RideLust

I didn’t shoot any images of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 at this year’s Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, but the cars were hard to miss. Unlike most Mercedes cars that fly underneath the radar (including the remarkably subdued stock SLS AMG), the GT3 version was in-your-face and absolutely impossible to miss. I saw the silver one on the road, so I assume Mercedes was giving rides to interested customers and VIPs; I seriously doubt they were letting the general public pilot the $500,000, 600+ horsepower race car on local roads. Watch Mercedes-Benz Assistant Product Manager William Vetter take you through the endurance racer in the video below. Read More…

This is the Brabus 800 Widestar. It’s four wheel drive, has 800 hp thanks to a bi-turbo V12 and tops out at 149 mph thanks to a pesky electronic nanny. It’ll also do 0-60 in 4 seconds, is shaped like a barn door and costs a whopping $600,000 (that’s not a misprint). Brabus is touting the 800 Widestar as the world’s most powerful off-roader, but in all reality, who cares? Ok, so it’s got oodles of power and is packed with refinement and technology, but the fact of the matter is that any bone stock Ford Raptor will leave it for dead when you run out of tarmac, and will do it at a fraction of the price. For those of you that feel the need to part with over a half-million dollars, well then, the least I can do is tell you what you get.
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It looks like we’re down to the wire on the launch of Gran Turismo 5. As of today, Sony Computer Entertainment, or Polyphony Digital, only have three more days to announce yet another launch delay for GT5. After over two solid years of waiting, the end may finally be in sight. In the mean time, enjoy this hilarious video starring Kevin Butler, Sony’s VP of Add More Awesome (for this commercial, anyway). I’d like to think this is really how it played out, since there have been a couple of press fleet cars I wanted to do this with.

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If you’re in the DC area and want to check out an exceptional collection of exotic and immaculate classic rides FOR FREE, I suggest you head over to Great Falls, VA to the Cars and Coffee event that takes place every Saturday.

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Are you a fan of Mercedes-Benz and FIA GT3 European Championship racing? If so, you’re in luck: Mercedes-Benz will display the SLS AMG GT3 race car at the 2011 New York Auto Show, but they’ve launched a microsite to promote the car in the interim. The site gives detailed specifics on dimensions and design, but skips the tasty bits like performance and horsepower, since final numbers for the 2011 GT3 season haven’t yet been determined.

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ISO Quality Planning, whose research helps insurance companies estimate risk (and therefore determine how expensive your premiums are) has compiled a list of the most and least ticketed vehicles on U.S. roads. We are, of course, talking about speeding tickets here, the kind that come with points on your drivers license and increases to your insurance rates. Like herpes, they’re the gift that keeps on giving.

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[0-60] Dodge Viper ACR vs Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

That’s kind of an odd question, because it’s like asking “what’s better – steak or pancakes?” Aside from being food, the two items couldn’t be more different, and an answer would most likely depend on your mood and the time of day. Is one a substitute for the other, and does either make the other option seem less desirable? I say no.

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You’d expect the reigning F1 champion to have a proper sports car ride, determined by the manufacturer behind his F1 team. In the case of Jenson Button, you’d expect him to drive an SLS AMG Mercedes, or maybe a more practical sedan like the S63 AMG. You’d be wrong, though, because Jenson Button has requested a roomy, sensible Mercedes station wagon as his daily driver and grocery getter.

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Way back in February, Cigarette Boats announced that they were building a tribute boat for the SLS AMG Mercedes Benz roadster. Why limit yourself to hammer down fun on the roads, especially when 75% of the planet is covered by water? Besides, if you’ve got the bankroll for an SLS AMG Mercedes, you probably have the money for a really fast offshore powerboat.

Good news if you checked yes to both of the above statements: the Cigarette boat built in tribute of the SLS AMG is now up for sale on JamesList. The asking price? A mere $1,150,000, but that doesn’t include transportation from Germany, where it’s currently located.

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Getting popped for speeding in the U.S. can cost you a lot of money (just ask Matt Farah of The Smoking Tire, who seemed to snag a daily ticket in this year’s Bull Run). Speeding fines aside, you’ve got the points on your license to deal with and the additional joy of jacked up insurance pricing. A simple 20 mph over the limit transgression can easily cost you $1,000, or more if you decide to hire a lawyer to fight the ticket and lose.

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