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Mercedes SL500 (2012) CAR review

Ben Barry, 07 March 2012 12:15

This is the new Mercedes-Benz SL, only the sixth SL generation to launch in six decades. And because they don’t release one very often, you can typically expect a new SL to mark a giant leap on from the last one. This new Mercedes SL (codenamed R231) is no exception. What are the key changes to this new sixth-generation Mercedes SL? ...

Mercedes R350 CDI L (2011) CAR review

3.5

Ben Barry, 11 November 2011 09:26

What factors contribute to the size of your typical family? Costs, contraception, the size of the family home, the fear of having an uneven-numbered odd-one-out, divorce? One of my overbearing concerns has always been the limiting effect a larger family would have on my choice of car, both in terms of enjoyment and in purely practical concerns. Selfish, I know. ...

Mercedes E63 AMG Performance Package (2011) CAR review

3.5

Ben Barry, 08 July 2011 17:00

This is the new Mercedes E63 AMG, the hottest Mercedes E-class. It looks the same, but those 'V8 biturbo' badges on the front wings give the game away: the old naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 has given way to a new 5.5-litre V8 twin turbo. This makes the E63 the last AMG to get the 5.5 part way through its life ...

Mercedes C350 CDI facelift (2011) CAR review

2.5

Ben Barry, 08 March 2011 08:00

At a casual glance the revised 2011 Mercedes C-class looks much the same, but this mid-life facelift actually consists of 2000 new parts that variously fettle the exterior, interior and powertrain – more than any other facelift in Merc’s history. What are the main changes to the facelifted C-class? The exterior looks a little sharper thanks to new bumpers, headlights ...

Mercedes SLK 250 (2011) CAR review

3.5

Ben Barry, 08 March 2011 00:01

This is the new Mercedes-Benz SLK, the third generation of Stuttgart’s folding hardtop sports car. Traditionally, 50-something females have been the SLK’s key demographic, but Mercedes is trying to shift the needle a little towards men. It’s a tricky brief : improve refinement and usability even further, while enhancing driving dynamics too. But Mercedes is bullish: ‘We were surprised when ...

Mercedes C63 DR520 Estate (2010) CAR review

3.5

Ben Barry, 13 August 2010 07:50

The Mercedes C63 AMG isn’t exactly a common sight on our roads, but if you’d like a little more exclusivity, how about this: the DR520. It’s based on the C63, but fettled at Mercedes-Benz’s Brooklands UK headquarters. Only 20 will be built in either saloon or estate spec, and we’re driving the estate. What are the changes that create the ...

Mercedes E250 CGI Cabriolet (2010) CAR review

Ben Barry, 30 March 2010 10:30

With the CLK convertible out of the Mercedes line-up, the four-seat soft-top niche is filled by this, the E-class Cabriolet. We’re driving the E250 CGI. What’s the spec of the new Mercedes E250 CGI Cabriolet? The CGI part tells us we’re driving a direct-injection petrol turbo. The 250 bit means this is the 1.8-litre turbo that’s good for 201bhp and ...

Mercedes E250 CDI Cabriolet (2010) CAR review

2.5

Ben Barry, 22 March 2010 12:13

All is not what it seems in Mercville these days. Take the new E-class Coupé and Cabriolet twins. They wear the proud E-class badge, yet strip away the verisimilitude and you'll spot the guts and garters from the C-class and E-class parts cupboards. But those looks are 100% new E, and we'd have to admit the new E-class convertible is ...

Mercedes S400 Hybrid (2009) CAR review

Ben Barry, 11 May 2009 11:50

Mercedes always strives for its S-class to be at the technological cutting edge, so it must have been pretty miffed when Lexus beat it to market with its S-rivalling, hybrid-powered LS600h. This, then, is Mercedes’ riposte: the S400 Hybrid. Brilliant, an S-class hybrid! When do I get mine? Ah. Yes. Thing is, you won’t, not unless you steer from the ...

Mercedes C63 AMG Estate (2009) CAR review

Ben Barry, 02 March 2009 09:30

Seems like the Mercedes C63 AMG estate has a bit of breathing space. Why? Because if you’re in the market for a circa-£50k muscle estate, you’re options are seriously limited. BMW failed to come through with the M3 Touring and there’ll be no RS4 Avant this time (just the V6 S4 Avant and RS5 coupe), leaving you with the option ...

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