The New Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe

    Stylistically self-assured presence, exclusive appointments and refined sportiness – the new S-Class Coupé from Mercedes-Benz combines the classic proportions of a large, sporty coupé with modern luxury and state-of-the art technology. As a world première, the breathtaking two-door coupé can be optionally equipped with the MAGIC BODY CONTROL suspension system with curve tilting function. Additional technical highlights are the head-up display and the touch pad feature. Optionally available expressive headlamps, each featuring 47 Swarovski crystals, produce a uniquely striking appearance.

    Performance

    The two-door car is available with a 4663 cc V8 biturbo engine. The S 500 Coupé has a nominal output of 335 kW (455 hp), its torque level peaks at 700 Nm. The sporty motoring experience is significantly enhanced by the emotional sound produced by the exhaust system.

    MAGIC BODY CONTROL, the first “suspension with eyes”, had its world première in the S-Class. With the curve tilting function the Coupé introduces a further world first for series-production cars: The Coupé leans into bends in a manner similar to a motorcyclist or skier. The lateral acceleration acting upon occupants is reduced in a way akin to when driving in a steep curve, and passengers sit more firmly. On country roads in particular, the new curve tilting function enhances motoring enjoyment and comfort.

    Safety

    Like the S-Class Saloon, the new Coupé is available with numerous new assistance systems that make driving even more comfortable and safer. The “Intelligent Drive” systems include, among other things the PRE-SAFE® brake with pedestrian detection, DISTRONIC PLUS with Steer Assist and Stop&Go Pilot, BAS PLUS with junction assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive High-beam Assist Plus and Night View Assist Plus. COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS features an additional function apart from the adaptive brake assistant, which provides collision protection from a speed of 7 km/h: if there remains a danger of collision and the driver fails to respond, the system can carry out an autonomous braking manoeuvre at speeds of up to 105 km/h, thereby reducing the severity of collisions with slower or stopping vehicles. The system also brakes in response to stationary vehicles at a speed of up to 50 km/h, and is able to prevent rear-end collisions at up to 40 km/h.

    Exterior

    The view from the side is marked by the dropping line in keeping with the emotional character of the vehicle. It underscores the brand-typical proportions like a signature. The lines are deliberately reduced to the basics. This creates a sensual, timeless purity.
    The creative interaction of diverse design elements lends the S-Class Coupé a superior, self-confident front: in the centre of the vehicle front end is the further-evolved three-dimensional diamond radiator grille, whose structure is defined by rectangular, chrome-plated elements. It incorporates the central Mercedes three-pointed star and one louvre.

    The full-LED headlamps with their iconic eyebrows as daytime running lamps lend it an extremely self-assured and distinctive gaze. On the S-Class Coupé the eyebrows have been further refined with a semi-circular counter-curve. In combination with the standard LED Intelligent Light System, unique headlamps with no less than 47 Swarovski crystals are available. 17 angular crystals form the flare-shaped daytime running lamps, with 30 round-shaped crystals making up the turn indicator lamps.

    The side profile is defined by the dome-shaped stretched roof line and the frameless doors. An elegant 3D continuous chrome frame surrounds the glass areas that are uninterrupted by B-pillars. This underscores the Mercedes-typical coupé look.
    A muscle above the rear axle extending from the side wall generates a sense of lightness and dynamic spirit even at a standstill. The positively arched surfaces and lines of the side walls flow into the rear end with a dramatic tapered effect.

    The rear end with its surfaces, broad shoulders and distinctive character lines rounds off the emotive overall appearance. Moving the license plate mounting to the lower part of the rear bumper is a particularly striking modification. It allows the boot lid to be made especially sleek in this area. The three-pointed star is, so to say, free-standing and can thus be made more prominent for greater effect. In addition it pivots outwards in order to locate the reversing camera and the optional 360° camera in an elegantly functional manner.

    Interior

    The interior design of the new S-Class Coupé is an expression of the Mercedes-Benz design idiom – sensual purity. An enthralling combination of sculptural sensuous volume elements and components, and the clear geometry of its basic architecture create an avant-garde design idiom. A high class appeal, quality workmanship and exceptional touch and feel are a treat for the passengers’ senses, so that the car’s interior represents the highest level of “modern luxury”.

     

    The S-Class Coupé’s dashboard fascinates with its spectacular architecture, giving rise to a vehicle of unique character in the upper coupé segment. The dashboard is divided into a very clear top-layer section with an expansive “wrap-around” effect extending to the doors, and an extremely low, sculptural “floating” lower section. This striking architecture was made possible by repositioning the airbag to a completely new low location. This concept enables the large, two-part wide-screen format TFT display to be placed in a prominent “hovering” position in front of this trim surface. In addition, it is stylishly highlighted with an ambience lighting corona. Under the display, the sporty elevated centre console extends to the vehicle rear. All lids and armrests are lavishly covered in leather.

     

     

     

    WS Awards 2013: Car of the Year

    It’s getting nearer to 2014, and it’s now where we start to reflect and dwell on the past year. But it’s not all doom and gloom for 2013, it has been an amazing year for car nuts. The best part of 2013 has got to be the the debuts of all the hypercars at the Geneva Motor Show, it was a biblical scene.

    However, this article is way more important than the most exciting debuts of 2013, it’s our very own Car of the Year award. It will be split up into 5 segments from Hypercars to Performance SUV & Saloons. Each nominee will receive an award for either 1st (gold), 2nd (silver) or 3rd place (bronze).

    HYPERCAR OF THE YEAR

    Hypercars. There’s many ways to describe them, barbarically fast, ridiculously expensive, incredibly lust-able, however you describe it though, just defies this segment of cars into one word: Mad. 2013 saw the most incredible Hypercar fight of all-time, this included the all-new McLaren P1, Ferrari LaFerrari, Porsche 918 Spyder, Koenigsegg Agera R and the Pagani Huayra. It was an incredible competition between all 5 automakers, but only 3 will come out on top for us.

    1st: McLaren P1



    The P1 is McLaren’s successor to the F1 from the 90′s. It was created to rival with the likes of the LaFerrari, Huayra, 918 and Agera R. The P1 boasts 903 horsepower, can hit 62 mph in less than three seconds, can hit 186 mph in less than 17 seconds, and will run into an electronic wall at 217 mph. It has also set a ‘sub-seven minute time at the Nurburgring. Why does it take first place? Well, the P1 is a massive step up from the F1, for a firm who didn’t make road cars for over 10 years to suddenly come out with a innovative super-sonic masterpiece like the P1, is truly incredible.

    2nd: Porsche 918 Spyder



    The Porsche 918 Spyder is a direct successor to the 2003 Porsche Carrera GT. Costing a whopping £720,420 (with Weissach pack), the 918 must pack a punch. It does. The 918 features a 4.6-litre V8 which produces 875bhp, hits 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds, a combined economy figure of 85.6mpg, a top speed of 211. On top of all that, it’s a hybrid, it has an electric motor which runs on lithium-ion batteries. The electric motor produces 154bhp alone. Solely on electricity, it can go 18 miles at a top speed of 93 mph. The 918 is a technological step forward in the automotive world, many automakers will learn from the 918. Porsche proved you can still go stupendously fast, whilst keeping your wallet happy. 

    3rd: Ferrari LaFerrari



    After the Enzo, Ferrari had to decide where to go next, and this is it, the Ferrari LaFerrari. Forget about its odd name for a second and just look at it, it’s nothing short of bloody awesome. It is definitely a bed-room pin-up poster. The LaFerrari packs the same 6.3-liter V12 as the front-engined Ferrari F12, but it’s been reworked for the LaFerrari’s mid-engined layout. This means the power has been upped to a mind boggling 789bhp produced at a crazy 9000rpm. And the V12 will keep revving to 9250rpm. Peak torque is 516lb ft at 6750rpm.

    SUPERCAR OF THE YEAR

    Think of supercars as toned-down versions of hypercars. They are mad, but quite subtle compared. Supercars are focused, road going batshit-fast-mobiles, that can make you look immensely cool on the road whilst obliterating everything at the lights.

    Porsche 991 GT3



    The 991 GT3 is a direct successor to the 997 GT3. The new GT3 features a naturally-aspirated 3.8-liter flat-six engine which develops 475 hp and has a rev limit of 9,000rpm. This power is sent to the road via a seven-speed PDK double-clutch transmission with unique steering wheel paddle-shift. The GT3 also features innovative active rear-wheel steering which increases cornering agility and enhances high speed stability. Combined, the 991 GT3 will accelerate from naught to 62 mph in 3.5 and will reach a top speed of 196 mph.

    Honourable Mentions

    Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
    Lamborghini Aventador Roadster
    McLaren 12C

     

    SPORTSCAR OF THE YEAR

    The definition of fun, adequate performance, just enough to allow you to throw it around a corner and come out the other side completely unscathed, the sportscar.

    Jaguar F-Type V6 S



    The F-Type. Nothing short of amazing. As a car we’ve driven and tested, it was one of our all-time favourites. The V6 was lacking the specialty and the potential to what the F-Type could offer, the V8 was just a mental patient hiding in a car’s engine bay, but the V6 S is the sweet spot of the bunch, not too harsh, not too less, just perfect. Incredible handing, incredible performance and a truly biblical sound. It wins our Sportscar of the year award.

    Honourable Mentions

    Porsche Boxster S
    Porsche Cayman S
    Toyota GT86

    HOT-HATCHBACK OF THE YEAR

    Little pocket rockets. Using 100% of the power all of the time, whether it’s in town, or on a country road, hot hatches dominate corners, yet they retain being practical for the weekly shop as well! The perfect segment of car? Well, that’s for you to decide.

    Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG



    Mercedes-Benz totally revolutionized the hot-hatch market when they revealed the A45 AMG. The A45 is faster than its rivals in a straight line and around a track. Some incredible engineering has gone into this car by cramming a record thrashing 355bhp into a little 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine which gave its engine the title of the most powerful 4-cylinder engine ever made. It’s an absolute hoot to drive, it crackles on upshifts, it wants to oversteer even though it has a very good all-wheel-drive system and handles wonderfully. It wins our hot-hatchback of the year award.

    Honourable Mentions

    BMW M135i
    Audi S3
    Ford Fiesta ST

     

    PERFORMANCE SALOON OF THE YEAR

    You’ve settled down now with kids, a stable job, a loving wife, but no car. You need a family car, but you’re a race-car driver, and you want a family race-car.

    Jaguar XFR-S


    Before you chant “why not the M5, E63 or RS6?!” Well, specialty, exclusivity and brutality is what fun means these days. The XFR-S is not just unique, it’s rare, with only 20 entering the UK and 100 going to the US, it’s an epic unicorn. The XFR-S is Jaguar’s attempt to take on ‘Benz, BMW and Audi. It may not be faster in a straight line, nor it may not be faster around a track, but this car is just such an awesome creation by Jaguar, it turns heads, it makes a sweet noise and is still bloody quick.

    Honourable Mentions

    Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S Model
    BMW M5 F10
    Audi RS6

     

    PERFORMANCE SUV OF THE YEAR

    Need more space, power, and practicality? Well look no further, performance SUV’s might just be for you!

    Porsche Cayenne Turbo S



    When it comes cars that are heavy and tall, taking it on a track seems totally hopeless. However, it seems Porsche has totally defied physics by making this car feel like a sports car on the road. No idea how they’ve done it, but those clever engineers at Porsche deserve a pat on the back for the Turbo S, it’s immensely quick in a straight line and can do four-wheel-doughnuts all day long, what more could you want? Oh, it can take the kids to school and do the weekly shop.

    Honourable Mentions

    Range Rover Sport 5.0
    Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG
    BMW X5M

     
    That wraps it up for this year, see you on the other side in 2014! Happy new year from us at Wild Speed.

    XKR-S GT vs C63 BS vs V12 Vantage S

    It’s a weird world isn’t these days, automakers seem to be making hardcore versions of already hardcore version cars. Is it all really necessary? Well, automakers would like to think so.

    The XKR-S GT is a hardcore version of a hardcore version of a hardcore version… Yep, XKR, XKR-S, XKR-S GT. But the end result is a proper track weapon.

    The Aston Martin Vantage V12 S is an upgraded version of the already mad V12 Vantage.

    The C63 AMG is hardcore enough but AMG decided it needed more, it needed treatment from the Black works.

    Now all you need to do is kick back, relax and just enjoy all three of these beasts go hand in hand.

    Steve Sutcliffe of Autocar magazine demonstrates.

    2014 Mercedes-Benz C-Class AMG Pack Revealed

    Mercedes-Benz has just revealed their AMG Line Pack for the all-new 2014 C-Class. Ideal for those who either can’t wait for the C63 or just can’t afford its hefty price tag. The AMG Line makes most Mercedes’ look like they just rolled out of the Affalterbach plant.

    The exterior kit includes an AMG front apron, new bumper, mesh grille with two louvers and chrome inserts, AMG side skirts, a new body-color rear bumper, and polished aluminum window surround and trim strip.

    The pack also includes chassis upgrades such as a new set of 18-inch five-spoke alloys, lowers sports suspension, upgraded brakes and an exhaust system. Pricing is yet to be announced.

    Top 5 Car Debuts Of 2013

    We’re nearing the end of 2013, and it’s around this time where we start to reflect on the whole year, specifically the year of automobiles. 2012 had some pretty cool debuts such as the BMW M5 and even fast sports-utility-vehicles like the ML63 AMG.

    However, 2013 was less about thje ‘normal car turned fast’ and more about cars that were built to be fast in the first place. Below we have listed our top 5 car debuts of 2013. This list is in no particular order.

    McLaren P1

    The P1 is McLaren’s successor to the F1 from the 90’s. It was created to rival with the likes of the LaFerrari, Huayra, 918 and Agera R. The P1 boasts 903 horsepower, can hit 62 mph in less than three seconds, can hit 186 mph in less than 17 seconds, and will run into an electronic wall at 217 mph.

    Porsche 991 GT3

    The 991 GT3 is a direct successor to the 997 GT3. The new GT3 features a naturally-aspirated 3.8-liter flat-six engine which develops 475 hp and has a rev limit of 9,000rpm. This power is sent to the road via a seven-speed PDK double-clutch transmission with unique steering wheel paddle-shift. The GT3 also features innovative active rear-wheel steering which increases cornering agility and enhances high speed stability. Combined, the 991 GT3 will accelerate from naught to 62 mpg in 3.5 and will reach a top speed of 196 mph.

    Ferrari 458 Speciale

    Being the successor to the legendary F430 Scuderia, the Speciale had a lot to live up to, and it did. The 4.5-liter V8 in the Speciale makes 597 horsepower at a 9000-rpm peak unlike the regular 458’s 562 horsepower. This is made possible by a14.0:1 compression ratio, revised combustion chambers, new pistons, shorter intake runners, reshaped intake ports, and higher lift on the exhaust and intake valves, along with a new carbon-fiber manifold and airbox.

    Jaguar F-Type R Coupe

    After the success of the F-Type Roadster, Jaguar gave the Coupe variant a green light and with its unveiling came the ‘R’ version which packs 550PS 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine enabling acceleration from 0-60 mph in 4.0-seconds, and a top speed of 186 mph (limited)

    Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG

    Although not appealing to many, it appeals to the family man who wants the perfect blend between luxury and performance. The S63 AMG features AMG’s M157 5.5-liter biturbo engine which produces 585 horsepower and a mad 900 newton meters of torque.

    Mercedes-Benz Smartwatch Revealed

      Mercedes-Benz recently teamed up with Pebble Technology to create a new smarthwatch which will connect to any Mercedes-Benz car. Smartwatch will allow the driver to alert them of potential hazards such as road traffic accidents via V2V communication.

      However, Mercedes-Benz isn’t the first marque to come up with something like this, Nissan unveiled the Nissan Nismo smartwatch earlier this year which allows the driver to monitor vehicle information from a watch.

      At this moment in time, there is no word from ‘Benz about when the Smartwatch will be available or how much it will cost but expect an unveiling at the CES Show in January.

      Mercedes-Benz Retaliates To Jaguar

      Since Jaguar randomly took the piss out of Mercedes’ Magic Body Control advert, Mercedes-Benz has now retaliated but in image-form.

      This time, Jaguar’s ‘cat-like reflexes’ has been overpowered by Mercedes-Benz’s PRE-SAFE Brake advert.

      Your move, Jaguar.

      Jaguar’s Hilarious Reply To Mercedes’ Chicken Advert

      Isn’t rivalry just the best, each company being careful not to say too much, and not too little. We’ve seen Audi and BMW fight it out on billboards, now it’s Jaguar taking the piss out of Mercedes-Benz’s ‘Magic Body Control’ system (incorporated in the new S-Class) out of the blue!

      Here’s the original Mercedes-Benz video: 

      Ding, ding, ding, your turn ‘Benz!

      Mercedes-Benz CLA Is ‘Overwhelming Success’

      Since Mercedes-Benz first introduced the CLA in 2013, sales have been booming with success.

      However, with success comes it’s own problems. In this case Mercedes-Benz just can’t build enough for the overwhelming demand they are receiving. Factories are working overtime because dealers just can’t get them in stock yet orders are pouring in and customers aren’t receiving their cars quick enough.

      Mercedes-Benz has even informed its US dealer network to expect to see a limited amount of CLAs in the first half of 2014.

      The CLA has been Mercedes’ best launch in about 20 years as their market of youngsters have been splashing their cash.

      BMW, we have a problem!