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Even as recently as the 1990s, online technology was seen as something of a novelty. And yet, in 2021, it's impossible to imagine life without such technology. Being 'online' has become an integral part of all our lives, and it's clear that human behaviour has been significantly impacted by our interaction with devices like our smartphones. Complex levels of technology and digital connectivity have also unsurprisingly made their way into our vehicles. Technology has of course made cars safer, faster, and more capable, but it has the ability to also transform our relationship with our vehicles. More than just a mode of transport, modern cars are able to make our lives better, easier and more convenient. Take the new Mercedes me connect, a suite of smart features and online services that has the ability to integrate seamlessly into your daily routines. Found on new models such as the new Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4MATIC, Mercedes me connect extends connectivity beyond your vehicle, and into your smartphone and beyond. Here, we look at how digital connectivity features are fundamentally integrated into the digital ecosystem of our daily lives. Your digital relationship with your vehicle begins even before you set foot into the car. Getting started is simple - simply download the Mercedes me 2020 app (available on the Apple and Google Play Store), register an account, pair to an Meredes me connect-enabled car, and authenticate at Mercedes-Benz Center for access to the full suite of features. You can pull up key information about the status of your vehicle, including available range, lock status, tyre pressure, and brake fluid and coolant levels. Technology also allows you to activate a variety of functions and services even before you get to your car, including unlocking the car from afar. Worried that the cabin is going to be too hot? You can ventilate the car by remotely opening the windows sunroof. While you're waiting, you can also utilise the app's Send2Car functionality to plan out your journey. Simply open up the map on the app, search for your intended destination, and choose your preferred route. Once done, you can send the route information to the car, which will then be automatically queued up in the navigation system. One function that drivers in Singapore will find particularly useful is the app's ability to show you information about parking spaces, including real-time pricing and space availability. Inside the car, you can also take advantage of the what3words - it uses a 3x3m grid to allow you to search destinations on the map with pin-point accuracy. Wondering where to go? Mercedes me connect allows you to quickly search for restaurants and cafes from within the vehicle, with suggestions based on your location as well as Yelp reviews. When you do get to your destination, just because you are away from your vehicle doesn't mean that you no longer have any control. When you do step away, you can continue to monitor the status of your car. A useful feature like Valet Protect allows you to monitor your vehicle while its parked, with the app notifying if the ignition is turned on, or the car driven beyond a pre-determined geo-fenced radius. This provides you maximum security for your Mercedes-Benz during your absence, as you'll know if your vehicle is being driven without your authorisation. Can't remember where you parked your vehicle? Using the Parked Vehicle Locator, the app will show the location of the vehicle on the map and will suggest a walking route to your car from your current location. You can also use the app to flash the car's head lights, allowing you to spot it from afar. The app also gives you visibility of your vehicle even when you're not driving it. By using the Speed Alert feature, you can get the app to notify you when the car is driven above a defined speed limit. This can be especially useful when your son is out on a Friday night with his friends - he better not be speeding in your prized Mercedes-Benz! With the Geofencing function, you can also be notified when the car enters and leaves various user-defined zones. While perhaps not necessary when you're behind the wheel, it can be very useful for being sure that when your son says he's heading to Chomp Chomp for supper, he really is going to Chomp Chomp. And of course, technology also makes your life in the vehicle better. Beyond just the wealth of vehicle and driving-related functions, the MMC app can also be used to tailor different profiles for different users. You can add up to six co-users, meaning that each member of the family can have a different profile, which can adjust a range of car settings, including display styles, interior lighting, as well as favourite shortcuts for quick access. These personal vehicle settings can be individualised at any time on the Mercedes me portal. Let's be honest, no one likes the hassle of car maintenance. Remembering when your last oil change was, whether your tyres need to be changed, when the car is due for a full service, these are all things we much rather not think about. Thankfully, with modern technology, you no longer have to. The car can do all that for you, by keeping track of your maintenance schedule and vehicle mileage. It'll notify you when a service is due, and from the app you can very conveniently schedule a servicing appointment. When you do run into problems, whether its loss of tyre pressure, and engine warning light, or even a vehicle breakdown, assistance is one button away. By simply using the Me call button, you will be connected to the Mercedes-Benz Customer Care Center for assistance. In the unfortunate situation that you do get into accident and required immediate help in the case of an emergency, with the SOS emergency services, simply push the emergency call button and you will be directed to a call centre handling emergencies. With the advance of technology, our modern cars aren't just immensely more capable, they are also much more integrated into our digital lives. With Mercedes me connect, you gain access to a wealth of services that make your every moment seamlessly easier - not just in the car, but when you're away from the car as well. No matter what happens, you can depend on the knowledge that any assistance is just one click away. For customers that own Mercedes-Benz cars that do not come with Mercedes me connect from the factory, it can be retrofitted via a Mercedes me Adapter installed in the vehicle. The retrofit solution offers a selection of key features, including monitoring vehicle health, finding nearby parking or petrol stations, view statistics on trips made, and contact or book appointments at Mercedes-Benz Authorised Service Centers, among others. To find out more, you can check out www.mercedes-benz.com.sg/mercedesme or visit Mercedes-Benz Center for more information.

A petrol engine making more torque than diesel equivalent?? The dream have come true... Mercedes-AMG Details Most Powerful 4-Cyl Ever, Makes 416 HP 500 Nm Look for this engine in the A45, CLA 45, and GLB 45 in the near future. Mercedes-AMG finally announces the official specs for its new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that goes under the internal designation M 139. In the higher-spec S trim, the mill offers 416 horsepower (310 kilowatts) and beats the previous-gen A45 with 375 hp (280 kW) to take the title as world's most powerful factory-offered four-cylinder engine ever available in a production vehicle. If we want to split some very thin hairs, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution FX-440 MR made 440 hp from its 2.0-liter four-cylinder, but production amounted to just 40 units exclusively for the UK. Specifically, the S version of the M 139 makes 416 hp at 6,750 rpm and 500 Newton-meters of torque between 5,000 and 5,250 rpm. The redline hits at 7,200 rpm. There's also a standard variant of the M 139 that produces 382 hp at 6,500 rpm and 480 Newton-meters between 4,750 and 5,000 rpm. The redline is the same 7,200 rpm. Both versions of the M 139 use a twin-scroll turbocharger. The S variant can produce up to 30.5 psi (2.1 bar) of boost, but the standard model goes to 27.6 psi (1.9 bar). To get into the nitty-gritty details, The M 139 weighs 160.5 kilograms. The four cylinders each have a bore of 83 millimeters and stroke of 92 millimeters. The mill features both direct injection and indirect injection through the intake manifold. There are two overhead camshafts operating on 16 valves, and the drive train is capable of tweaking the valve operation on both sides, in addition to Camtronic valve opening adjustment for the exhaust side. The M 139 engine will be available in a variety of models in the near future. The first of them to debut should be the new A45.

We know the E 63 S is a good drive but with the unveiling of the new AMG GT 4 door, will its 63 S variant of the car be a better driver's car than the E-Class? Compared to the E63 S, the GT 63 S looks way sportier thanks to its four-door coupe design. Combined with other technical improvements like the rear-wheel steer system, it also manages to hide its mass better than its more sensible sibling. So which one of these fast saloons should you go for, the more practical and more affordable E63 S or the more aggressive and better-driving AMG GT 63 S? Watch Carfection's video and see what they have to say about the car.

Deliveries of Mercedes-AMG's hypercar, One has been reportedly delayed till 2021 as there are ongoing difficulties in making the engine suitable for street use. According to Auto Motor und Sport, some parts of of the One’s powertrain is in need of refinement as engineers underestimated the difficulties posed by using such an highly-strung engine. One of the most significant challenges includes making the Formula 1-inspired 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 pass its WLTP emissions regulations. The Germany company has also been reported to face issues in making sure that the engine doesn’t require electric pre-heating before it turns over, like a race engine does. With such a high power output targeted by the company, the engineers also realised that squeezing more than 650bhp from the 1.6-litre engine could make it a tad fragile. The hypercar is set to have a combined output of more than 1,000bhp thanks to the help of four electric motors. This would allegedly be enough to send the hybrid hypercar to 200 km/h in less than six seconds and through to a top speed over 350 km/h.

Mercedes-AMG is on a roll with its fast expanding range. But will its latest A 35 hatchback, which is also its entry-level model, dilute the brand? According to the company's boss, Tobias Moers pointed out to Car Advice that as a new model in the AMG range, it doesn't have a negative effect on the brand. “The A35 family is not diluting the brand. We have shared components with the next 45. And driving dynamics-wise it’s on the same level as the current A45, but with less horsepower. It’s a different segment and we’re going to be really competitive with pricing." Moers then went on to explain that the car will allow them to access to brand new customers and giving them "From his perspective… value for money". Either way, we can't wait to get our hands on the car!

Third AMG GT Roadster variant sits between the current GT and GT C, with 0-62mph taking 3.8 secondshttp://www.autoexpress.co.uk/mercedes/amg-gt/103486/new-mercedes-amg-gt-s-roadster-unveiled https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sT73b5jQwI The new Mercedes-AMG GT S Roadster has been revealed. It’s the third variant to join Affalterbach’s drop-top sports car lineup, and it sits between the current GT and GT C in terms of performance and price. Under the bonnet sits the same ‘hot vee’ eight-cylinder twin-turbo used in the rest of the AMG GT range - and indeed almost every other current 63-monikered AMG. An output of 515bhp places the GT S between the standard 469hp GT and the GT C’s 549hp. The 670Nm peak torque also sits between the other two - 10Nm below the GT C but 40Nm above the GT. As a result, the GT S covers the 0-62mph dash in 3.8 seconds en route to a top speed of 191mph. Similarly, the chassis spec sits between the two current Roadster incumbents. The GT S features an electrically-controlled limited slip differential and adaptive damping - neither of which are fitted to the standard GT Roadster - while the wheels measure 19 inches at the front and 20 inches at the rear. They house composite brake discs that measure 390mm at the front and 360mm at the back. Drivers who wish to focus the driving experience further can upgrade to the AMG Dynamic Plus package. Stiffer suspension, active engine and transmission mounts and a retuned steering setup aim to deliver a sharper drive, while inside the pack adds an alcantara-effect steering wheel and yellow details in the dials. Four-wheel steering is also an option; the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the fronts at low speeds to aid manoeuvrability, but turn in the same direction at higher speeds to boost stability. First deliveries of the GT S are due in July this year, and although Mercedes is yet to confirm prices, the current AMG GT pricing structure suggests customers should expect to pay around £124,700.

With both the BMW M5 and the Mercedes-AMG E63 S having a horsepower output around the 600 mark, both should have ample power to drift. And with both having the latest all-wheel drive system that allows the driver to disengage its front axle fully, it is only right that someone finds out with car is the better sideways king. While, this question might be irrelevant to non automotive enthusiast, Auto Express went ahead still to carry out this test in the name of science... https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=46&v=bG5DEyssZgE

Brabus has taken to opportunity to launch their widebody version of Mercedes-AMG's gull-winged SLS at the 2010 Essen Motor Show in Germany recently. The car gets a widebody kit called the 'Widestar' and this modification is for those who somehow think that the SLS isn't butch or, shall we say isn't wide enough to create an impact at the local nightspots or at the country clubs. Since the most important addition to the SLS is the body kit, we'll start with this first. The Widestar gets the usual front bumper/spoiler setup, rear bumper/diffuser setup, bootlid spoiler and only slightly wider rear wheel arches with optimized (and larger) air inlets and outlets. It isn't one of those really over the top, super wide body kits like we've seen on some tuned cars. It actually pretty subtle for a 'widebody' kit. Too subtle in my opinion. Anyway, the front inlets and fender outlets are also aerodynamically tuned and tested at Brabus' wind tunnel facility to optimize airflow throughout the car. All of the components mentioned above are made from carbon fiber and customers can opt for a matte or glossy finish for the parts if they do not want to paint the add on parts. But do note that it is only wider at the rear wheel arches as the front fenders and arches are not extended. Only the front fender outlets seem to protrude more than the stock ones giving some illusion of a wider front end. To complement the package even further Brabus gives the Widestar SLS an adjustable suspension that is driver controlled from inside the cabin. Aside from being 30mm lower, the suspension system allows the driver to increase or decrease the ride height as well as harden or soften the damping rates to make the car handle better when needed or ride better when the driver wants some comfort instead. The bespoke system was developed in collaboration with suspension specialists Bilstein. If the customer still feels that this isn't extreme enough, there is an option for stiffer anti roll bars front and rear. To complement and to ensure that the rear wheel sit nicely under the wider arches the rear gets 21inch wheels running rubberband 295/25ZR21 series tires and the fronts get 20inch wheels with 275/30ZR20 tires. The wheels are Brabus specific Monoblock F Platinum Edition and must cost a bomb too. According to Brabus, the alloy wheels are lighter even though they are bigger than the stock versions. The press release also states that the car gets Brabus' titanium sports exhaust system. This system increases the power output by 10bhp giving the SLS 573bhp to play with. The exhaust system is also 12kg lighter. I suppose both of these small improvements would only enable the Widestar SLS to power past a standard SLS by a mere whisker or so.

The W204 Mercedes Benz AMG C63 is my on my wish list for most outrageous small car-big engine combo and if I could afford the actual purchase price, the maintenance, road tax and insurance may kill me afterwards. The reason why I love this car so much is that it has a sense of humour. I mean, the engineer who designed this car must have had such a fun time oversteering everywhere and shredding rubber everytime he stomps on the accelerator, or 'happy' pedal as I would call it. It is also a favourite of a few German tuners too, who somehow think that the stock arches, both front and back which are already a good deal wider than the stock C-Class Mercedes, isn't wide enough. One of them is a tuner called Markuzzi who in the tuning fraternity could be considered as a wide arch expert. Here, Markuzzi have basically added more visible bulk to the 6.3liter V8 C63, especially at the rear wheel arch and some extra inches on the front too. This high fat, high carbohydrate diet has enabled the C63, which was already on a high protein weightlifter's diet to begin with, to become an incredible hulk of a C63. So much so that the car does not look pretty at all. I think its a body kit too much. It looks like a muscle car from the 1970s instead of a Mercedes AMG. Maybe the AMG here stands for

I recently posted about Hamann going ballistic on the looks of the F10 BMW 5 series. Basically Hamann had gone through great lengths in trying to make that car look very aggressive. It had also tried its best, and failed, with the 5series Grand Turismo too (although it wasn't at fault as the car itself looks like a illegitimate child of a 7series, a X6 and with the DNA from a Rover SD1). The latest Hamann Motorsport release is not a BMW, but a Mercedes. The SLS to be precise. This time they have only released a few performance/upgrade parts for the already mad and at the same time fabulous SLS. The most noticeable upgrade featured is the HAMANN alloy rims called the 'Design Edition Race

Mercedes Benz UK in conjunction with the launch of its Specialist Products Division located at Mercedes Benz World in Brooklands, Surrey has previewed the very limited edition Mercedes Benz AMG C63 DR520. The 'DR' here stands for something very simple, in that the engine is 'Dyno Rated' to 520bhp. This C63 is an exclusive 20 unit limited edition (in either sedan or estate form) launched in commemoration to the above mentioned launch. The makers of Awesomely Mega and Grunty Mercedes Benzes, AMG, have fitted the already mad C63 with the AMG Performance Pack as standard to the C63 DR520. The Performance Pack includes AMG

The people from the Middle East are at it again. Remember the posting on the Gemballa Ferrari Enzo where a middle eastern client felt that the Ferrari Enzo wasn't radical enough? Now it seems that the pretty fabulous, limited run twin turbocharged V12 AMG Mercedes SL65 Black isn't radical enough for at least one of them. 670 bhp, 1000 electronically limited Newton meters of torque and a 130 or so kilos lighter, 0-100km/h in 3.8seconds and the 200km/h in 11seconds that the standard SL65 can produce isn't enough. So the quite wealthy chap then decides to bring one to BRABUS so that they can breathe some of their magic unto the SL65 Black and name it the BRABUS VANISH. Vanish into the horizon in a blink of an eye that is. BRABUS adds the usual performance mods; larger turbos, new gearbox, better brakes and the usual air filter and exhaust upgrades make the Vanish produce 800bhp with the same electronically limited 1000Nm of torque. It will produce in excess of 1300Nm but current tire technology does not seem to be able to handle that much of torque. So it gets limited and it is a bit of an anti-climax. But top speed isn't limited like in the standard Black. This one would run to speeds over 321km/h instead of a limited 318km/h. Acceleration times were not published by BRABUS as the car seemed to be fresh out of the factory when this piece of news was released. As for the external details. Matt black seems the way to go for ultra extreme BRABUS' as well as blacked out standard SL65 rims. Aside from this the rest of the car seems to be standard (if such a word could be used) SL65 Black. The interior gets suede alcantara and leather re-trim and some custom 'Vanish' kickplates. BRABUS has not mentioned how many units of the Vanish they will produce but going by their last very limited run V12 E-class sedan with that really ridiculous rear wheel arch covers, I'd have to guess that BRABUS may produce 10 units of the Vanish to have some economics of scale (and of course due to customer interest). Somehow a bottomless money pit is a good thing to have. Taste aside. Source: emercedesbenz.com

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia gave a special treat to the Malaysian media on the 24th of March 2010 by inviting them to a preview of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. This preview is in line with the upcoming Malaysian Formula 1 race in Sepang on 4th April 2010. Mercedes Benz has deemed that the Malaysian SLS launch should coincide with this event as one prestigious launch should compliment the other. This event was held at Sepang and is one of the first previews of the car outside of Europe and the United States. The Mercedes-Benz SLS is equipped with a hand built 6.3 litre V8 engine with an output of 571bhp and 650Nm of torque. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is 3.8 seconds and sure 0 to 200 km/h in 12 seconds. The top speed is an electronically limited 317 km/h. Why 317km/h is another mystery to me. Why not 318 as the number seems nicer to feng shui believing Asians? Anyway it is also equipped with a 7-speed dual clutch rear transaxle gearbox for better weight distribution. The SLS AMG will be touring Malaysia after the official launch on 27 March 2010. Malaysian and neighbouring country car buffs should be able to catch a glimpse of one at Mercedes Benz Malaysia's respective dealers. The exact schedule isn't out as yet and if anyone from the Lion City who wants to take a drive to the dealer in Johor Bahru, you'll have to check with them on the exact timing of the SLS arrival over there. But if you are a F1 fan, I don't think Mercedes Benz will miss the opportunity to have it on display for all those people that will fly in from everywhere. So if you do intend to travel down and watch the Sepang Formula 1 on the 4th of April, you may also get a first hand look at the car. Anyway, if it isn't on display, you would get to see it in the pitlanes as the SLS is also the official safety car for Formula 1. Production starts in June 2010, but orders can be made now. In Europe, the car will be sold at the price of 177,310 Euros inclusive of VAT. In Malaysia, it'll cost some lucky Malaysian RM1,999,000.00. Tax is a killer as 177k Euros do not become RM1.99million after current currency conversion rates.

[extract] Looks like there will be another Mad Mercedes is on the way. But only for GT racing. Coinciding with the official market launch of the road going AMG SLS on 27 March 2010 Mercedes-AMG has showcased the SLS AMG GT3 for FIA GT3 Racing teams to consider. The SLS AMG GT3 is designed as a racing car for customers competing in sprints and long-distance races. These race series for near-series GT cars are noted for their very varied participants and great excitement. Not least because of their comparatively favorable cost structure, they are enjoying increasing worldwide popularity. Oh yes, favorable for those racing Aston Martins, Maseratis and Ferraris in those GT races most popular in the United States and in Europe. How favorable it is for any small time South East Asian motor racing team is questionable but that