Category Archives: Mercedes Benz

Aug 26 2014
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Automotive Reviews, Mercedes Benz

2013 Mercedes-Benz E550 Convertible Review

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People say that summertime is the best time to drive a convertible, and they would be right. I don’t usually like convertibles, but driving with the top down on a mountain road certainly sounds appealing, which brings me to the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E550 Convertible. The E-Class’s ancestry heralds back to the 1953 “Ponton” sedan, but it was not until the fifth generation that a convertible body style was added to the E-Class’s lineup. The next generation did not have a coupe or convertible body style, and the CLK model was introduced as a replacement. Funny thing that even though it was styled to resemble the E-Class, it was actually based off the C-Class. I had the opportunity to review a 2008 CLK350 Convertible, and while it was a nice car, it wasn’t anything special. The CLK was discontinued in 2009, right when the E-Class was redesigned. Now in its eighth generation, the E-Class’s lineup brought back the coupe and convertible body style.

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Aug 04 2014
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Automotive Reviews, Mercedes Benz

1990 Mercedes-Benz 300E 2.6 Review

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The Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been around since the late 1950s to 1960s. Adhering to Mercedes-Benz’s W-naming convention for their models, the first E-Class model, the W120 “Ponton”, debuted in 1953. It was noted for its stylish body and its first rate engineering. Fast forward to the fourth generation E-Class, which became the most successful Mercedes-Benz model to date. Over 2.6 million of these were built from 1976-1986. Fast forward to the eighth generation, and the E-Class is now known as a true luxury sedan. I had the opportunity to review a 2014 E350, and my findings were that it was a capable and nice sedan. However, my friend came to me with an interesting car to review: a 1990 300E (in 1993, Mercedes-Benz used a new different naming system where the models would be called the  E-Class). He has one of the best jobs a car fanatic can dream of: a BMW dealership valet and delivery driver. He gets to drive cars that only I can dream of. Lamborghini Aventador? Check. Mercedes C63 AMG? Check. Rolls Royce? Check. And many more. Strangely, he said he loves his 300E more than any of those cars. Now that intrigued me, so I had to see why. This generation is dubbed as the W124 which lasted from 1985 to 1996 with a refresh in 1993. While I am not a fan of the latest Mercedes-Benzes, I have always liked the old ones for their elegant design and faultless engineering.

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Jun 08 2014
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Automotive Reviews, Mercedes Benz

2001 Mercedes-Benz S55 AMG Review

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The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has a long history that starts with the first generation debuting in 1972. This generation, dubbed the W112 (Mercedes-Benz used specific chassis names such as this to denote its models), was the first to be officially called the S-Class. As the flagship, the S-Class was loaded with innovative technologies. For instance, the car was styled for safety purposes, and boasted ground breaking safety technology such as headrests that isolated the pressure exerted on the occupants’ heads during a crash, safety padding on the dash, a rain water system that improved visibility towards the rear during rain storms, etc. Two more generations followed with the same focus on innovative technologies while gaining size and fame. This 1999-2005 “W220” generation was the first to receive an official AMG model. As a performance division, AMG got its start as an independent tuning firm for Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Then in the 1990s, Mercedes-Benz took a controlling stake in AMG, and then in 2005, ultimately purchased the performance division as its own. AMG variants feature cosmetic and performance upgrades over the lesser models. Continue reading →

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Mar 20 2014
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Automotive Reviews, Mercedes Benz

2004 Mercedes-Benz ML500 Review

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As the SUV market was  booming in the 1990s, Mercedes-Benz was in need of an SUV. Launched in 1998, the M-Class was one of the first cars to be manufactured at Mercedes-Benz’s then new plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  It won several awards such as Motor Trend‘s Truck of the Year for 1998, and the World Car Award in 1999. Despite the acclaim, the M-Class was criticized for its poor reliability issues. I remember reading about how when it rained, the water would leak through the sunroof of these SUVs.  Mercedes-Benz attempted to rectify these flaws with the 2002 facelift. The V8 in the ML430 version was replaced by a 5.0 liter V8 and thus necessitated a name change to ML500. Continue reading →

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Mar 12 2014
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Automotive Reviews, Mercedes Benz

2012 Mercedes-Benz C250 Coupe Review

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Before the C-Class Coupe, Mercedes-Benz attempted to fill the coupe niche with the C-Class Sport Coupe (CLC in other markets). With a hatchback body style and its high prices, the Sport Coupe proved unpopular with the buyers, specifically young adults. However, seeing how successful the Audi A5 and the BMW 3 Series coupe was, Mercedes attempted to enter the foray with a coupe version of its popular C-Class sedan. Despite the previous Sport Coupe’s individual style, the latest C-Class coupe looks like the sedan with two doors chopped off. Available in C250, C350, C63 AMG versions, this Coupe attempts to lure younger buyers to the brand unlike the unsuccessful Sport Coupe. Continue reading →

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Feb 21 2014
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Automotive Reviews, Mercedes Benz

2014 Mercedes-Benz E350 Review

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The E Class ancestry goes all the way back to the mid 1930s, but it was not until 1993 that the E Class nomenclature was adopted. Previously, the E was used to denote the engine size (Example: 230E). Technically, the E Class came to life in 1996 during the W210 generation (1996-2003). The E Class is to Mercedes-Benz what the Camry is to Toyota. It pushed Mercedes-Benz into the upper market, and it finally had a formidable competitor to the BMW 5 Series. This was the generation in which specific E Class design traits would develop such as the quad head lights (four separate headlights) and singular taillights. As the years passed by, the E Class continued to grow in size and importance. Until recently, the E Class was Mercedes-Benz’s best selling model. Now in its third generation, it was refreshed for the 2014 model year with exterior and mechanical tweaks.

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Jan 08 2014
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Automotive Reviews, Mercedes Benz

2014 Mercedes Benz SLK250 Review

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Fun fact: The original Mercedes SLK was the first production luxury convertible to feature a folding hardtop. This novel feature enabled the SLK to look like a coupe with the top up, and a roadster with the top down, while also providing extra comfort and security that other cloth top convertibles could not match.  It was a success, selling around 55,000 worldwide in its first year (expensive convertibles do not usually sell this well). However, the original SLK garnered a reputation as a chick car, as it did not provide the driving experience its looks suggested. The second generation SLK in 2005-2011 sacrificed the previous SLK’s smooth lines for a more racier design. Even though handling was improved considerably, its image as a chick car remained, and its handling was still far off the pace of a Porsche Boxster. The latest SLK retains the retractable hardtop while promising better performance than the last two SLKs. Continue reading →

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Dec 31 2013
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Automotive Reviews, Mercedes Benz

2008 Mercedes Benz CLK350 Convertible Review

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The reason people like convertibles is because when they think of such cars, they think of driving along the coast with their hair flying in the wind. In many places, a convertible seems like the choice of transport for many people. If you want a luxury convertible with the styling and prestige of a Mercedes Benz, this is what the CLK comes in. Debuting in 1996, the Mercedes Benz CLK rivaled the BMW 3 series . Even though the CLK borrows many styling cues and was similar in size as the E class sedan, it was actually based off the C class sedan. This CLK you see here launched in 2003, as an attempt to better the likes of the Lexus SC430, BMW 3 and 6 series, and the Volvo C70 convertible. This generation was notable for its Black Series version. The Black Series is an ultra high performance division dedicated to upgrading AMG (Mercedes Benz’s in house performance division) vehicles. In 2009, the CLK was replaced by the E-Class coupe and convertible. Continue reading →

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