2012 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG

This car should not exist. With all of the environmental regulations that are strangling the performance car industry, and the large economic crisis at had, the last thing that you would expect out of a car company is a super SUV. Why would Mercedes be so risky? What do they have to prove? Here is what I think: the boys at AMG and Mercedes have been hard at work making their cars greener and more economical. All of this put fast cars on the back shelf and the designers were so fed up with all of this diesel this and hybrid that, that they decided to have a field day. And this is the result.
The idea of a super SUV was first taken into the modern age with the BMW X5M, which is very ugly. The principle was very simple: take a big car that is ment for taking the kids to school, and put a massive engine in it, no matter what the cost. Fortunately, I have had the honor of seeing one on the road recently, which means that BMW met its sales goal of 1. Mercedes must have some large cajones to be putting out a brand new super SUV when performance car sales are at all time lows. However, AMG feels that there is a large enough market of rich fathers who, for some reason would rather have this car than a regular ML as well as a Porche Boxter for the same price. So what is the reason for buying this car? For its cool factor. Let me explain- in our day and age and in America, we like other people knowing that we are rich without telling them that you are. The best way to do this is to be very vulgar with your choice of car, and this one does the job perfectly. Obviously, an onlooker will see that you own an utterly preposterous car, but then think, "wow, that person has not thought about fuel economy, saving the planet, value for money, comfort, or practicality. They must be doing well." If you own this car, the Joneses do not stand a chance.
Now lets get to the specs. With the ML, you get a twin-turbo V8 that produces 518 bhp and is sent to all four wheels via a 7-speed automatic transmission with a manual shifting mode. This power will get you to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and on to a limited top speed of 155 mph. These kinds of figures are in the sports car range, but they should be, for the kind of money that one must shell out for one of these things. Well, its not going to get any better, so here it goes... it costs 100 grand. With that price, this car is stupid. If you are going to spend that much money on a car, just buy a BMW M5, I promise that you will be much happier.
This is a car that not many people will buy. But that is not the point of it, the point of this car is to show us that AMG is still a crazy, half mad tuning company that is ready to make a stupid car that we all love, but never want.

Pagani Huayra

This is the most-anticipated super car of 2012, and the best part is... ITS COMING TO THE USA!!!!! I have always love Pagani and I adore the Zonda. It was the perfect blend of power, lightness,  crazy styling, gorgeous interior, and exclusivity. The Zonda, however, is now dead. In its place, however, comes the new Huayra is almost here. The name is pronounced why-ra and there is no doubting that it looks absolutely fantastic. Its something you cannot describe, but i found myself spending hours just looking at the damn thing. Even the purely functional bits are beautiful; the side mirrors, for instance, are shaped like a teardrop and are made from carbon fiber. The interior is equally astonishing, swathed in sumptuous leather with amazing carbon fiber and aluminium accents. Im not sure there has ever been a better interior, except for the last Zonda F Roadster. Like the new Ford Mustang, you have the ability to choose the color of the instruments from many different shades. Even the key is interesting: it is a scale model of the car that cracks in half to reveal the key. The driver then puts the key into the slot on the dashboard. It rather looks like someone's small Huayra has smashed into your dashboard.
This is the first Pagani with an airbag mounted in the steering column, which is an indication of the company's new goal: to sell cars in the USA. This will be the first time that a Pagani will be on sale in the US and I think that it will work out very well for them. George Clooney will probably buy one. To get the car to the Uninted States, the car has to pass many safty tests and complete someting like 300,000 miles in one car to make sure that it can withstand the terrors of everyday driving.
The best thing about this car is that it will be built utterly without compromise. For example, the speedometer plate will not not just be a stamed pieces of metal but one that is handmade. Not even Rolls-Royce do that. The new Huayra will use a massive twin-turbo 5.98 litre Mercedes-Benz V-12 engine.  As you can hera in the video that goes along with this post, the Huayra's engine makes a very unique and tremendous sound. However, i think that it sounds absolutely awful. It might just be the quality of the video, but it sounds like someone sneezing for a very long time. In addition to the sound, i would think that the turbo lag would get a little bit annoying for those who have driven the naturally-aspirated Zondas. Im not sure, however, that the person who buys a car like this will be as interested in the sound as in the raw power. The Huayra develops-get this- 700 bhp! thats 10 more than a Lamborghini Aventador, 90 more than a Ferarri 599, and 60 more than a Fararri FF. In addition, as you can see in the video, the "active aerodynamics are very fun to watch. the air brake seems to be very high tech and means that it will stop, in the words of Jeremy Clarkson, "only faster if you hit a tree!"
There are, however, somethings that im not too sure about. First, I dont like the name. The title Zonda was something that was almost as expressive as the car but Huayra just sounds odd. Secondly, i wished that they had kept up their tradition in the Zonda and fitted it with a manual. The old Zonda racing gearboxes were great and I just wish that they could have done the same thing with the Huayra. Lastly, im not sold on the engine. I know that it is immensely powerful and loud, but in my mind Paganis have always been about natural aspiration and split second acceleration. Im also not sure about the price. It it going to cost about $1.4 million, and for a car that is not much faster than a half-of-a-million dollar Lamborghini Aventador, that does seem like a lot.

But i am nit-picking. None of these small details take much away from the Huayra. It is absolutely fantastic and I am told that they already have orders for 51 of them. Horacio Pagani better get started, because this one is going to be a classic.

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55

In the past, the only reason that you would buy this car is if you cannot afford a SL, or you absolutely hate the Porsche Boxer S. That was the simple truth. Over the past few years, Mercedes has tries to make the SLK a serious competitor with the Boxer, but has never really succeeded. Now, however, things seem to be a little difference. This new SLK has been based on the SLS, and I have to say that they have done a very good job. It looks just like a shrunken down SLS or SL. They have even given it a 415 bhp V-8, which should be interesting.

            Overall, the previous SLK was a reasonably average car. It was not as sharp as the Boxter, but it did look good. It was fast, but it did not feel like a quality product compared to the Porsche. This model seems to carry on the tradition. It certainly looks better than the current Boxter, but it still lacks the precision that has made the Porsche so popular. On the plus side, the new SLK feels like a proper Mercedes. The last model was wracked with electrical problems, but this new one seems to be better made. It also looks better than the last one, inside and out. It wipes the floor aesthetics-wise with the Boxter. Even though this new look is a large improvement, I still think that the BMW Z4 is prettier. Like the Z4, the SLK comes with a trendy folding metal convertible roof.  

            The SLK has always been a car for people who could not afford the SL or did not have enough space for it in their garage. Now, nothing has changed. The quality is very good and I am sure that it is an epic GT car, but the Boxter still wipes the floor with it dynamically. In my opinion, the Boxter is a better car for the short blasts. Overall, however, the BMW Z4 is a better everyday car, because it is cheaper. I have no doubt that AMG will make some faster versions but I still think that the Boxter or the Z4 is the better bet.

Crazy Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

If you are going to buy a fast and reasonably priced sport sedan, the best option has always been the BMW M3. Its balance, its power, and its reasonable value for money make it the highest selling sports car in the entire world. Many car companies have tried to compete with it, but none of them have been able to dethrone the Beamer. Some have come close, including the Audi RS4, the Jaguar XFR, the Lexus ISF, and the Audi RS5. None, however, have achieved the well roundedness of the BMW.  The Lexus, for instance, is very good on the track, but it is awful to use on the road and is far too stiff to be enjoyed day to day. The Audis are just not comparable track cars to the M3.  The Jaguar is a comparable vehicle but is much more expensive than the M3. Now Mercedes has made a car that they claim does everything better than the M3.

On the face of it, the Mercedes- Benz C63 AMG seems like a much more capable car than the M3. This car has been given the regular AMG work over. It now has a 6.3-liter V8 engine and a new 7- speed transmission. The new engine kicks out 481 bhp, 67 more than the M3 and an astounding 149 more torques than the bimmer. This power allows the C63 to get from 0-60 in 3.7 seconds. To put that speed into perspective, a $500,000 Lexus LFA would struggle to beat it. In addition, the big Merc only takes 8.1 seconds to smash the 100 mph- barrier. So as far as the track is concerned, the C63 is a better choice. However, the Mercedes is not just a car for a day at your local circuit. It is a little more civilized than that. Compared with the BMW, the interior is a much more comfortable place to sit. It has a large trunk, and much more space than the M3 coupé. The Merc is has been said to be much better in the corners as well.  By this time, it might seem that the Mercedes C63 is comparable to the BMW, but it is not.

            For starters, a sport sedan should be comfortable as well as sharp. The BMW manages to be precise as well as comfortable. The ride in the Merc, however, has been described as nearly unbearable. Also, a sport sedan should be subtle and not brash. As you can see from the pictures, the Mercedes is neither of these things. Then we get to the issue of the price. A base BMW M3 is $55,000. The Mercedes is $65,000. So the choice is simple: go for the slower car.

Porsche Panamera Turbo S

Supercars are not for people who need space. High-end and expensive sports cars are designed to get you to where you are going very quickly. However, your cargo space may be big enough for the hat you are going to wear at the country club. Rich people always have two cars, one for fun, and one for practicality. Now, however, Porsche has created a car that seems to do both jobs. The Panamera has a large hatch-back trunk and plenty of room for four large adults. On the other hand, it also has 550 bhp to rocket it to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. Thats faster than the Ferrari 599, the Ferrari 430, the Pagani Zonda F, and the Ford GT. 

The engine that produces that mind numbing speed is a 4.8 litre twin- turbo V8 that also produces over 550 lbs. of touque. It does not snarl and roar like that of a Maserati Quattroporte because of the turbos. The reason that the 0-60 time is so fast is because of a brand new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The Panamera also has almost perfect weight distribution and sophisticated suspension. Even though it looks like a monster, it is actually not that much heavier than the Jaguar XJ supersport. The new turbo s comes with everything you might need: the new seven-speed flappy paddle gearbox, a gorgeous interior, space for 4 adults, standard 4 wheel drive, a massive engine, and massive bragging rights. It costs 175 grand, which is a lot, but remember that you wont have to buy and take care of two cars. Also keep in mind that it goes from 0-60 faster than a Pagani Zonda F convertible, which costs over 1.2 millon bucks. As a track day car, other choices could be more fun, but as a large grand tourer it is hard to find a match. 

It all sounds amazing, until you get to the elephant in the room. It is very ugly. The Panamera has presence, but it is not pretty. To quote Richard Hammond, "it rather looks like an Austin Maxi, especially from the back."

Fiat 500 Abarth essesse

            Sometimes I wish that I lived in Europe. All of the cars that they drive are just so more exciting than the ones that we have here. Things like the Citroën DS3 racing and the Renault Megan R26R. However, now the Americans have the chance to own a European car with some character. Introducing the Fiat 500 Abarth essesse.  It is a car that the Europeans have had since 2008 but Fiat, who now own Chrysler, have decided to humor us and send it across the pond.   

            The standard 500 has been with us for about 8 months. I have to say that around where I live, I see about one every few days. They certainly have made and impression on the small cute car segment that used to be dominated by MINI. The new Fiat is just so loveable, so cute. It looks like the one from the 50’s, but is a modern car. It is a 50’s throwback without any of the 50’s drawbacks. Especially when you have a 185 bhp engine in it. To quote Jeremy Clarkson, “185 horsepower in a car the size of a shoe, that’s fantastic.” I agree with this statement. Up to now, the 500 has not been given the large power gain that has already been given to the 500 in Europe. The special tuning company that makes the necessary modifications to the car is called Abarth. It is like AMG is to Mercedes. The 500 Abarth has been flying off of the shelves in Europe and there are already many people in the US waiting to get their hands on the is pint-sized track car.

            In addition to the large power gain Abarth give this car much stiffer suspension and a upgraded interior and exterior changes. It is given racing Recaro seats and is swathed in red and black leather and plastic. The ride is quite bouncy but I think that this just adds to the fun factor. Fiat has not released many facts about the new American-spec 500 Abarth, but it should cost less than a comparable MINI. The essesse package, which stands for super sport, boosts the power from around 160 bhp to 185 bhp.  The best things about this car are the way it looks and the price.

This is a car that you buy with your heart and soul. This is a car for people who want to have a fun driving experience and stand out in a crowd. Penny for penny, I think that this is one of the most exciting cars on sale today. I hope to see many of these near my house and I hope that people will consider it as a very fashionable alternative. 

Ugly New MINI John Cooper Works Coupé

Mini Coupé John Copper Works

Long Name. Short Car.  This is the newest and weirdest looking of all of the fantastical creatures that come from the BMW- owned MINI. They say that this new model harks back to the original MINI, a smaller and more direct car. This Coupé has a smaller trunk than the regular MINI Cooper and also only has two seats as opposed to four in the Cooper. There are three trim levels of this car: the standard Coupé, the Coupé S, and the Coupé John Cooper Works. 

            The most obvious difference between this car and the standard MINI is the roof. MINI themselves say that it’s styled to look like someone wearing a baseball hat backwards. Honestly, I cannot think of anything more stupid. It looks like a Cooper had a piano dropped on the top and was rear-ended by a school bus.  To MINI however, the selling point of this car is the speed and how it feels to drive. This car seems to be for people who value driving pleasure over practicality, good looks, space, economy, their dignity, and value for money. This car comes with a choice three power specs: the standard Coupé has 121 bhp, the Coupé S has 181 bhp and the John Cooper Works Coupé has 208 bhp. Also on the John Cooper Works, the suspension has been firmed up to give a sportier ride. When you reach a certain speed, the brim of the backwards hat rises up to reveal a spoiler. The interior is just like any other MINI, retro with lots of modern touches. I think that MINI does a very good job on their interiors and especially this one. Even though this car is very small and comes with a turbocharged four pot engine, it only gets a combined 28 miles per gallon at the best. I guarantee you that it would be hard to get anything more than 25 in this car.  The worst part about this car other than the way that it looks is that it only has two seats. Who in this day and age is going to go out to buy a sporty two-seater and think “You know what, I’m going to get that new MINI.” If you want to splurge please buy something better looking, please. I think that the only thing that this car would be good for is a lap around the ‘Ring but not much else. To summarize, a Mazda MX-5 would do a much better job on the driving experience sector and the new Hyundai Velostar would be a much more practical option that is also funky.