I think I have some good news for Ms TL Thousand regarding identifying the car in the photo posted earlier this week driven by her grand father with Fred Duesenberg as a passenger. Today I located a photo of a Mercedes owned by Vanderbilt himself. This photo was taken on 10/24/1908 and you can see the driver and mechanic fueling the car on the old board track. I am contacting Mercedes with both photos to see if they can shed some light on the topic because I believe them to be the same car with one in race trim. Even the location of the rivets in the frame are exactky the same. It looks as if Paul’s keen eye may have been right at first glance.

Off topic, you have just got to love the way the spectators are dressed. Just look at the gents all dressed up in suits and top hats and the ladies are very formal including their best hats. And if that doesn’t add some interest try to imagine carrying around one of those cameras those photographers are lugging around.

G-Wagen. Geländewagen. G class. G55. Whatever you choose to call it, there is no mistaking the G55 as anything but a Teutonic off roader. Like the original Hummer, the G-Wagen is loved by armed forces all over the world for it’s utility and off road prowess. Like the H1, the civilian version might be a little more refined than the military brethren, but it retains the supreme off road capabilities.
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There are few cars that are more sensual than a 58 Mercedes 300 SL, but the new McLaren SLR 722 is definitely sexier. If you were to make a good comparison, then the SL might be in the same league as Sophia Loren, while the SLR 722 is more like Anjolina Jolie. One purrs like a kitten, while the other will rip you to pieces if you finish first.

While one might question whether the hand built SLR 722 is worth the price of a house, there is always the consideration of relative value. In 1958, the average household income in the United States was $5,100, while the average home cost was just over $12,000. The 1958 SL had a sticker price in the neighborhood of 11 grand. In the current decade, household incomes are in the $70,000 ballpark, while the median home in the states costs $227,000. The SLR 722 is close to half a Million. Wait a minute…in relative terms…this thing is worth the price of well over 2 homes!

Not only is the price out of this world, I’m pretty sure I’d finish first! The ripping would be a blast.

Get the full details from MB after the break.

Don’t forget to visit our killer gallery.
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Looking like a proud Pappa, Dr Zee released the new Mercedes C-Class sedan to the world. The replacement to Mercedes biggest seller has been completely redesigned and is being offered in 2 visual formats, the more traditional version and a more sporting face.

More pictures and press release after the break.
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The long distance rally gods must have been consulting each other leading up to last week, as there were 3 major events. La Carrera Panamerica, the Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 and the Greatest Diesel Marathon of All Time. While not a race in normal terms, the Marathon was still a distance competition of grand proportions.

Competitors left Paris in no less than 36 Mercedes Benz E320 Diesels, with the goal of being the team to acheive the best fuel mileage over some 14,000 km. Team E-Bay won, with an overall consumption of 7.19 L/100 km.

Perhaps even cooler, was the human consumption: In addition to breakfast and dinners, between Paris and Beijing they consumed about 8,200 lunch sandwiches, 5,300 bananas, 4,000 chocolate bars and 9,600 bottles of mineral water.

Read the full press release after the break

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Somewhere in the blogosphere recently there was a post lamenting the lack of one off super luxe cars, like the rolling artwork of the prewar years. Enter the BMW 760Li. In this case, built for Dr. Luigi Macaluso of the Girard-Perregaux watch company. Using Wenge wood, titanium, deers antlers and green leather, the BMW Individual team has built an automotive interpretation of the Girard-Perregaux boutique in Gstaad.

See the stunning interior and read the press release after the break

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It used to be pretty easy to find the boss’s car in the parking lot. Just look for the Caddy, Lincoln or maybe a 5th Avenue. Over the last few years though, the parking lot picture seems to have changed a bit. What do we expect to see now? A big Benz, or maybe a 7 series BMW? That’s not the real deal, according to a recent survey by cars.com where they found that Chevy owners outnumber Mercedes owners. In fact, the average purchase price of CEO’s primary vehicle is about 25 grand. The story also has some interesting thoughts on colour.
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With car sales in India growing rapidly over the last few years, manufacturers are taking notice. Volvo is the most recent one to announce that they will begin selling to the Indian market. Sales will begin with 3 dealerships, being supported by the Ford support network. S80 and XC90 will be the first vehicles marketed and will be positioned as Swedish Luxury, alongside German competitors BMW and Mercedes.

Volvo press release after the break

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