Driving Sports

Western Automotive Journalists Gather For "Media Days" At Laguna Seca

The Western Automotive Journalists organization gathered this week in beautiful Monterey, Calif. to test drive the 2008 sports and luxury car field from virtually every automaker doing business in North America. Journalists from up and down the west coast arrived to test the full fleet of 2008 cars on the winding mountain roads of Carmel Valley and at speed on the track at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Yes, that's the new Nissan GT-R parked next to the NISMO Edition 350Z in the photo to the right. Yes, they're as good as you think they are.

Events such as this serve a number of purposes, including a rare chance for side-by-side tests of comparable cars from different automakers, and also to allow a relaxed atmosphere to talk shop with the manufacturer representatives. But I wouldn't lie to you and tell you it was anything like working - this event is big-time fun.

New Benz Roadster To Feature Bitchin' Harmon-Kardon Stereo

Mercedes has announced that the “Harman Kardon® Discrete Logic 7® Sound System” will be delivered in the new Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, to offer top quality tunes with the vario-roof up or down.

Carefully chosen technical components in combination with innovative technologies and precise sound tuning by the Harman Kardon acoustics specialists deliver an authentic surround experience in the Mercedes-Benz high-end roadster. “The new SL-Class offers a spacious and enveloping sound field for every passenger with superior dynamic range and the ability to deliver the subtle details of both normal stereo and modern 5.1 recordings, perfectly matching the premium character of luxury models,” emphasizes Stephanie Sauter, Harman Kardon Global Brand & Product Marketing Manager.

Hamilton takes Aussie F1

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton won the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, the first race of the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship. After turbulent 58 laps (307.574 kms) with three Safety Car periods, Lewis won with 5.4sec ahead of Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber) and Nico Rosberg (Williams Toyota).

“I feel fantastic – what a dream start to the season and my championship challenge. I am sorry not to have Heikki with me on the podium as a one-two would have been a great reward to the team.  It was a super race which I controlled from the beginning. I was able to drive at a steady pace without feeling any pressure which is always the ideal situation when you are leading. The three Safety Car periods meant that there was never time to relax and the whole situation was a bit like Canada last year when I claimed my first victory. We constantly had to change our strategy and the strategists were on the ball throughout which was super. The car is fantastic to drive and the team has done a superb job. I have prepared much better this year than last and it’s important that myself and the team continue to push hard in the months to come,” Hamilton said.

AMG/Mercedes to Supply F1 Medical Cars

With the new Official F1™ Safety Car and the new Official F1™ Medical Car, Mercedes-AMG, the performance brand of Mercedes-Benz, is launching into the 2008 Formula 1 season.

The Safety Car, based on the SL 63 AMG, and the Medical Car, derived from the C 63 AMG Estate, have the task of ensuring maximum safety at all 18 Formula 1 races. The two specially prepared AMG high-performance automobiles will be on duty for the first time when the Grand Prix season kicks off in Melbourne, Australia from March 14 to 16.

The Official F1™ Safety Car is immediately on hand whenever the safety of a race is threatened by accidents, adverse weather conditions or other hazardous situations. After receiving his instructions from the race management, Bernd Mayländer, the driver of the Safety Car, must go to the head of the Formula 1 field and safely guide the world's fastest racing drivers around the circuit. Fast lap times are a must for the Safety Car, because otherwise the sensitive Formula 1 engines would overheat – and their tyres and brakes would cool down excessively.

Mercedes Announces GLK Hybrid SUV

Mercedes-Benz will announce the diesel-electric-powered Vision GLK BLUETEC HYBRID to their SUV line-up at the Geneva Auto Show next week. This proof-of-concept study illustrates the possibilities of the company's "TrueBlueSolutions" strategy in the compact SUV segment.

The Vision GLK BLUETEC HYBRID achieved this goal by combining the new BLUETEC four-cylinder diesel engine generation with a hybrid module. This combination generates an overall output of 165 kW/224 hp, and a torque of 560 Nm. Superior performance can be taken as read in view of these figures. And yet the Vision GLK BLUETEC HYBRID returns a fuel consumption of only 5.9 l per 100 km. (39.87 MPG)

With fuel prices expected to hit $4/Gallon by Spring in the United States and the promotion of clean diesel engines through racing series such as the VW TDI Cup, this looks like a timely announcement from the venerable German automaker.

Mercedes Begins Shipping New SLK Line

The Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class Roadsters have long captured the hearts of sports car enthusiasts. Following an extensive facelift incorporating around 650 newly developed components, the SLK models of 2008 are even more dynamic and now offer an even more emotionally charged driving experience. Key visual enhancements include new-look front and rear sections, as well as a meticulously modified interior with a new instrument cluster and three-spoke sports steering wheel. The high-revving V6 sports engine in the SLK 350 developing 224 kW/305 hp and an optionally available direct-steer system truly bring the bold, dynamic character of the two seater to the fore.

Furthermore, all of the engines in the line-up are now far more economical on fuel and therefore emit even less CO2, despite a substantial increase in output in some cases. The new-generation SLK models will be available for delivery from April 2008.

2008 Mercedes Benz C350 Reviewed

I like cars with plenty of torque and horsepower. I really like cars with lively handing and an eager attitude towards a curvy mountain road. A comfortable car is nice to have, too. But what really gets me going is a car that offers a great value – a lot of car for not a lot of money. The best of all cars offer great handling, a punchy engine, nice features inside, and a surprisingly pleasant sticker price.