Recently a friend was asking advice in choosing a new vehicle. I listed a couple of questions and 2 of the questions revolved around the purpose and for whom the vehicle is for primarily. If for example he’ll be using it mainly for going to the office, I suggested a sedan, coupe, convertible or a roadster depending on the budget.
In another post, I described the Mercedes line of sedans. Next are the Coupes. Basically the Coupe is a 2 door, 4 passenger luxury sports car. In this category, Mercedes has 3 classes: the CLK, CLS and CL. The CLKs are the “cheapest” of the lot. MSRP ranges from $48,100 for the CLK 350 to $56,800 for the CLK 550. Price wise, the CLS is next in line. A CLS 550 can be yours for just $70,700 MSRP or if you’ve got the extra cash, the CLS63 AMG ($96,300).
Last but not the least, is the CL class which comes in 4 trims: the CL550 4MATIC, the CL63 AMG, CL65AMG and the CL600. MSRP starts at $107,900 for the 550 to $203,700 for the CL65. I realize that they do appear rather pricey. But the nice thing about a Mercedes is that you get what you pay for and a lot more. Take the CL65 for example equipped with a 6.0 liter DOHC 36 valve V12 engine, 0-60 in 4.2 seconds, Active Body Control, 20 inch light alloy wheels and leather Passion sports seats that not only look great but provide maximum lateral support and comfort are just a few things that Mercedes once again engineered to perfection. Honestly looking at the CL class, I can’t find anything to complain about.

Electronic Stability Control or ESC or Vehicle Stability Control or VSC is defined as “A computerized technology that improves the safety of a vehicle’s handling by detecting and preventing skids”.

In layman’s terms it simply means it either detects or prevents skids and helps the driver regain and/or keep control when driving on slippery roads or during a sudden, panicked swerve.

Essentially, when the system detects a loss of control in steering, the system automatically applies individual brakes to individual wheels to counter either oversteering or understeering. Based on studies, ESC can reduce fatal single vehicle crashes by as much as 56%.

In 1959, Mercedes Benz invented a system that stopped the wheels from spinning at the transmission, brakes and engine level. In 1987, Mercedes Benz introduced the Traction Control System., a system that controls both acceleration and braking. This was later followed by the Electronic Stability Program or ESP and ESC.

The first Mercedes Benz vehicle to be equipped with ESC was the W140 S-Class way back in 1995. Though other car manufacturers have their own versions of ESC-Mitsubishi has ASTC and VSC for Toyota, Mercedes Benz’s will always be truly heralded as the world’s first stability control system.

To find out more, talk with your Mercedes dealer

The Mercedes S600 Guard Pullman is the latest and probably the ultimate in VIP protection. Heads of state, the rich and famous (and infamous) are the usual customers for this type of vehicle.

Instead of taking apart a new S600 and retrofitting all the plate armor into the doors, side panel and a couple of inches of polycarbonate glass in place of the standard windows, these are instead installed during production in the factory in Sindelfingen Germany.

The S600 is powered by a v12 byturbo engine which produces 380KW/517 hp-more than enough power to get out of those sticky and dangerous situations. Due to the added weight of the armor plating and the like, the suspension has been reinforced as with the brakes.

For protection, the S600 Guard Pullman has a level IV (B7) rating. This means that its armor is capable of withstanding gunfire anything from 9mm to 5.56 to armor piercing 7.62 X 51 NATO rounds. Other security features include a fire extinguishing system, run-flat tires and a self sealing gas tank.

You may want to special order this one since you might not see this one on the showroom floor at your local Mercedes Benz Dealership!

Consumers could see attractive deals on nearly all vehicles through next year. Research firm J.D. Power & Associates expects automakers to sell 13.6 million light-duty cars and trucks this year, down 16 percent from a year ago.

Manufacturers had generally pulled back on incentives for smaller vehicles this year, after record-high gas prices spiked demand. And the discounts still aren’t as juicy or widespread as those on fuel-thirsty sport-utility vehicles, or even car-based crossovers.

But customers can now get good deals — including cash-back offers, low-interest-rate financing and lease specials — on some best-selling cars. And they have newfound leverage when negotiating with dealers, many of whom are desperate to move vehicles off their lots.

Even as I was typing this post I saw a television ad announcing that Mercedes-Benz Dealers are offering lease deals on many of its cars.