SPY: The 2014 Mercedes-Benz GLA 45 AMG (X 156) spotted near Nürburgring

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Mercedes-Benz will premiere its fourth premium compact class model this autumn: the GLA arrives in serial production form at the IAA Frankfurt, after the concept car is unveiled next month at Shanghai. The Cross Activity Vehicle, as it is entitled by the constructor, is intended to be a lifestyle crossover with SUV visual attributes and enhanced dynamics. The AMG model follows in spring 2014.

The latest spy photos featuring the GLA 45 AMG were shot near the Nürburgring track, where the sports crossover was heading for some high-speed tweaking. Compared to the standard version, the Affalterbach-prepped GLA-Class is set apart by the revised exterior package, which includes the specific front bumper with generous air inlets, the lowered clearance (through the high-performance suspension system), bespoke alloy wheels with large diameter and outrageous quad exhaust pipes.

The new GLA 45 AMG completes the new compact model portfolio by joining the A 45 AMG and CLA 45 AMG. The car runs on a front-biased 4x4 powertrain (67:33) which works together with M133 2.0-litre 360 hp unit and the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox to deliver an outstanding level of performance. The AMG RIDE CONTROL, the 3-stage ESP and the specially tuned components and system of the new model further improve dynamics and safety aboard the GLA 45 AMG.

Image Credits: WorldCarFans / Gmotors.co.uk / Autoevolution

Copyright © 2013, mercedesgla. All rights reserved.

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SPY: The 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series goes out for a ride, then gets roasted

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The new SLS AMG Black Series is a new dream machine engineered in the Affalterbach labs. Easily the sixth model of the expanding Gullwing range, this hypercar defies convention and sets new standards. Expected to be officially revealed in the coming months, the SLS AMG Black Series will be sold as a limited edition model beginning with summer 2013. The latest scoops emphasize a test prototype touching down at Nurburgring in a beautiful, sunny autumn day - which turned out to be a rather unpleasant experience afterwards.

Unpredictable incidents are an everyday part of any development program for a new generation of a model. Accidents and other fatalities are, most of the times, avoided or minimized thanks to the skilled test-driving engineers behind the steering wheel.

However, sometimes things do not go as planned. After a session of high-speed laps around the Nurburgring circuit in Germany, the pictured SLS AMG Black Series sustained heavy injuries after the driver appearantly lost control over the car and thus hit the sidewalls. If this was not enough, the test car suddenly caught fire and mostly burned to metal till the fire-fighting brigade reached the scene of the crash. The causes of that led to this instant ignition are yet to be announced, but we are sure valuable data was recorded during the occurence of the accident and later on, in order to fix the issue and prevent such severe situations from happening when the series product is out on streets.

The accident has also caused some "traffic congestion", as several prototypes and cars (e.g. 2013 S-Class, an SL-Class roadster, a pre-production CLA-Class etc.), that were testing on track were forced to stop and wait for the road ahead to be re-opened.This is not the first time an AMG prototype is involved in track incidents on the Ring. Not long time ago, a camouflaged A 45 AMG prototype was damaged after the driver was unable to correct the trajectory and avoid the crash (see HERE).

Sticking back to the main topic, the future SLS AMG Black Series will feature a substantially lower ride height, a lightweight aluminium chassis, a stiffer suspension and active damping system for a supreme sports ride, as well as extra power from the naturally aspirated V8 unit, tweaked to deliver near 660 hp. The outrageous Gullwing will be stripped off any unnecessary technology to save additional kilograms, so do not expect many comfort gimmicks like in the standard SLS AMG. All this measures surely come at a high cost, as less is sometimes more. Probably, this ultimate Black Series vehicle will be priced at around 400,000 euros in Germany, if not more.

Image Credits: Motor Authority

Copyright © 2012, mercedesgla. All rights reserved.

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DTM Nürburgring 2012: Race - Gary Paffett retains championship lead

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On the sixth Sunday of the season at the Nürburgring, Jamie Green (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) took fourth place. The race was won by Bruno Spengler (BMW).

Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) finished sixth and still has a comfortable lead in the championship – he has advanced to 103 points, twenty ahead of his nearest challenger Bruno Spengler (BMW). Green is in third place on 81 points. THOMAS SABO / Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG are currently ahead in the team standings on 127 points. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz still tops the constructor’s table on 237 points.

DTM rookie Robert Wickens (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) secured P7, his best result to date in the world’s most popular touring car series. His previous best result was ninth at the last race at the Norisring. Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) finished his 50th DTM race in 13th position. Christian Vietoris (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Coupé) and Susie Wolff (TV Spielfilm Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) came home in positions 16 and 17 respectively. David Coulthard (DHL Paket Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) was 20th. Roberto Merhi (Junge Sterne Mercedes AMG C-Coupé) had to retire.

A total of 89,000 spectators attended the DTM race weekend (Fri, Sat, and Sun) at the Nürburgring.

Race summary

The start: Jamie Green moves up the field by two positions from seventh to fifth. Gary Paffett gains four places and finishes the first lap in P7. Robert Wickens is sixth, sandwiched between Green and Paffett.
Lap 5: Green, Wickens and Paffett in positions five, six and seven respectively. David Coulthard in P17, having moved up five places from his original position on the grid.
Lap 6: Drive-through penalty for Christian Vietoris after a collision.
Lap 9: Roberto Merhi parks up in the pits and retires.
Lap 12: The pit stop window is now open. Paffett and Susie Wolff are the first C-Coupé drivers to come in for a tyre change.
Lap 13: Green pits from fifth place.
Lap 14: First mandatory pit stops for Wickens and Ralf Schumacher.
Lap 15: First pit stop for Coulthard.
Lap 18: After their first mandatory pit stops, Green, Paffett and Wickens in P5, 6 and 7 respectively.
Lap 19: Second change of tyres for Green.
Lap 22: Wolff pits for second time.
Lap 25: Final mandatory pit stop for Schumacher.
Lap 26: Championship leader Paffett pits for second time, lying in P5.
Lap 27: DTM rookie Wickens in third place before his last pit stop. Second time in pits for Vietoris.
Lap 28: Wickens pits and emerges behind Green, Rockenfeller and Paffett.
Lap 36: Three C-Coupé drivers in top seven – Green, Paffett and Wickens.
Final lap (lap 49): After 49 laps and a total distance of 177.821km, Jamie Green finishes in P4. Championship leader Gary Paffett takes sixth place from fellow Mercedes driver Robert Wickens.

Comments after the race:

Jamie Green (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Fourth:
„That was a tough race in high temperatures and against some tough competition. A P4 finish after starting from seventh on the grid is a respectable result – I’m quite satisfied under the circumstances and after the difficult qualifying. I'm third in the drivers’ standings and am only 22 points behind P1, which puts me in an excellent position. I will do all I can to secure as many points as possible this coming weekend in Zandvoort.“

Gary Paffett (THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Sixth:
„Today’s race went much better than qualifying. My THOMAS SABO Mercedes AMG C-Coupé was very fast, the team did a great job in preparing the car and I got away well. In view of my P11 on the grid, sixth place is a decent result, but more points might have been possible given our pace today. Unfortunately, there was a bit of a hiccup during the second pit stop, but that’s simply part and parcel of motor racing. We intend mixing it with the front-runners once again next weekend in Zandvoort.“

Robert Wickens (stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), Seventh:
„Seventh is my best result so far in the DTM, so I'm very happy. I’ve finished in the points for the second time in a row and my stern Mercedes AMG C-Coupé ran perfectly. My start was very good and my race pace was also very fast. Now I want to take the momentum from this encouraging weekend to the next race in Zandvoort and post another good result there.“

Ralf Schumacher (Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), 13th:
„P13 is nothing to write home about, but after the disappointment of qualifying back in 15th, I feel we got the best out of a bad situation. Unfortunately, I got stuck in traffic and ran out of overtaking opportunities. Congratulations to Jamie, Gary und Robert – they did a fantastic job.“

Christian Vietoris (Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Coupé), 16th:
„I had been hoping for something better in my home race than P16. Unfortunately, the whole weekend failed to go according to plan – qualifying back in 18th left me with an uphill task for the race itself. The drive-through penalty on lap 6 effectively spelt the end of my chances. A pity really, as I had hoped to deliver a better result for all the fans in the grandstands at the Nürburgring which after all counts as my home track. We had good pace today, and I intend to go on the attack once again in the next race at Zandvoort.“

Susie Wolff (TV Spielfilm Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), 17th:
„A car hit me going into Turn 3 on the first lap and I spun as a result. I then had to catch up with the rest of the field on subsequent laps, which cost me time. We decided to complete our two pit stops early, so I had to nurse the tyres during the final laps of the race.“

David Coulthard (DHL Paket Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), 20th:
„What a pity. I’d intended doing much better for the start of the second half of the season here at the Nürburgring, but unfortunately, the race did not go exactly according to plan. We will now carefully analyse the data from this weekend and I hope to finish higher up the field next week in the race at Zandvoort.“

Roberto Merhi (Junge Sterne Mercedes AMG C-Coupé), retired:
„I got away well but had an unfortunate collision with another driver on lap four. The car sustained quite a lot of damage, forcing me to retire on lap nine. I’m now looking forward to next weekend at Zandvoort and the chance to achieve a better result.“

Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
„Considering where we started from on the grid today, I think we have done rather a good job. Gary advanced from eleventh to sixth, Jamie from seventh to fourth and Robert from ninth to seventh. The delay on the second pit stop cost Gary two places and four points and yet despite that, he still emerges from this race with a 20-point lead in the championship. In one week, we meet again at Zandvoort, so we’ll take it from there.“

* Official photo and details courtesy of Mercedes-AMG GmbH *

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