’s titled the BRABUS SV12 R, and it’s based on the recently face lifted Mercedes-Benz S600. So how powerful is it? In total, the BRABUS SV12 R boasts a staggering 750 hp (740 bhp) / 552 kW at 5,500 rpm, while peak torque comes in at 1,350 Nm at 2,100 (electronically limited to 1,100 Nm). All of this is made possible through a displacement increase from 5.5 to 6.3 liters, four new camshafts, larger turbochargers and a more efficient intercooling system (among other things), with the end result being a 0-62 mph time of 4 seconds flat along with an electronically limited top speed of 211 mph. Yes ladies and gentlemen, you heard that right: an electronically limited top speed of 211 mph.

Daimler AG is reporting today that worldwide sales at its Mercedes-Benz Cars division dropped 13.2 percent in August 2009 to 73,200 new units ? this compared to 84,400 new units in August 2008. As a result, sales of the Mercedes-Benz, Maybach and smart brands now total 711,300 new units through the first eight months of the year, a decrease of 17.1 percent.

Individually, sales at Mercedes-Benz were slightly better than that of the group for the month of August, with the luxury brand noting sales of 66,200 new units ? a decrease of 12.0 percent. At smart, the picture was somewhat more bleak, with sales of the compact fortwo dropping 23.8 percent to 7,000 new units. Through the first eight months of the year, sales at Mercedes-Benz are off 17.5 percent with 632,700 units sold, while smart sales are off 13.2 percent with 78,600 units sold.

Mercedes-Benz USA is reporting that for the month of August 2009, sales were off 7.5 percent with 17,112 units sold ? MBUSA’s best performance so far this year. As a result, sales at Mercedes-Benz USA now total 158,519 new units through the first eight months of the year, down 25.3 percent compared to 2008’s eight month YTD total.

Mercedes-Benz today has again detailed one member of their modularly constructed electric car family? the Mercedes BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS. Based on the BlueZERO E-CELL (one of the models unveiled late last year that’s driven only by a battery-powered electric drive), the BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS features the same battery powered electric motor but adds a compact 50kW three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. As a result, the BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS boasts an operating range of up to 600 km, whereas the BlueZERO E-CELL notes an operating range of 200 km.

The evidence is now clear: drivers of Mercedes vehicles are safer on the road than drivers of other car brands. This is the result of a study of Mercedes accident research based on official, anonymous data samples from the Federal Office of Statistics. Having looked at 18,748 accidents resulting in personal injury during the period from 2003 to 2007, the study found that the risk of being seriously or fatally injured as the driver of a E-Class, is 10.4 percent lower than for comparable vehicles of other brands.