2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG

Want a recipe for a super-exciting four door sport sedan? Drop in a handbuilt AMG powerplant from your most expensive sports car into the otherwise-tame 4 door E-Class, boost the suspension and slow-down-and-stop, add some bling and call it a day. The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG gets the same powerplant as AMG's own SL63, and on-road experience in the latter car shows this motor is truly breathtaking.

Say what you will about the new 2010 E-Class's styling, but in AMG trim the rather ordinary new E gets its chance to look good for the cameras, if you manage to catch one on the road going slowly enough to get a good look.

The E63 AMG is more than a new body and a big motor, and seems to have received the little touches that will allow it to finally compete with the best from BMW and Audi in the driving dynamics department. The E AMG no longer uses a torque converter psuedo-manual, canning that outdated technology in favor of a 7-speed automanual featuring a wet-sump clutch constantly submerged in an oil bath for smooth shifts and protection against wear.

The E63 suspension system is completely revised, with a new steel-springed strut setup up front and an AMG-specific air suspension out back, with all the expected launch and stability controls and other annoyances. Thankfully, the nannies can be sent home for the most part when the 2010 E63 AMG is put into sport mode.

Deliveries for the latest and greatest E-Class begin this August in Europe, with a US release date quick to follow in November 2009. Base price info has not yet been released, but expect something in the $70,000-$85,000 range.

2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Specifications

Chassis
Wheels	Available forged 19-inch AMG light-alloy wheels
Tires Front	255/35 R 19
Tires Rear	285/30 R 19
Suspension	AMG RIDE CONTROL sports suspension with steel-spring front struts, rear air AMG air suspension
Drivetrain
Layout	Front Engine, RWD
Transmission	AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission
Differential	Electronic locking LSD with ESP selectable suspension characteristics
Engine
Type:	Handbuilt AMG V8 introduced on SL63 AMG Roadster
Displacement	6.2 liters
Induction	Naturally aspirated
Horsepower	525 bhp
Torque	465 lb-ft. (630 Nm)
Performance
Acceleration 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h)	4.5 seconds
Top Speed	155 mph, electronically limited

2009 Jaguar XF Review

Reviewers were universal in their love of the new XF’s exterior and interior styling.

Edmunds.com credits its “crouching stance” and “coupelike roof,” that taper into a fastback-style tail, but thought the nose was “somewhat quirky.” Though both Edmunds.com and Automobile comment on the XF’s passing resemblance to the LexusGS series, Automobile thought that gave the new Jaguar a little less “drama than you’d expect...nice but not stunning.” Without the Jaguar hood ornament, they think, you wouldn’t know which company built the new XF. Kelley Blue Book felt the “unorthodox” look has a “sleek, flowing profile.”

From the rear, the high-mounted LED taillamps looked familiar to an Aston Martin, Cars.com said. Motor Trend sums up the exterior critiques by saying, “Make no styling judgments until you've seen the XF in person...in the metal the XF radiates a modernity and sexiness that simply don't translate to the printed page.”

Inside, Automobile thinks “the XF's interior really scores,” and that “the cabin overflows with neat details, such as the gear shifter, covered HVAC vents that rotate to open, a start button that pulses red when you enter the car, and blue lighting around the instruments and dials.” The tech mavens at C/Net were “most impressed by the dashboard components,” like that clever shifter dial that reminds TheCarConnection.com’s editors of a high-end audio system. It’s the combination of “traditional cues with contemporary touches,” in Cars.com’s words, that gives this new Jaguar an ambience completely different from the larger XJ sedan--and from any Jaguar before it.

TheCarConnection.com’s car experts think the 2009 Jaguar XF is without question the most attractive car Jaguar has accomplished in decades. There's nothing heavy-handed or retro about the look. Quite the contrary--it is an extraordinarily modern interpretation that traditional luxury benchmarks like Audi should note well.

read more at CarConnection

1954 Bentley R-Type on eBay Motors - Find of the Day

Have you got two-hundred grand to drop on a Bentley Continental? Well, then you're more fortunate than most of us, but before you head down to the local luxury dealership and place your order for the same car that everyone else in your tony gated community already owns, why not consider something with a little more character? May we suggest this 1954 Bentley R-Type fastback racer.

Crafted on special order in the post-war period, this Chassis #B77ZX has earned a bit of a following from its appearances in concours events, participation in historic races and inclusion in books on Bentley history. Different from the other 2,300+ R-types built, this example features a louvered hood, custom competition wheels, rally lamps and a set of white racing stripes leading over the British Racing Green bodywork from the color-keyed grille surround all the way to the elegantly sloping fastback tail. It's being offered for sale by The San Diego Collection with a buy-it-now price of $195,000, but reasonable offers and trades are also being considered. Check out the images in the gallery below for a closer look.

More Pics --> Auto Blog

Mercedes-Benz CL-Class AMG Convertible Conversion

With every passing year, there seems to be more convertibles on the market. But if you live in a sunny clime like California's, enough sunshine is never enough. That's where convertible chop-shops like Newport Convertible Engineering step in. The folks at NCE will take just about any automobile and turn it into a custom cabrio to a buyer's specifications. The company's portfolio includes recent conversions of a Dodge Challenger, Toyota Prius, Cadillac CTS, Hummer H2, Toyota FJ Cruiser, and this Mercedes-Benz CL AMG. Unfortunately, from the photos seen here, the soft top doesn't seem to collapse quite flush with the rear deck, leaving something to be desired in terms of aesthetics – to say nothing of rearward visibility. Here's hoping there's a snug-fitting cover lurking in whatever trunkspace remains.

More Pics ---> Auto Blog

BREAKING NEWS: Supreme Court clears the way for Chrysler-Fiat deal

With the temporary stay issued yesterday lifted, the Supreme Court will allow the government-backed sale of Chrysler to Fiat. The high court rejected the request from Indiana pension funds and consumer advocates to delay the deal, clearing the way for the sale and setting a precedent for General Motors in its own bankruptcy proceedings.

Read on here ---> Bloomberg

McClaren F1 Up In Smoke

Wow, I can't believe I missed this because I was in Santa Rosa yesterday, and I was two blocks down from where it had happened. Read here for the full story ---> PressDemocrat

Most Ugly Camry Modified

Wire wheel covers: check. Colored tape on the headlights: check. Mass amounts of chrome trim: check. Fake triple side-exit exhaust: check.

I swear this guy isn’t even a teenager. The owner is almost eighty years old and is retired. At least it sounds good, even great. But still...

More Pics ---> Cardomain