Mercedes-Benz Shining Stars Of The 2016 North American International Auto Show

By Henny Hemmes
Senior European Editor
The Auto Channel

DETROIT - January 15, 2016: The International Press Preview of the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class on the eve of the show held at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel was for invited media only. Therefore, it was no surprise to see a huge crowd gathered around the large exhibition area of the brand in Cobo Hall on Monday morning.
Media and executives of other brands had come to see not only the world premiere of the 10th generation E-Class, but three more. There was the SLC and its 43 AMG model, as well as the AMG S 65 Convertible and the AMG S63 4Matic Convertible Edition 130. “Our dream cars,” said Daimler’s boss Dieter Zetsche upon the unveiling.

The new Mercedes-Bemz SLC is the successor of the SLK which got a new name in sink with the nomenclature that is now used by Mercedes and in which the C stands for the platform that is used for this model. I do well remember the very first SKL that I drove in Tuscany in Italy in 1996.

I loved the coupe/convertible with the steel folding roof and many others did so as well. Mercedes says that since then around 670,000 SLK’s have been sold world wide.

The entry level of the new roadster is the SLC 180 with 156 hp, that can be optionally ordered with the 9G-Tronic automatic transmission on the SLC 180 and SLC 200. The transmission will be standard on the SLC 300 and 250 diesel, as well as on the top version, the SLC 43 AMG, featuring a 3.0-liter V-6 engine with 367 hp and 384 pound-feet of torque.

The Mercedes S 65 Cabriolet is a dream car indeed. Without roof, the lovely executed interior is an eye-catcher and one can easily imagine him- or herself driving in style on the Pacific Coast Highway in the sunshine and with the smell of the Pacific Ocean. Or on a road, or even better a track, where the 630 hp 6.0-liter V-12 biturbo engine with 1,000 NM or 737 pound-feet of torque can show its potential…

Even more exclusive than this model is the Mercedes-Benz S63 4Matic Cabriolet ‘Edition 130’ (indeed a mouth full) and probably also a hand full with its 630 hp strong engine that has 1,000 Nm of torque (737 pound-feet).

The exclusive model will be available worldwide in a limited edition of 130 units to celebrate the fact that it is hundred years ago that Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler invented the automobile. On January 29, Benz applied to the Imperial Patent Office in Berlin for the most significant patent of the industrial age, ‘a motorized vehicle powered by a gas engine’.

Dr. Zetsche told that audience that the reason the Edition 130 has no roof lies in the fact that the 1886 vehicle was an open vehicle. The car is equipped with the 5.5-liter V-8 biturbo engine with 577 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque and rushes from 0-62 mph in less than four counts.

I do not expect this exclusive convertible model to be up for test drives, but the S 65 Cabriolet will be in a month or two. Please stay tuned!

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