Mercedes Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - 2015 Mercedes-AMG C63 packs up to 503 hp, arrives in March - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Say hello to the 2015 Mercedes-AMG C63. That's right, it's no longer the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG – its a formal Mercedes-AMG product, just like the GT that just launched earlier this month. Coincidence? Hardly. The new C63 packs the same twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 and features some of the same new-age tuning that AMG used in creating its new Porsche 911-fighting coupe. And boy, are we excited to drive this one.

Much like the AMG GT, the C63 will be offered in two states of tune. The standard C63 will pack 469 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, able to propel the 3,615-pound sedan to 62 miles per hour in four seconds flat. And if that isn't enough, Mercedes will also offer the C63 S, with 503 hp and 516 lb-ft, which shaves a tenth of a second off that 0-62 time. (The C63 S weighs in at 3,648 pounds, according to European specifications.) Both versions route that power to the rear wheels via Merc's seven-speed AMG Speedshift dual-clutch transmission, which has been retuned for the C63 application and is said to be "even faster in its reaction times."

Like the AMG GT, the C63 uses dynamic engine mounts, and along with its three-stage adjustable damping system, features four AMG Dynamic Select driver-selectable modes – Controlled Efficiency, Sport, Sport+ and Race. The car rides on either 18- (C63) or 19-inch (C63 S) wheels, and ceramic-composite brakes are available as an option. There's even an optional performance exhaust, which should no doubt create a sound capable of waking not just your neighbors, but everyone else on the block.

Both Mercedes-AMG C63 models arrive in the US in March, with a special "Edition 1" series being offered at launch, set apart by unique exterior and interior treatments. Pricing has yet to be announced as of this writing. Have a look below for the full scoop in Mercedes' press blast, and check out the gallery above for more views. You'll also notice a slick wagon in our stash of images, but note, Mercedes hasn't said anything about the longroof making its way to the US, and honestly, we wouldn't get our hopes up.

source: Autoblog

by Steven J. Ewing 

Range Rover Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - 2014 Land Rover Range Rover HSE - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

When this current generation of Range Rover first debuted for the 2013 model year, much was made of its aluminum-intensive superstructure, and the hundreds of pounds of curb weight – some 700 of the suckers – shed as a result. Not having had the opportunity to drive the newly lightened Range until early this past spring (as you can see from the photos), I'd taken the dynamically positive changes on faith before my test.

Having now sampled the super-lux SUV for myself and being a longstanding fan of the Range Rover brand and most Land Roverproducts, I'm happy to report that the rumors are true. My Nara Bronze Range Rover HSE not only looked the part of a utility vehicle for the well-heeled set, it performed up to the high standards of the models past, as well.

That summation is extra impressive, considering that the Range Rover I had was powered by the base, supercharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, too.

Driving Notes

I thought Brandon Turkus was crazy. We published his LR4 review around the time I was driving the Range Rover – both vehicles that make use of this supercharged 3.0-liter V6. Brandon complained that the LR4 – admittedly larger – felt pretty laggy with the V6 as compared with its old 5.0-liter V8. After feeling the sprightly performance of the blown six in the Rangie, I called Turkus, and I called foul. That is until I was gently reminded that the Range Rover's new aluminum architecture made it nearly 750 pounds lighter than the LR4.

As you might guess, that relatively light curb weight (4,918 pounds) goes a long way to making the 340-horsepower, 332-pound-feet V6 feel punchy. Land Rover estimates a 0-60 time of 7.1 seconds, but the pull feels even stronger than that in the mid-range speeds. Throttle response is sharper than you might expect for a big SUV, too, which helps the Range Rover seem quicker than it is against the clock.

The lowered curb weight and smaller engine have improved the fuel economy estimates for the Range Rover as well. The EPA cites 17 miles per gallon in the city, with ratings of 23 highway and 19 combined to round out the window sticker. I saw close to 18 mpg in a week of mixed driving that tilted toward an urban cycle.

Even with its adjustable air suspension, cornering hard is not the Range Rover's bread and butter – nor should it be. There's too much vertical motion in the suspension to make you want to push the Range around your favorite driving roads, and I suppose that's exactly why the Range Rover Sportexists.

At highway speeds, the cabin is filled with the low rush of buffered wind noise, and not a lot else until you crank up the excellent optional Meridian audio system ($1,850). As a long-range driver and commuter tool, the highway manners, smooth ride, glove-like seats and all-around great visibility place this vehicle at the top of its class.

The ride from the rear quarters isn't too shabby, either. One thing that the $5,000 HSE package includes is the massive sliding panoramic roof, which makes the whole of the interior feel airy and light. With the sky as the ceiling and plenty of legroom, I didn't hear a word but praise from the few friends I threw in the back seats.

It's truly subjective, but I've never been much of a white-leather-interiors kind of a guy, and even I found this ivory colored hide to be impressively posh. I'm not sure how sensible it would be for the stereotypical family full of muddy wellies and wet Brittany in the boot, but rich people seem to know magic for keeping clean. Anyway, for my money Range Rover is doing some of the best interiors this side of top-trim Mercedes-Benz and Bentley.

In a vacuum, this latest Range Rover is really spectacular. But even I must admit that, if your intended use case is softer than the hard-core off-roading this SUV was built to do, there are a couple of very strong competitors in the market today. Both the all-new Cadillac Escalade and theMercedes-Benz GL450 are larger, more powerful and less expensive to start, with a slight downtick in terms of star power versus the Range Rover. If you love the Land Rover brand, the look and the potential ability, that might be enough; if your future SUV is set to be more of a mall cruiser, it might not.

Image Credit: Copyright 2014 Seyth Miersma / AOL

Source: Autoblog

By Seyth Miersma

Http://www.boscheuropean.com

Porsche Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Porsche Macan Turbo vs Cayman GTS in track battle - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

ion

"Well this is stupid." On the surface, that was our reaction to this video, as well. Why would you compare the hottest Porsche Cayman with a crossover of any kind, even if it is the 400-horsepower Macan Turbo?

We're guessing because it'd be bloody good fun, as evidenced Auto Express's latest track battle. To be fair, there is some interesting stuff here. The two do have a similar starting price, separated by less than $3,000 here in the US market. And, factoring in the Macan's hefty horsepower and torque advantages – 60 horsepower and 126 pound-feet – does make for a slightly interesting comparison.

We won't spoil the verdict, so check out the full video from Auto Express, and then let us know what you think in Comments. 

source: Autoblog

by Brandon Turkus

http://www.boscheuropean.com

BMW Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - What happens when you take an engineer sliding in a BMW i8 - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

The BMW i8 is a pretty impressive car, and a highly visible one at that. It's a great brand ambassador, but not just for BMW. It's really no surprise that Formula E chose it as the safety car from the electric racing series. And, for its duties at tracks around the word, the i8 safety car got some slick upgrades, including wireless charging capabilities courtesy of Qualcomm.

It's not your regular, cut-and-dry technology presentation.

In the video below, Qualcomm engineers explain a little bit about what they do to enhance electric vehicles. But it's not your regular, cut-and-dry technology presentation. The engineers are forced to answer questions about Qualcomm's technology while riding along in the BMW i8 Qualcomm Safety Car driven by none other than Formula E driver Nelson Piquet, Jr. Sure, riding shotgun for hot laps at Donnington Park in an i8 sounds like a lot of fun, but these guys have a job to do, and Mr. Piquet isn't making it easy for them. The Qualcomm guys talk about taking technology and beefing it up for automotive use, explain the benefits of wireless charging and discuss some other stuff that's hard to pay attention to while watching the i8 get totally sideways in a smoky powerslide.

See for yourself in the video below. If you miss something, don't worry; Qualcomm provides more explanation about its automotive technologies at its website, including safety, communication and, of course, inductive charging.

News Source: Qualcomm

source:  Autoblog

by John Beltz Synder

http://www.boscheureopean.com

VW Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Volkswagen Shows Off A Bit More Of Its GRC Beetle: Video - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Volkswagen is 

Volkswagen is pretty excited to share its new Global Rallycross car. The vehicle in question is a highly modified VW Beetle, and its a bug that doesn't like to be called Herbie. There's good reason for that too, seeing as the GRC Beetle makes 540 horsepower from its 1.6-liter inline turbo four and can run from 0-60 miles per hour in well under three seconds... on dirt.

This latest video goes a bit more into the details relating to the actual design of the car. It's not a deep dive or anything, but it does give you a taste of what the designers were going for. There's the obvious addition of more aggressive aero bits, but it's also interesting to see that the team actually starts with a far amount of standard Beetle.

There are just four GRC races left in the season, and Volkswagen (along with Andretti Racing) could see a strong finish. Tanner Foust is mid pack in the Driver's Championship but teammate Scott Speed currently sits in the third spot overall. Additionally, Volkswagen is currently in second place for the Manufacturer's Championship, but Ford is pulling out a strong lead for the top spot.

The next race happens in Los Angeles, and it's where we hope to see the Beetles make their competition debut. So far, both Speed and Foust have been competing in the VW Polo cars.

source: www.motorauthority.com

by: Jeff Glucker

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Jaguar Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Here's what a front-row seat looked like in 2014 Mille Miglia - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

From 1927 to 1957, the Mille Miglia was one of the great, romantic European road races of the golden era of motorsports. The cars were fast, beautiful and loud but also extremely dangerous and regularly claimed drivers' lives. After two fatal accidents in '57, the event finally had to reform and came back in 1977 as a historic rally held over the course of several days. That didn't make things boring, though, and Xcar found that out firsthand with a front-row seat to this year's race in a 2015 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe.

Xcar was actually following the Jaguar team this year that included Ian Callum and Jay Leno in an XK120, which we previously got a glimpse of when it was covered on Jay Leno's Garage. Where Leno focuses on a more personal story of competing, this one takes a more macro view. You really get an idea of how crazy the Mille Miglia still is, and while the F-Type is way too new to actually compete in the rally, it can still wear an event sticker and drive with the vintage racers.

One amazing fact about today's Mille Miglia is that if you're competing in the event, there are basically no rules. The roads are technically still open to traffic, but the police shut down intersections and provide a rolling roadblock. Xcar's F-Type alternated between following on the course with the classics and snipping off chunks of the route to watch the participants arrive at each stop. Check out the video to experience fantastic historic rally. 

News Source: XCAR Films via YouTube

Image Credit: Related images copyright 2014 Matt Davis / AOL

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Mercedes and Porsche Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Mercedes-AMG GT vs. Porsche 911 - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

 

Mercedes-Benz designed the AMG GT to compete head-on with the Porsche 911. It's a clear, singular purpose, and Benz brings a lot of money, technology and race-bred expertise to the fight.

The AMG GT is Merc's followup to the awesome SLS AMG, the retro-modern, gullwing-doored coupe that took us by storm half a decade ago. But this new GT coupe is a more focused sports car than the SLS, rather than an all out supercar capable of extreme performance. It's got a brand-new V8 engine, and state-of-the-art technology that help it to not only be a proper Mercedes, but to be a serious performer.

Mercedes will sell its new baby in two models. The GT S arrives first, in spring 2015, followed by the standard GT in mid-2016. Of course, there's room to grow from there. And while Porsche may have already expanded its 911 range to include a vast variety of models, here's how Stuttgart's icon stacks up against Affalterbach's bad boy.

Power and Speed

The AMG GT is rated at 456 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, and the AMG GT S makes 503 hp and 479 lb-ft. They both use the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, which is hand-built at AMG headquarters in Affalterbach, Germany, and then tuned differently for each variant.

• Those power ratings slot the Benzes between the 911 Carrera S, which pushes out 400 hp and just 325 lb-ft from a 3.8-liter six-cylinder engine, and the 911 Turbo, which has 520 hp and 487 lb-ft (524 lb-ft when overboost is used) from a 3.8-liter twin-turbo six.
• Despite the power variance, the sprint to 60 miles an hour is quite competitive. The 911 S has a best time of 3.9 seconds, dead even with the GT, and a couple ticks slower than the GT S, which clocks 3.7 seconds. The 911 Turbo outclasses both Mercedes easily, with a 3.0-second time with the Sport Chrono pack.

The Oily Bits

There's more choice from Porsche, and in this area, that's unlikely to change much.

• Porsche sells the 911 with seven speed-manual and seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmissions. Mercedes also will offer the GT with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission – but that's it. Purists can pull the paddles (or grind their teeth) in manual mode.
• You can get several 911 models with all-wheel drive, while GT and GT S are strictly rear-wheel driven. There are some AMGs with 4Matic, but it would add considerable weight to the GT models.

Variants

There's more choice from Porsche, but we expect this to change quickly for Mercedes once the GT S and GT arrive on the market.

• You can get almost any flavor of 911 you'd like. Track-oriented? There's the 911 GT3. Raw power? You need the 560-hp Turbo S. There's coupes, convertibles and everything in between (like theTarga). You can even celebrate 50 years of the 911, with you guessed it, a 50th Anniversary edition.
• The pickings are much slimmer for the GT line. But there's no way Mercedes keeps it this way for good. We hear a convertible is possible, but not approved, and naturally, other performance and luxury packages are likely.

Weight/Dynamics

The lesser-powered 911s are lighter, no surprise there, but the aluminum-intensive Mercedes is still extremely competitive.

• We estimate the GT will weigh about 3,500 pounds, and GT S will weigh about 3,560 pounds when they come to the United States. This projection takes the European weights and factors in added equipment needed to meet American crash-test requirements.
• By comparison, the 911 S with a seven-speed manual checks in at a lithe 3,075 pounds, and the PDK model is 3,120, which allows the trimmer Porsches to post competitive 0-60 times even though they give up a lot of horsepower. Even the Turbo and its 520 horses only weighs 3,516 pounds.
• It's worth noting: The 911 remains a rear-engine car, while the GT and GT S have a front-mid-engine layout.

Checkered Flag

The Mercedes sports cars strike right at the middle of the 911 lineup. There are lighter, cheaper, and lesser-powered 911s, but the GT and the GT S are competitive and even better – on paper – than several of their closest 911 rivals in some crucial areas. Porsche also offers several higher-end 911 variants that outclass the two Mercedes entries, though obviously, Benz has left itself room to grow. Pricing hasn't been announced, but the GT is expected to start around $115,000, and the GT S should begin around $130,000

Image Credit: Mercedes-Benz | Copyright 2014 AOL

Source: Autoblog

by Greg Migliore

http://www.boscheuropean.com