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Here are the latest additions to what is already an impressive Mercedes-AMG portfolio, the E63 4MATIC+ and E63 S 4MATIC+. Apart from an aggressive new design, there are two things that stand out with the new E63 saloons: the horsepower figure and the new 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system. The cars come powered with a 4.0-litre, twin-scroll, twin-turbo V8 with direct injection, tuned to produce 612hp and 850Nm of torque in the E63 S, and 571hp and 750Nm in the normal E63 version. Power is sent through a nine-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT transmission, which gets rid of the torque converter of a traditional automatic transmission and puts in a wet start-off clutch instead. Ferrari F12 TRS
Ferrari are rather good at making good-looking cars, but they’ve gone a step further and made the stunning F12 TRS for a special customer. The one-off car is rumoured to have cost around $4.2 million, and for that you get the same 6.3-litre V12 producing 740hp and 690Nm of torque as in the F12 Berlinetta, allowing it to get from 0-100km/h in 3.1 sec and from 0-200km/h in 8.1 sec. You also get one of the rarest cars ever, and a car that will be very sought after by collectors. Ford Focus STThe Ford Focus ST has received a few updates, the biggest of which is the availability of a diesel engine. The turbocharged 2.0-litre EcoBoost with 250hp is carried over from the previous version, but it now comes with a stop-start function – improving fuel efficiency by a claimed six percent. As mentioned before, a new diesel engine is available – a 2.0-litre TDCi unit producing 185hp and 400Nm of torque, with CO2 emissions being 114g/km. Acceleration from 0-100km/h is 6.5 sec for the petrol option and 8.1 sec for the diesel option. Other updates include new chassis control technologies, tuned suspension and steering, and bespoke tyre specification. The exterior gets new headlamps, grille, bumper design, and 19-inch wheels. The interior now gets a new SYNC 2 connectivity system with a high definition 8-inch touch screen. Jaguar F-TYPE Project 7To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Le Mans winning D-type, Jaguar will be building a special edition F-TYPE called the Project 7. The car will come with a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine producing 575hp and 680Nm, propelling the 1,585kg roadster from 0-100km/h in 3.9 sec and on to an electronically limited top speed of 300km/h. The Project 7 name pays homage to Jaguar’s seven Le Mans titles, and will be limited to 250 examples. An eight-speed Quickshift automatic transmission is standard, as well as an Electronic Active Differential, Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes, and Torque Vectoring by Braking (TVbB). Other items found on the Project 7 are carbon-fibre aerodynamic aids and a different suspension set-up to the standard F-TYPE. After 18 years of service, Mercedes Benz has retired the CL coupe and replaced it with this new sleek-looking S-Class Coupe. The new S-Class Coupe will make its world debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in a few weeks’ time, and will initially be powered by a twin-turbo 4.7-litre V8 engine producing 455hp and 700Nm of torque (this will be the S 500 Coupe). Mercedes Benz also claims that it will produce an aggressive exhaust note thanks to a sporty exhaust system. Brabus have revealed the B63S - 700 WIDESTAR for the Dubai Police, a tuned version of the Mercedes Benz G63 AMG.
The car will make an appearance at the Dubai International Motor Show, and as its name suggests, it will come with a potent 700hp from a 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8. Acceleration from 0-100km/h takes 4.9 seconds, while its top speed has been raised to 240km/h. Along with a Dubai Police colour scheme, the B63S - 700 WIDESTAR will ride on 23-inch forged wheels and will come equipped with Brabus Dynamic Ride Control suspension. Brabus and Dubai Police are using the car to promote the “TUNE IT! SAFE!” initiative, which aims to educate tuners about safe tuning and spreading awareness. In a world of cars that have self-parking systems, massage seats, onboard refrigerators, televisions, mobile phone options, radar-guided cruise control and clever systems that can perform emergency braking when a hazard is detected, it’s very easy to come to the conclusion that our desire for these comfort features is something we’ve only recently acquired a taste for. However, these pictures of the Mercedes Benz 600 show that our love affair with comfort features began a long time ago (600 production began in 1964), although the main difference is that only a few rich people in the chauffeur-driven vehicle could afford what are now common options in affordable family cars. The point of this post? Looking at how far technology has come along. Enjoy.
(Photos courtesy of Daimler Global Media)  The long-awaited Mercedes Benz S-Class is officially here, and already it looks set to offer great levels of luxury in the large sedan segment. Mercedes Benz is calling it the best car in the world, and it most probably will be for a lot of people. The motoring press is very excited about it too, not only because “S-Class” is one of biggest names in the luxury car segment, but also because of the amount of new technology it promises to offer.  Over the past few weeks and months, Mercedes Benz have been giving us glimpses to what the new S-Class will look like. However, this leaked photo shows us what the next S-Class will very likely look like. An official reveal should be approaching soon, make sure to come back for more details.
The Geneva Motor Show closed its doors yesterday, and like many who end up going to car shows, SOC has prepared a wish list if ever one was to win the lottery. Do you have a wish list of your own? Go ahead and share it in the comments section. Written by Alex Kisiri
 With 2012 just days away from ending, we can only hope that 2013 will have as many exciting new cars as this year did. Here is a gallery of 22 cars that made a good first impression. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. |
