Mercedes CLS 63 AMG (2011) scooped again,New Car Quotes, Buy Used Cars,Buy and Sell New and Used Cars,Car Loans,Car Insurance,New Cars,Used Cars,Cars,

Mercedes CLS 63 AMG (2011) scooped again

By Tim Pollard

Spy shots

15 April 2010 10:36


The new Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG is increasingly spotted out on test ahead of launch in 2011. We've been scooping the regular C218-generation CLS for some time – and the AMG once back last autumn – but now we've seen the clearest spy photos yet of the four-door 'coupaloon'. As we reported in 2009, the new CLS 63 will feature AMG's new 5.5-litre twin-turbocharged V8 in place of the outgoing car's naturally aspirated 6.2-litre lump. The 63 badge will remain, however, to reassure buyers that they're still buying top of the pile.

How quick is the new Merc CLS 63 AMG (2011)?

It won't be short on grunt, this new engine. The 5461cc lump packs 544bhp/590lb ft in standard form, and an AMG performance pack upgrade will nick that upwards to nearer 563bhp and 663lb ft. A smaller turbo ensures instant response at low speeds while the larger blower kicks in higher up the rev range for Boeing-spec thrust on the autobahn. The CLS family is based on E-class mechanicals, which bring a seven-speed transmission and the potential for floaty comfort and sharp handling when on back roads. Let's hope there's also a dash more style inside; the new E models are unremittingly sober inside, although the quality has climbed from the previous E-class.

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Mercedes Shooting Break concept (2010)

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

19 April 2010 23:00

Mercedes is this week – volcanic ash cloud notwithstanding – due to unveil this new Shooting Break concept car at the 2010 Beijing auto show. It's a barely disguised show version of a sporting CLS estate. Think a Mercedes wagon for picky types who find the E-class Estate a tad too sensible.
Stuttgart is being unusually candid about this car's provenance, sprinkling the press kit with hints that this will join the next CLS family as a sporty, crossover coupé-estate. There's even an internal codename – X218 – hinting at its production intent. It seems to us that this Shooting Break concept is an altogether far more attractive offering than the 5-series Gran Turismo which fills a similar nano-niche in rival BMW's range. Mercedes-Benz Shooting Break concept car (2010): the lowdown

The CLS 'coupaloon' was conceived as Merc's 'Jag fighter' and has been a success story since launch in 2004. Now it's time to replace the CLS and this is our first look at the new styling direction planned for the 2011 CLS family – albeit in 20in-shod exaggerated show car form. If this shooting break looks familiar, that's because it follows in the footsteps of the 2008 Paris show car, the Fascination concept. Look out in particular at the body surfacing and the new-look nose – the floating grille appears separate from the bonnet, and those headlamps are entirely LED (all 71 of them). 'The Shooting Break concept car is based on the great tradition of a stylish, cultivated sportiness which has always characterised the great Mercedes coupés, and it takes this unique legacy an exciting step further,' gushed Professor Gorden Wagener, chief designer at Mercedes-Benz. 'At the same time it points the way towards the future design idiom of Mercedes-Benz.'

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Jaguar XJ Supersport (2010) CAR review

By Phil McNamara

20 April 2010 10:36

The Supersport is the cream on top of Jaguar’s new XJ range for 2010. The supercharged V8-powered limousine is the flagship, a full-fat experience in which only 5% of XJ customers will indulge. How does the £87,455, ultimate version of Britain’s S-class drive? That’s not a Jag XJ, that’s a Citroen concept car! Whatever happened to drawing rooms on wheels?
Unless you’ve been taking a shower of Bobby Ewing proportions, you’ll have spotted the design transformation of Jaguar’s saloons. The 2010 XJ takes the boldness of the 2008 XF and twists, gambling on a radical-looking limo in a conservative market segment. It’s an imposing mash-up of limousine stature and sporty details, such as the diving roofline, colossal grille, 911-style flared hips and 19-inch wheels as standard (the Supersport rolls on 20s). The brutish XJ looks like nothing else in its class, whereas its predecessor looked identical to its forebear. That’s progress, with bells on.

The cabin trumps its avantgarde exterior. Every dashboard is wrapped in luxurious leather, and glinting round vents and a big, concave steering wheel evoke ‘50s Americana. Genuine wood inserts flow from the doors around the dash-top to form a prow like a boat’s, meeting in an understated Jaguar plaque below the centre of the windscreen.

Jaguar chauffeured journalists in long wheelbase XJs (around £3000 for the extra legroom) through dark Parisienne streets. The Eiffel Tower glowed yellow overhead, visible through the standard double-section glass roof, complementing the gentle blue haze of the interior lighting. A wonderfully atmospheric experience, enhanced by a cabin that positively reeks of luxury and character: eliminate the badges and customers could mistake it for a Bentley’s. It makes the German interiors look cheap and dowdy.

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How to take the perfect oversteer photograph

By Tim Pollard

16 April 2010 15:28



Poring over the photos from our May 2010 cover shoot, we were struck by a sequence of frames showing ace photographer Paul Barshon at work. We'd gathered together eight of the greatest Quattros ever conceived by Audi to celebrate 30 years of fast four-wheel drives and writer Jethro Bovingdon was out to prove a point. Namely that Quattros will drift. If you're violent enough with the throttle/wheel/angle of attack.

But as well as a stunning sequence of sideways shots, we were impressed by just how close Barshon was to a very crossed-up, 1.7-tonne Audi supercar. Designer Alex Tapley, who rattled off the behind-the-scenes shots above, reckons he was less than six feet away from a £112,000 accident.

'Get close, close your eyes and hope for the best,' laughs Barshon. 'You just go by feel. When I shoot bikes, I get them coming one foot away from me. In fact I've been hit twice by motorcycle mirrors – one hit my camera and left me with a black eye for a week.

'It's all about creating drama. You want to put yourself in a position that creates drama and that's why I get as close as possible to the subject. You have to have a driver who knows what he's doing and whom you trust. Jethro was inch perfect.

'I like to shoot at slow shutter speeds to create drama and actually wanted to get closer still.'

Oh, and one last thing for us mere amateurs. Don't forget to take the lens cap off.

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Buying a used car

Used car or new? What car is right for me? Where to look for used cars, what to look for when buying a used car? There are many questions you may have when it comes to used car buying process. In this article I will answer to some of these questions and hopefully, make the used car buying process easier for you. There are many essential facts you should consider before buying your next car so you won't regret your decision for a moment afterwards.

• New or used car
• Taking a risk out of used car buying process
• Car value and price

New or used car

By purchasing a used car, you can save a lot of money. A new car depreciates quickly in the first few years and after 3 years, it is worth only about 60-70% of the original price. In fact, as soon as you leave the dealership, your new vehicle is suddenly worth $1000-$2000 less. When purchasing a new car you basically are paying for its fresh "new" aroma and warranty. Yet, buying a new car does not always mean the buyer will get perfection. A new car may come with problems associated with poor design or manufacturing defects that may have been already repaired during the warranty coverage period if it's a used car. The same is true for all kinds of recalls and service campaigns. Another advantage of buying a used car is that you could buy a loaded model with all the bells and whistles that you might not be able to afford had you bought a new car.
However, buying a used car is still a bit of a gamble - there is no guarantee that the car is accident-free, has real mileage, and was properly maintained. There may be some hidden problems like a worn out automatic transmission, or engine problems that may not have been obvious when you test-drove the car. So, next you must ask yourself: Will I save money when buying a used car? How do I eliminate the risk of potential problems and is this actually possible to do? Read on to find out more information.