The loyalty campaign was originated by Mercedes-Benz, as the general sponsor, together with the German Soccer Association (DFB) to support the German national soccer team in its quest for the EURO 2008 championship.

Daimler has also provided 200,000 EUR for the crisis area in Myanmar. This money will be used on the condition that aid organizations are enabled to work professionally where help is needed. I wish more companies would do similar acts of kindness to people who are in need.

The current Zonda employs a 7.3 litre engine developed by AMG. The 5.4 liter supercharged V8 was chosen for its higher power output and fuel economy. The entire details of this engine are as follow.

Engine: 90 Degree AMG V8 w/Dry Sump Lubrication
Position: Front-Mid Longitudinal
Aspiration: Screw-Type Compressor w/Two Charge-Air Coolers
Valve train: SOHC, 3 Valves per Cylinder
Displacement: 5439 cc / 331.9 cu in
Bore: 97 mm / 3.82 in
Stroke: 92 mm / 3.62 in
Compression Ratio: 8.8:1
Power: 466.8 kw / 626 bhp @ 6500 rpm
Specific output: 115.09 bhp per litre
bhp/weight: 354.07 bhp per tonne
Torque: 780 nm / 575.3 ft lbs @ 3250-5000 rpm

The buzz is around that the new Zonda would sprint from a standstill to 60 mph in little more than three seconds with a top whack in excess of 200+ mph, carbon-fiber construction and the new engine helping it to achieve such feats. Expect to see this car in the market in the initial months of 2009.

These environmental friendly vehicles will be used by UPS for daily delivery operations across the United States and will function in alongside their current fleet of conventional diesel powertrain vehicles.

The hybrid-electric power train, combined with a diesel engine and electric motor, drive the FCCC chassis to achieve an over 40% improvement in fuel economy and an over 90% reduction in emissions compared to baseline non-hybrid vehicles.

The present Mercedes-Benz CL class was launched in 2006 and the stylish and curvy two-door coupe has been a strong performer since then. The coupe is known for its safety, performance, boot space and power, and what else could one ask for?

There are a few though who adore Lamborghini or Mclaren or even the Koennigsegg. Not for their power, performance or looks, but for the wing doors! They didn’t have the cash to buy one and settled for the CL, but now, with a fraction of that amount, the CL could be fitted with desirable wing doors to give the CL one more equipment common to those Supercars. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?

LSD doors from Germany is our savior. Get your CL to their nearby dealer and the wing doors would be installed in a jiffy. There is no need for any modification or special hinges as the wing doors are designed to fit in the stock mounting slots. And thats not it. The cool wing doors have passed the side-crash test and have the German TUV parts certificate, meaning they welcome you into the same safe car as it was previously.

The doors also will now open and close more precisely saving all headaches and forceful attempts during winter months. German engineering enables you to open the door in a outward motion with an aperture angle of approx. 30°; and simultaneously allows you to swing the wing door upward. Brilliant!

What we are uncertain about is whether your CL after undergoing this minor implant surgery, would be the same in terms of power to weight ratio. One more area of concern is how much the aerodynamics will be influenced. But for those who are little bothered about those issues are in for a radical and cool addition

Source: LSD Doors
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The Mercedes-Benz Canada and The Hazelton Hotel created a marketing alliance in the heart of fashion and “high-life” district in Toronto for their guests to experience a 5 star lifestyle. This alliance will incorporate living in the newly designed Hazelton Hotel in Yorkville, Toronto and allow their guests to be chauffeured around in a S550 4Matic house car. In addition guests will have the chance to test drive any Mercedes-Benz products at the hotel’s doorsteps and test drive the cars to and from work. This will maximize their experience within the city and help prospective buyers make their decision quicker.

Full press release and information about the program after the jump..

Press Release

Mercedes-Benz Canada and The Hazelton Hotel announced today the launch of an exciting marketing partnership. The Hazelton Hotel, located in the heart of Toronto’s Yorkville, opened in August 2007 and has the only five-star hotel rating in the city. The Hazelton Hotel and Mercedes-Benz are looking forward to working together to provide their respective Canadian clients added benefits whether they travel to Toronto and stay at the Hazelton Hotel or when it is time to consider the purchase of a new luxury vehicle in their home town.

President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada, Marcus Breitschwerdt says, “It won’t be a surprise to most to see the beginning of a solid relationship blossoming between our two organizations. Both Mercedes-Benz and The Hazelton Hotel are dedicated to the highest standard in all areas of their operations and are committed to making the overall customer experience the most enjoyable possible at every level.”

The Hazelton Hotel’s General Manager, Matthew Opferkuch adds, “Much thought, care and passion have gone into the creation and building of The Hazelton Hotel. Now fully operational, our mandate is to offer the very best stay away from home to our guests. Mercedes-Benz Canada shares our commitment to excellence so it was therefore fitting to embark on this mutually beneficial journey together.”

While in Toronto, The Hazelton Hotel guests have access to the chauffer-driven S550 4MATIC house car to travel to and from downtown appointments. In their large and stylish room, Hazelton guests can peruse the contents of the Canadian Edition of MercedesMagazine. A special test drive program is offered to The Hazelton Hotel’s guests in collaboration with the Mercedes-Benz dealer in the city where they reside across Canada. The guest’s vehicle of choice will be delivered to his or her home or office for a most convenient thorough test drive.

In addition to the standard outstanding sojourn guests experience when they stay at The Hazelton Hotel, Mercedes-Benz Canada customers will also be offered specific privileges when they choose this property during their travels.

Creative direct mail initiatives, shared event hosting and on-line customer programs are currently in the development stage. These will see Mercedes-Benz Canada and The Hazelton Hotel offering their respective clientele additional special customer care benefits.
About Mercedes-Benz Canada

Mercedes-Benz Canada is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of its three brands in Canada; Mercedes-Benz, smart, and Maybach. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Mercedes-Benz Canada employs approximately 1,000 people in 19 locations across Canada. Through a nationwide network of 18 Mercedes-Benz owned retail operations and 39 authorized dealerships, Mercedes-Benz Canada sold 18,547 vehicles in 2007, the best year ever reported for Mercedes-Benz Canada.

About The Hazelton Hotel
The Hazelton Hotel is located in the heart of Yorkville, an upscale neighbourhood that is home to some of Canada’s most exclusive shops and within walking distance to the Royal Ontario Museum, art galleries and award-winning restaurants.

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The start: Heikki and Lewis had qualified second and third respectively. Lewis improved to second behind Massa whilst Heikki dropped to fourth behind Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber). Following a collision at the first corner the Safety Car was deployed.

The race, lap 2: Re-start. Heikki pitted due to a damaged left rear tyre which was the consequence of a coming-together with Kimi Räikkönen at the first corner. The Finn resumed in 18th and last place.
Lap 10: Lewis was second and posted a couple of fastest race laps; his gap behind Massa was about one and a half seconds.
Lap 12: Heikki was 17th.
Lap 15: Lewis was less than a second behind Massa when he came in for his first stop (6.4sec); he resumed in sixth place. Heikki improved to 16th position one lap later.
Lap 24: Lewis outbraked Massa at the end of the back straight and took the lead. Heikki was now 13th.
Lap 25: Lewis opened a gap of 1.8sec.
Lap 26: Heikki pitted from 11th place (9.9sec) and dropped to 15th whilst Lewis’s advantage at the front was 3.8sec.
Lap 32: Leading with 8.3sec, Lewis came in for his second stop (6.2sec) and rejoined the race in third place. Heikki was 14th.
Lap 36: Heikki improved to 12th place.
Lap 43: Following the pit stops of Massa (lap 40) and Räikkönen (lap 43), Lewis was back in the lead.
Lap 45: Lewis came in for his third and final pit stop (5.9sec) and was second, 5.2sec behind Massa and 1.4sec ahead of Räikkönen.
Lap 50: Heikki pitted for the second time (6.2sec) and resumed in 13th place.
Lap 58 (finish): Lewis came home second, 3.7sec behind Massa. Heikki ended up 12th.

Team Comments

Lewis Hamilton“I am so thrilled with today’s result, and I think this is the best race ever for me. It’s not about winning, it’s about feeling that you extract 100% from yourself and the car and I did that today. Before the race our prediction was that all being well I would finish fifth, so second is such a bonus. I was not happy with my performance yesterday and perhaps if I had managed to get the car on pole I could have won. However, we knew that we would have to use a three stop strategy as a precaution as we had some issues with our tyres. The team did a fantastic job, the pitstops were great, and the balance of the car was superb, and we all kept our spirit up. There were no problems with the tyres in the race. I managed to overtake Felipe at one point, and I really think we have closed the gap to Ferrari. I am so excited about the next race in Monaco and just can’t wait.”

Heikki Kovalainen“Not a lucky race for me as I made a bad start from the dirty line on the grid. After the start Kimi and I touched slightly which caused a slow puncture to my left-rear tyre. Initially I was not sure whether the tyre was damaged or not, but during the Safety Car period I realised that I had to come into the pits for a new tyre. That was almost it for me, because with my heavy fuel load and the traffic it is extremely difficult to gain any places during the race. However, I did my best but no points. These things happen, and I have had a good weekend and really enjoyed being back in the car. It’s a shame that we were not able to get points today as I have been fast throughout, but I am really optimistic for Monaco.”

Ron Dennis
“Today we saw a truly phenomenal drive from Lewis, in which he optimised a three-stop strategy that we were forced to adopt as a consequence of concerns we had with his tyres. As a result of the eight points that his second-placed finish netted him, he closed the gap on Kimi in the World Drivers’ Championship to just seven points. Heikki’s race was spoiled by a punctured left-rear tyre, the result of contact with Kimi at the first corner. As soon as the pit lane had reopened, we called him in for tyres and fuel. Thereafter he drove forcefully and well all afternoon. But for that puncture, he would have scored heavily today. I believe we have closed the gap to our main competition which gives the team a great boost before heading for Monte Carlo.”

Norbert Haug“A really exciting Grand Prix and, as I think, quite entertaining for the spectators. We had an aggressive strategy for Lewis which almost paid off as our aims were first places in both qualifying and race. Lewis drove a great race with a good speed. His overtaking maneuver when he passed Massa was surely enjoyed by lots of television spectators as it does not happen too often in Formula 1 that the leading car is passed. Kimi touched Heikki at the first corner, and Heikki had to make an extra pit stop due to a damaged tyre. This ruined his race and prevented him from taking a possible podium finish. We all will continue to work very hard and are looking forward to the season’s highlight in Monte Carlo in two weeks’ time.”

This week, we’ll be announcing more features on the site, until then, please check out the new site and let us know what you think.

Previous versions (V1, V2, V3 respectively)

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Press Release:

The SL 63 AMG Edition IWC will be the first vehicle to be offered with the all-new designo magno Kashmir white finish. An interesting contrast to this color is formed by the components with a Carbon matte finish: the trailing edge , the diffusor insert in the lower back panel, and the side air vents on the front apron. In stylistic sync with these components is the Carbon matte trim on the center console and the interior door panels.

They are harmoniously augmented by the Tobago Brown nappa leather upholstery on the electronically adjustable AMG sports seats, which feature multicontour and memory functions, heating, an AMG-specific perforation pattern, a special design, and AMG badges. The vehicle’s limited edition status is discreetly emphasized by black AMG floormats with Tobago Brown leather piping, AMG door sills with white illuminated AMGlettering, and the IWC logo on the lid of the center console.

To ensure that the driver remains in perfect control of his or her vehicle, the two-tone AMGPerformance steering wheel has a reduced diameter, a rim that’s flattened at the bottom, and silver-finish aluminum gearshift paddles. The steering wheel is part of the Performance package, which also includes forged 19-inch AMG light alloy, double-spoke wheels with a titanium gray finish and polished surfaces. The 8.5-inch and 9.5-inch rims sport 255/35 R 19 and 285/30 R 19 format tires, respectively.

The front axle is equipped with internally ventilated, perforated composite disc brakes (390 x 36 mm) that keep braking distances to a minimum and ensure the vehicle is extremely resistant to fading. Handling is further enhanced by other technical features from the Performance package, including a rear-axle, multi-disc limited-slip differential with a lock factor of 40 percent, as well as an AMG Performance chassis equipped with Active Body Control.

AMG naturally aspirated V8 with 6.3 liters displacement and 386 kW/525 hp

The drive system of the SL 63 AMG Edition IWC will provide motorists with an exhilarating driving experience. Boasting a top output of 386 kW/525 hp and a maximum torque of 630 Nm, the AMG 6.3-liter V8 engine is augmented by an extremely responsive partner in the shape of the all-new AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT seven-speed sports transmission. The SL 63 AMG Edition IWC accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds, while its top speed is electronically limited to 300 km/h.

Mercedes-AMG and IWC Schaffhausen: A luxurious partnership

Along with the vehicle, buyers of the SL 63 AMG Edition IWC will also receive a limited edition model of IWC’s “Grosser Ingenieur” watch. This precious chronometer has a stainless steel housing measuring an impressive 45.5 millimeters in diameter. The design of the watch’s wristband and face compliment the vehicle concept. In addition, the watch’s bottom is made of sapphire glass that reveals the intricate mechanical clockwork with its automatic Pellaton winding system.

Mercedes-AMG has been collaborating with the time-honored Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen since 2004. In October of that year, the two companies presented their first jointly designed vehicle, the CLS 55 AMG “IWC Engineer.”

Customers will be able to order the SL 63 AMG Edition IWC beginning in fall 2008 , and vehicle deliveries will commence in November 2008. The model will be limited to 200 units.