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F1 and INDYCAR Launch Virtual Racing Series

March 21, 2020 by ponycargirl Leave a Comment

It started in the wake of Formula E suspending its season for two months, then Formula 1 cancelling the Australian Grand Prix because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jean-Eric Vergne (JEV), the two-time ABB FIA Formula E Champion, posted a modest proposal on social media and tagged other drivers: “To all my fellow friends racing drivers who won’t race in the next 2 months: should we create an online championship and race?” A day later, JEV posted a graphic with the tag “Not the AUS GP” – Real F1 Drivers vs. Top Gamers. The first driver announce was McLaren Driver Lando Norris, then former McLaren driver Stoffel Vandoorne (currently with the Mercedes Formula e team), along with Mercedes development driver and former Formula E driver Esteban Gutierrez and more curiously, Thibault Courtois (goalkeeper for Real Madrid) following suit. Veloce Esports, JEV’s sponsor, would be host of the live event on their YouTube channel and Twitch March 15, 2020.

Jean-Eric Vergne, 2018 NYC EPRIX

Thanks to Instagram’s logarithms that always show me things I would actually want to see 17 hours after they have happened, I missed the livestream but the entire event can be watched here. I’ll admit to being a complete stranger to Esports – gaming is not my thing, so on the outset I was surprised at the level of detail, including race stewards behind the fence and nervous team engineers in the pit garage. The 29-lap the e-race had some exciting moments, though there was a strange glitch at the race start when the light went green but the cars just sat on the grid for several seconds. Missing is the onboard banter (which seems to be in a separate video), the excitement of real-life pit-stops, and the general drama of F1 and its various personalties, but the after-race interviews and banter tries to make up for that. And hey, Williams finished in the points, hopefully a good omen for the 2020 season when real racing finally gets started. Of the real drivers, Lando Norris finished 6th after working his way up from a start at 19th, Gutierrez finished 10th after a DQ in qualifying when his system crashed, and Vandoorne came in 15th. Nineteen year old Hungarian esports driver Dani Bereznay won both pole and the race. His comments afterwards echo all of our sentiments, I think: “…I’m a huge Formula 1 fan myself as well, so I just want to see the real teams and cars and guys racing out there as soon as possible, but at least from this negative we did some kind of positive results a the end of the day…”

Team roster for Not The AUS GP:
Mercedes: Stoffel Vandoorne – Esteban Gutierrez 
Red Bull: Tiametmarduk – Veloce Hyperz
Toro Rosso: Super GT – Jimmy Broadbent
McLaren: Lando Norris – WillNE
Alfa Romeo: Dani Bereznay – James Baldwin
Racing Point: James Doherty – Thibaut Courtois
Williams: Sacha Fenestraz – Tom Martinez
HAAS: Louis Delétraz – Ryan Tveter
Renault: Jarno Opmeer – Simon Weigang

Early on March 20 Formula 1 announced its own F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series to be broadcast on Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels. The first e-race will be the Bahrain Virtual Grand Prix 8pm GMT Sunday, March 22. Not surprisingly these races will not have actual championship points for the drivers. The Virtual Grand Prix is a separate event from the Not The BAH GP, which will be at 6pm GMT on the Veloce Esports channel. Both events will announce the competitors soon, but it’s safe to say that the F1 version will have more current F1 drivers, and the Veloce version will have a different variety of drivers (including Williams’ Nick Lafiti) and e-sports champs.

With the racing season from regional tracks to prominent series like F1 postponed and cancelled globally, it’s not surprising that INDYCAR and NASCAR would also take a cue from the success of this hastily organized Veloce e-race. Hours after the F1 announcement, INDYCAR sent out a press release announcing the first race of the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge on Saturday March 28, 2020 at 4pm EST. The IndyCar virtual racing will start out with six races to be streamed live on indycar.com as well as YouTube, Facebook Live, and Twitch for the next six Saturdays. The actual venue will be voted on by fans and the winner will be interviewed on Instagram afterwards by Katie Hargitt. The entry list will be announced in the coming week. (Read the full press release here.) NASCAR is launching the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series for fans Sunday, March 22, 1:30pm EST, limited to FS1 and the FOX Sports app. The race will feature NASCAR notables such as Dale Earnhardt Jr.,  Bobby Labonte, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Bubba Wallace and more at iRacing virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Lemonade from lemons; this could be a fun diversion while we are all practicing social distancing and hoping the best for friends and family. 

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Driven: 2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class

August 1, 2014 by Gary Grant Leave a Comment

gg_b

While taking part in a recent Mercedes-Benz Canada Mastering Performance school at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park recently, I had an interesting experience with of all things, a B-Class. The event, hosted by Mercedes-Benz Durham, saw students rotate through three groups of vehicles through the afternoon. Each group had a selection of three different models, with the leading instructor in a fourth. One grouping, which may seem unlikely to the non-enthusiast public, included a B-Class along with an ML and a GL, both of which were powered by MB’s super torque-y diesel engines.

As we rotated through the three vehicles, my two driving “partners” were comparing notes and both complained that the B-Class did not belong on a race track, as it couldn’t get out of its own way. Alrighty then. Bearing in mind that both of these gents were dealership customers, taking part in their first performance driving school, I took their comments with a grain of salt as I slid behind the wheel of the family hauler.

As the lead student in this session, I used the semi standard signal of pushing the instructor to make her aware that I wanted to go faster. As the speeds picked up, I found that the B-Class was actually surprisingly adept at handling the legendary Mosport Grand Prix circuit’s elevation changes and high speed curves. It is very much a momentum machine, as one really needs to limit their use of the brakes and keep the engine spinning to exit lower speed corners with any sort of oomph.
[Read more…]

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This is why you use the parking brake!

September 26, 2012 by Gary Grant 3 Comments

I suspect most drivers have gotten out of their car and forgotten to put the shifter into park or apply the parking brake if the car is stick. I know I have, but when you have parked on a hill, you might put a little more thought into it.

If watching this young lady back up the driveway isn’t painful enough, what comes next is unreal. At the top of the driveway, she gets out of the car and walks back to pick up something on the driveway. Somehow she manages to avoid being crushed by the runaway Mercedes-Benz, only to get smoked by the driver’s door.

This one came VERY close to becoming a Darwin Award winner!

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Review: 2012 Mercedes-Benz C350 Coupe

June 3, 2012 by Tom Williams Leave a Comment

Here at The Garage, we not only talk about the cars we review, but try to offer our readers some insight on what goes on behind the scenes in the business of automotive journalism. To close my son’s Spring vacation from school I had scheduled a Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan from our friends at Mercedes-Benz North America. Later, I was notified from the press fleet manager that car was earmarked for duty at the 2012 New York International Auto Show, just before my loan. From experience, I’ve been burned from cars getting damaged in New York in the past, so we agreed to find another car from Mercedes. When I got the e-mail that it was a C-Class, I felt I was demoted from first class. Once I got the C-Class, those feelings vanished immediately.

Our test car is the new C350 Coupe. While the current generation C-Class has been around since 2008, for 2012 the car received a thorough update, and the C-Class Coupe is a new addition to the family. Finished in Lunar Blue, the C350 was a class act, and garnered many compliments for its handsome, sophisticated looks.  The shape and styling of the car is timeless, and like many Mercedes coupes from the past, I suspect the C350 Coupe will look just as spectacular decades from now as it does today. There just is not a single bad line on the car. The optional AMG 18″ wheels added a sporty look that complimented the car well.

The improvements to the 2012 C-Class included upgrades to interior materials, and an improved integration of Mercedes’ COMAND infotainment system. That said, I will say the C350 Coupe’s interior is at the top of its class. The quality of materials, feel of the surfaces you sit on and touch are exactly on par with what one would expect from Mercedes-Benz. Our C350 was laden with the latest technological features but the controls were fairly intuitive. I often found myself at odds with the advice the GPS was giving me, however.

Our C350 Coupe was to be our mode of transport from our home on the coast southern Connecticut to Baltimore Maryland’s gorgeous Inner Harbor. I knew I was getting a C-Class, but I got nervous when I saw Mercedes drop off a coupe, and not the four door. My concerns were without merit. For a weekend getaway the C350 offered just the right amount of trunk space, and in spite of being a coupe, my six year old son had plenty of room to stretch out. The standard panoramic sunroof and airy cabin made the C350 a great road trip car.

The C-Class coupes are available with two engines. The C250 offers a 1.8L turbocharged four cylinder rated at 201hp, while the C350 is equipped with a 3.5L V-6 rated at 302hp. C-Class coupes are rear wheel drive (Proper) and have 7-speed automatic transmissions. Acceleration was strong and linear, the shifts nearly seamless. Bombing down I-95 and the New Jersey Turnpike, the C350 proved to be a fantastic tourer, not even breaking a sweat as I checked my speedo to find traffic moving at 90mph.

Although we drove to Baltimore in perfect conditions, coming home to Connecticut was a different story. A massive rain storm was coming up the east coast, and would be a menace to us the entire ride home. The C350, with over 300hp powering its rear wheels, was a model of composure. Whether in gridlock traffic or horrible visibility at highway speeds, the C350 was always composed. Over the course of our journey, I cannot over-emphasize how the blind spot monitoring system saved our skin multiple times. It was white knuckle driving in poor conditions, but the C350 was ideal, and got us home safely. The C350 also boasts impressive fuel economy, with 19/28 MPG city/highway. I was shocked the car got us from Connecticut to Baltimore and then to the top of the Chesapeake Bay on a single tank of gas.

The Mercedes-Benz C350 Coupe has a starting price of $42,370. Standard equipment includes a panoramic sunroof, dual zone auto climate control, Harmon Kardon surround sound with HD and Satellite radio. Options on our test car included the Lunar Blue paint, rear view camera, Advanced Agility Package (sportier steering/handling, shift paddles and the AMG wheels), S32 COMAND (7″ color screen, Navigation, voice control, XM Traffic and weather and Zagat restaurant guides), Leather seating package (10-way power passenger seat with memory, leather), Lighting Package (bi-xenon headlights with active curve illumination, headlamp washers) and Lane Tracking Package (blind spot assist, lane keeping assist). The tally for our C350 Coupe came to $51,555USD, including delivery.

As a car journalist, I have the opportunity to drive a lot of cars over the year, but I think the Mercedes-Benz C350 Coupe may be the best I have driven this year. Sure, it is a stylish, luxurious and quick grand tourer, and it excelled at that role in perfect weather conditions. But taking the same car, and being able to take my family home safely in a relentless downpour in awful conditions proves that Mercedes-Benz is on-point and at the top of their game. While initially feeling bummed I had been demoted from an S-Class to a C-Class, in the end the C350 Coupe was the ultimate road trip car, rain or shine.

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Got Torque? Mercedes Unveils SL65 AMG

April 9, 2012 by Tom Williams 1 Comment

The 2012 New York Auto Show was Mercedes-Benz’s stage for the world premier of the ultimate iteration of the SL roadster-the SL65 AMG. Available this November, the SL65 packs a 6.0L twin-turbo V-12 packing 621hp, with an asphalt ripping 738 lb ft. of torque paired to a new 7-speed automatic. Mercedes-Benz claims 0-60mph times of 3.9 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 186mph. Despite offering more power than its predecessor, the SL65 is lighter in weight and offers greater fuel efficiency.

AMG decided to celebrate 45 years of business with the SL65 AMG 45th Anniversary Edition, and I suggest you take a good look at the SL65 AMG pictured here, since you’ll never see one again. Only 45 SL65 AMG anniversary cars will be built, and are distinguished by a unique silk matte Designo magno graphite paint finish. Although no pricing was announced at the show, buyers can expect to dig deep for this V-12 brute dressed in a Saville Row suit.

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Review: 2011 Mercedes-Benz E550

October 6, 2011 by Tom Williams Leave a Comment

Or, How My Family, the Mercedes E and Me Survived Tropical Storm Irene

Weather is for sure an uncertainty. At summer’s end, and with our son about to start Kindergarten, I had planned a weekend in Portsmouth, New Hampshire for some quality family time before the school year began. Those of you unfamiliar with New Hampshire should note the ‘Live Free or Die’ state has but thirteen miles of coastline facing the Atlantic Ocean, and the small city of Portsmouth, described by some as “Boston in miniature” was to be our destination. Our companion for the trip would be a 2011 Mercedes-Benz E550 4MATIC sedan. When I planned this trip, and booked the Mercedes, I was not planning on Hurricane Irene.

As a card carrying member of Generation X, I grew up in an era where Mercedes-Benz automobiles were built like tanks, and were practically without peer when it came to build quality. I was thirteen years old when the first E-Class Mercedes started rolling off the line, and I can recall the articles I’d read, which had described the car as a masterwork of Mercedes-Benz engineering. In the 1990’s, the E-Class’ reputation was tarnished by so-so interior materials and reliability issues. With a long weekend that would take us from the Connecticut shore to the coast of Maine, this was a chance to see if Mercedes had restored the E-Class to its former glory.

In this cut-throat market, looks count, and the E550 acquits itself as one serious automobile, no doubt helped by its Steel Grey paint job and optional Sport Package, which adds 18″ AMG twin five-spoke alloys, M-B stamped brake calipers and LED daytime running lights. The E550 is a substantial car, and is arguably the most aggressively styled E-Class ever. Most importantly, it is unmistakably Mercedes from every angle. And as any proper Mercedes should, it oozes class. Once in Portsmouth, I was pleasantly surprised to find what a car-savvy city it was. Sitting at a cafe, well-worn Land Rover Defenders mingled with mint Jaguar E-Types and 1950’s Americana, yet in this odd mix of autos, people took notice of the Benz. Not a point and look sort of thing, but a look of respect I hadn’t seen people take to a Mercedes in some time.

Inside the E550, it is all things you would hope, and expect in a premium German luxury car: exceptional build quality, outstanding materials, and as on the exterior, a serious demeanor. A roomy, airy cabin, highlighted with beige and black leather and burl walnut trim made for a warm, welcoming place to spend a few hours. However, I was initially spooked at the optional Drive Dynamic multi-contour seat. Lean into a turn, and the seat bolsters activate to help hold you in place. It was strange at first, and you can disable it, but it never bothered me to the point I felt a need to. The option also includes a massage feature, but to be honest I was so comfortable I never felt a need to use it.

The COMAND system controls the navigation, audio, and other controls. While there is a bit of a learning curve, I’d argue it is much easier to use than BMW’s iDrive, but not on par with Lexus. But being in an unfamiliar area and leaning on the navigation all the time, the COMAND system became more familiar and easier to use. I appreciated the Real Time traffic data, but it seemed superfluous to keep telling me it was changing my route due to traffic conditions while I’m in the middle of nowhere. The Harmon Kardon audio system with Dolby Digital 5.1 and HD Radio were a welcome accompaniment on our trip, and the Sirius satellite radio kept us entertained.

Speaking of entertainment, under the hood lurks a 5.5L V-8, rated at 382hp, paired to a seven-speed automatic. Mercedes claims a 0-60mph time of 5.3 seconds, and I believe them. I’ve said it before, and I will say again the current crop of Mercedes V-8 engines are one of the sweetest sounding engines out there. Passing power is prodigious, and for a good stretch of the trip a guy in a late model Porsche 911 Turbo was the perfect interstate assault companion. And the E550 never even broke a sweat keeping up with him. The E-Class was built for this sort of travel-high-speed, eating up mile after mile of interstate. It would be hard to imagine a finer automobile to pilot for such a trip-the driver with plenty of power at his disposal, the passengers gliding along in quiet serenity.

As we went back and forth from downtown Portsmouth to Maine, we were transfixed on the Weather Channel, which had predicted Hurricane Irene would hit ground pretty close to our home in Connecticut. On what was to be our last night in New Hampshire, our cell phones were buzzing with emergency messages from our town. Our street was told to evacuate. We weren’t going anywhere. Which was fine by me-although I had no doubt in the E550’s all-wheel drive system, I had no interest in driving through Irene, even if she had been downgraded to a tropical storm. While New England got pummeled, Portsmouth was at the very edge of the storm. It rained heavy in the morning, but we were walking the streets in the afternoon.

The E-Class is available in a dizzying array of styles. Sedan. Wagon. Cabriolet. Coupe. Power? Pick from gas V-6 or V-8, and there is a diesel available. Rear or all-wheel drive. And of course, an AMG version. Our test car, an E550 4MATIC has a starting list price of $59,600USD. Our well-equipped car, including delivery costs, rang in at $72,145. Affordable? No. But this is a top-tier, no excuses luxury sport sedan. Sure, you might buy a Lexus or Infiniti for less, but the E-Class carries with it a weight, a presence, and a history neither brand can match. The current E-Class, especially in E550 form is proof that Mercedes-Benz has once again established themselves as the benchmark against which all other luxury sedans are judged against. A positively exceptional automobile, which is exactly how I first got to learn about Mercedes-Benz cars when I was a kid.

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Review: Mercedes-Benz ML550 4Matic

December 28, 2010 by Tom Williams 1 Comment

It may seem hard to believe, but the M-Class has now entered its thirteenth model year. The first ML350 was introduced as a 1998, and was the first SUV Mercedes sold in North America. Sales were brisk, as the M-Class stood alone. It would be another year until the BMW X5 went on sale. While the demand for a premium, German-engineered SUV (M-Classes are built in Tuscaloosa, Alabama) was certainly present, there were some problems. Critics complained that for an SUV, it had a minivan look to it. Worse, the M-Class debuted at a time where many felt Mercedes had lowered its standards of quality, particularly with the interior.

The second generation M-Class was introduced as a 2006 model, and was refreshed in 2009. While the M-Class is well into its life cycle, this is The Garage’s first chance to spend some quality time with the Mercedes SUV that started it all in North America. But there are lingering questions-have the problems that dogged the first M-Class been addressed? Four years into its life cycle, is the current M-Class still competitive? Click continue to find out!

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Review: Mercedes-Benz GLK350 4Matic

July 5, 2010 by Tom Williams 3 Comments

The GLK-series is an all-new model for North America, competing in the growing premium compact SUV market. While some reviewers will have you believe this is Mercedes’ first shot in this niche, the reality is the GLK is less than 2″ shorter than the original ML320, so this is hardly new territory. The M-Class has grown over the years, and Mercedes needed a small SUV to compete against the Audi Q5, Volvo XC60, Infiniti EX35 and Acura RDX. With so many choices-great choices, we should add-what does Mercedes bring to the party?

For a company that has built a reputation for playing it safe, style-wise, the GLK is a rolling contradiction. For a modern, small SUV the GLK is alarmingly upright, with chiseled edges, bulging fender flares, and an in your face front fascia. The upsweeping character line is particularly sporty. Our test car was fitted with the optional Sport Appearance package, which includes impressive 20″ wheels, and oh-so-elegant brushed aluminum roof rails. I tend to think red looks out of place on any Mercedes (except for the SL), but the Mars Red finish on our test car grew on me quickly. The looks of the GLK may not be for everyone, but I applaud Mercedes for deciding to make a style statement rather than offer some lozenge-shaped bore.

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Vodaphone puts Lewis & Jenson to work

June 22, 2010 by Gary Grant 2 Comments

Some of the best ads ever created actually have little to do with the actual product being sold. Vodaphone has gone that route with their newest ad. Sort of.

When Lewis Hamilton and Jensen Button are left alone to assemble a Formula 1 car, Vodaphone hopes to show how important a network is. Really, they’ve shown that the two drivers know how to have a bit of fun. They’ve also shown that Lewis is at least a little bit handy with the tools, while Jens doesn’t appear to even pick one up! All in all, a good bit of fun.

Video after the break. Be sure to watch the full screen, full HD version.
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Driven: Mercedes Benz SL63 AMG

July 9, 2009 by Tom Williams 3 Comments

Our “Driven” series highlights the several cars I was able to sample at IMPA’s Spring Brake 2009 event. These short takes are summaries of my driving impressions of the cars on the roads surrounding Bear Mountain State Park in Rockland County, New York.

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The first thing I want to share with you about the SL63 AMG is that it is possibly one of the best cars I have ever driven. This is the one car out the 60 vehicles available to us that I would have picked to drive home. Why, you ask? It’s simple-the SL63 AMG has the ultra-rare capacity to be just the type of car you want it to be, when you want it to be. The driver sets the tone and the personality, and has the uncanny ability to change it on a moment’s notice.

By that, I mean the SL63 can play the role that the SL has played for Mercedes for decades-that of the relaxed tourer-top down, soak in the scenery, the car being utterly complacent in its role as a Grand Tourer. But any SL can play that part. What makes the SL63 stand apart is its ability to switch roles into a ferocious sports car.

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