Hasta La Gadget!

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its G63 AMG 6×6, a beastly luxury SUV with an insane 536-horsepower and six 37-inch wheels. The vehicle is modeled after the 6-wheel drive G320 CDI, an Australian army vehicle that has been in use for the past couple years. Unlike a military vehicle, however, the G63 AMG 6×6 features all the trimmings you’d expect in a six-figure SUV, with a cabin that can hold four and a curb weight of 8,322 pounds.

The G63 AMG 6×6 will only be produced in a limited quantity, something that isn’t surprising considering that the vehicle will only be out-priced by Mercedes-Benz’ SLS Electric Drive, which costs $457,000. No price tag has been given for the SUV, however, although it was noted that the car will go on sale in October of this year.

You can see the machine in action in the video above. The SUV features five differential locks, a tire-control system, and low-range gearing, according to AutoWeek. The 536-horsepower is provided by a twin Turbocharged 5.5-liter V8, while torque comes in at 560lb-foot. All this is rounded out by a 7G-tronic 7-speed auto transmission.

Accompanying this power is an 18.1-inch ground clearance, providing more than ample space for mowing down zombies. The entire vehicle measures in at 231.3-inches long x 83.1-inches wide x 87-inches high, making it a tad larger on all sides than its four-wheel sibling. As far as the luxury part goes, the interior features leather and polished bamboo.

[via AutoWeek]

Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6×6 is a luxury 6-wheel drive beast is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

For some people, the Super Bowl isn’t about the game, but about the commercials. We saw a lot of them during this year’s game, and there was no shortage of advertisements relating to technology, cars, and movies. We decided to round up all of the Super Bowl commercials that we thought SlashGear readers would enjoy most, including ones from Samsung, Best Buy, GoDaddy, and even BlackBerry. We’ve embedded some of our personal favorites right in this post, with links to all the other ads that are relevant.

Samsung ended up going all out this year for their Super Bowl ad, taking up a full two minutes of airtime, costing them around $16 million after it was all said and done. Actors Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd, as well as NBA all-star LeBron James made appearances in the commercial, and discussed some ideas on what Samsung’s “next big thing” could be. BlackBerry (formerly known as RIM) aired their first-ever Super Bowl ad, spending a few million dollars on an ad showing off the new BlackBerry Z10, which according to the ad, will light you on fire, so be careful.

Best Buy ended up airing their own Super Bowl ad as well, and it features SNL alum and Parks & Recreation star Amy Poehler, who is pretty much the most adorable and funniest woman in show business right now, so we have to give it up for Best Buy for pulling off such a cute and witty ad.

We knew GoDaddy would make an appearance at the Super Bowl, as they do every year, but this time they aired two ads, one featuring the typical sexy theme that you know and love, and then there was an ad that actually wasn’t that bad. The company advertised their .co domain names, and the ad rings true of anyone with an original idea these days.

As far as the automotive commercials, it was a hit or miss mostly. Audi’s “Prom” ad was probably our favorite one out of the bunch, with Dodge’s “Paul Harvey” commercial at a close second. Other car ads included VW’s semi-racist Jamaican ad, Hyundai’s adorable “Team” ad featuring kids with super powers, Kia’s “Hotbots” ad, Mercedes-Benz with their celebrity-filled commercial (as well as one featuring Kate Upton), Lincoln’s Jimmy Fallon ad and “Phoenix” teaser, and an awkward Toyota ad featuring Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco.

Movie trailers were also hot stuff during Super Bowl commercial breaks. The Iron Man 3 trailer caught our eye the most, with Star Trek: Into Darkness also showing off a quick teaser for us. World War Z also made a quick appearance, and we also saw an extended teaser for Johnny Depp’s upcoming movie, The Lone Ranger.

Now we want to hear what you think. We know not every ad this year was amazing, and some were iffy at best. What was your favorite commercial from the Super Bowl? Which tech company blew it out of the park? Which one could’ve been better? What suggestions would you make to the creators of the ads? Sound off in the comments below!

SlashGear’s Super Bowl XLVII ad spot roundup is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Ford, Daimler AG, and the Renault-Nissan alliance will jointly a develop a fuel-cell system for eco-conscious motoring, with the first mass-market, “affordable” model tipped for 2017. The pact – which follows a similar agreement by BMW and Toyota, also concerning fuel-cell technology – will see a single fuel-cell stack and system that will form the basis of a new range of cars from each marque, with the same underlying technology rebranded to suit different consumer segments.

Fuel-cell electric vehicles, or FCEVs, power their motors by combining hydrogen and oxygen, with water the only physical byproduct. A high-pressure tank contains the hydrogen, while oxygen is extracted from the air.

The three companies involved have, they point out, a cumulative total of over 60 years of fuel-cell vehicle development, and more than 6m miles in test driving and demonstration models. Work on the homogenized stack will take place in multiple locations around the world, while teams from the three companies will also look at collaborating on other components FCEVs will require so as to achieve further economy of scale.

Unlike the BMW-Toyota partnership, however, which will take an active role in pushing the development of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, Ford, Daimler, and Renault-Nissan instead hope that their work “sends a clear signal” to existing hydrogen network stakeholders that they need to pull their finger out and get working.

Still, that focus means today’s deal may result in a workable car – or cars – before BMW and Toyota have something ready for the forecourts. The trio today claim 2017 is the earliest a fuel-cell vehicle may be on the market, whereas BMW and Toyota gave themselves a little more wiggle-room, estimating that they would have something prepared by 2020.

Ford, Daimler and Renault-Nissan team on fuel-cell cars by 2017 is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Mercedes has ripped the wrap off its CLA, insisting that the four-door coupé actually kick-starts a new segment altogether, blending luxury, sports, and eye-catching styling. Borrowing more than a few design cues from Mercedes’ Concept Style Coupé of last year, the CLA will hit showrooms from April priced from €28,977 ($38,700) though that swiftly rises if you opt for one of the meatier versions with performance closer to the avant-garde looks.

On the outside, the gaping grille leads a body that does mischievous things with convex and concave surfacing, throwing copious LEDs behind the lamp cover-glass for what Mercedes describes as “flare effect” lighting. A huge panoramic sunroof is an option, with both a fixed polycarbonate section up-front and a sliding mineral crystal panel at the back. The swoopy styling is also very slippery: drag area is down to 0.51m2, a record for production cars, while the BlueEFFICIENCY Edition version of the CLA will be even more efficient when it arrives in June.

Under the hood, the range kicks off with the CLA 180, packing a 1.6 litre petrol engine with 122HP and a 0-62 mph dash in 9.3s, topping out at 130mph. Those looking for more speed can step all the way up to the €38,675 CLA 250 ($52,000), with a 2.0 litre petrol engine mustering 211HP and a 0-62mph time of 6.7s; that pushes the top speed to to 150mph. A €37,991 diesel CLA 220 CDI ($51,000) manages 170HP and 0-62mph in 8.2 seconds, and shares the CLA 250′s 7G-DCT dual-clutch auto transmission. The other models get Mercedes’ 6-speed manual.

Inside, there’s Siri integration if you’re an iPhone user, with Glympse real-time location sharing, Facebook and Twitter social networking, internet radio, Garmin-powered navigation with Google Street View graphics, and the latest version of Mercedes’ COMAND Online infotainment deck. That has Bluetooth, real-time traffic, and more. Ambient fiber-optic lighting is an option, while the four seats emphasize the outer seats, with Mercedes pushing the CLA as a 2+1-seater.

Bluntly, we’d been hoping for more in terms of performance from the CLA, with even the CLA 250 lacking the grunt to match its aggressive looks. Still, there’s plenty of room for Mercedes to slot in higher-capacity engines from elsewhere in its range, and of course when tuner AMG gets its hands on the car, all bets are off. The Mercedes CLA is up for order now.

Mercedes CLA revealed (and it sure is swoopy) is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Mercedes-Benz has officially announced its restyled 2014 E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet cars. Mercedes says that not only does the new E-Class have updated styling; the vehicle is also equipped with new assistance systems that are part of the Mercedes intelligence drive. These systems help prevent accidents with other vehicles and pedestrians and offer an enhanced version of Active Lane Keeping Assist.

The 2014 E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet are set to go on sale in the United States in the summer of 2013. The 2014 model year cars are fitted with partial LED lighting in the headlights as standard equipment and full LED headlight technology is available as an option. The vehicle is rear-wheel drive and the styling is intended to make the car look muscular and sporty according to Mercedes.

The Cabriolet version has an acoustic soft top featuring high-grade insulation promising the lowest noise levels of any Cabriolet in its class. The special acoustic material used in the soft top helps to prevent wind noise from entering the cabin when the vehicle is at speed. The Cabriolet features an interesting AIRSCARF neck-level heating system.

This heating system is designed to help keep the driver and passenger warm from the neck up to help extend the convertible driving season. The vehicle safety systems include a steering assistance system to help the driver keep vehicle centered in their lane and a brake assist system to boost braking power applied by the driver when needed to prevent an accident. The E-Class vehicles have a standard start/stop system and can be had with a 302 HP V-6 engine or a 402 HP V-8 with twin turbos depending on the model. The vehicles use seven-speed automatic transmissions. Pricing information is unknown.

Mercedes unveils more details on 2014 E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.