Latest news with #G550
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
House Democrats demand answers from Noem on plans for $50M jet
Democrats are demanding answers about a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plan to purchase a new $50 million jet for Secretary Kristi Noem. The jet, slotted in as a line item to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) budget, comes as the department argues its current plane is beyond its operational usage hours. 'Reports indicate this jet would cost $50 million and replace one of the two Gulfstream jets already at your disposal. Funding the acquisition of this new jet would come at the cost of other USCG investments, including sorely needed modernization of the USCG's aging aircraft fleet used by service members for search and rescue and other critical missions,' Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) wrote in a letter to Noem alongside Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.). Both Democrats sit on the House Homeland Security panel. Thompson is the panel's ranking member. 'Simply put, your purchase of a new jet would directly diminish the availability of other USCG aircraft to carry out critical missions,' the two wrote. The letter from the two lawmakers describes an aging fleet of Coast Guard aircraft, noting that many entered service in the 1980s and 1990s, in contrast with the current Gulfstream used for Noem's travel, which was purchased in 2002. They also point to a Government Accountability Office report finding that the Coast Guard has had trouble securing parts for its helicopters as the manufacturer no longer produces them. The letter asks DHS to detail flights taken by Noem on two existing jets used for travel as well as a breakdown of all Coast Guard aircraft that 'have a service life expiration date' prior to the two Gulfstreams. The DHS did not immediately respond to request for comment Friday but has previously defended the need for the jets. 'The current CG-101 G550 is over twenty years old, outside of Gulfstream's service life, and well beyond operational usage hours for a corporate aircraft,' Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs, said in a statement when news of the budget request was first reported. 'This is a matter of safety. Much like the Coast Guard's ships that are well beyond their service life and safe operational usage, Coast Guard's aircraft are too,' she added. 'This Administration is taking action to restore our Nation's finest maritime Armed Service to a capable fighting force.' DHS has defended the need for the jets. 'The current CG-101 G550 is over twenty years old, outside of Gulfstream's service life, and well beyond operational usage hours for government aircraft,' the agency said in a Friday statement. 'This is a matter of safety. Much like the Coast Guard's ships that are well beyond their service life and safe operational usage, Coast Guard's aircraft are, too. This Administration is taking action to restore our Nation's finest maritime Armed Service to a capable fighting force. DHS responds to official correspondence through official channels.' Coast Guard Adm. Kevin Lunday was grilled about the request when appearing before the House Appropriations Committee earlier this month. 'I was horrified last Friday when we received a last minute addition to your spend plan for fiscal '25, a new $50 million Gulfstream 5 for Secretary Noem's personal travel coming from the Coast Guard budget. She already has a Gulfstream 5, by the way, this is a new one,' said Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.), the top Democrat on the committee's Subcommittee on Homeland Security. Lunday described the plane as 'old, and it's approaching obsolescence and the end of its service life, the avionics are increasingly obsolete, the communications are increasingly unreliable, and it's in need of recapitalization, like much of the rest of the fleet.' Thompson and McIver said the bid for a new plane for Noem echoes President Trump's efforts to secure a new Air Force One from Qatar. 'We know President Trump has set a high bar for wasteful luxury travel by government officials with his unconstitutional attempt to personally acquire a $400 million jet from a foreign government. That does not mean members of his Cabinet must follow suit,' they wrote. 'Your desire to travel in luxury should not eclipse the need for USCG service members to fly safely and conduct lifesaving missions.' Updated at 12:28 p.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
House Democrats demand answers from Noem on plans for $50M jet
Democrats are demanding answers about a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plan to purchase a new $50 million jet for Secretary Kristi Noem. The jet, slotted in as a line item to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) budget, comes as the department argues its current plane is beyond its operational usage hours. 'Reports indicate this jet would cost $50 million and replace one of the two Gulfstream jets already at your disposal. Funding the acquisition of this new jet would come at the cost of other USCG investments, including sorely needed modernization of the USCG's aging aircraft fleet used by service members for search and rescue and other critical missions,' Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) wrote in a letter to Noem alongside Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.). Both Democrats sit on the House Homeland Security panel. Thompson is the panel's ranking member. 'Simply put, your purchase of a new jet would directly diminish the availability of other USCG aircraft to carry out critical missions,' the two wrote. The letter from the two lawmakers describes an aging fleet of Coast Guard aircraft, noting that many entered service in the 1980s and 1990s, in contrast with the current Gulfstream used for Noem's travel, which was purchased in 2002. They also point to a Government Accountability Office report finding that the Coast Guard has had trouble securing parts for its helicopters as the manufacturer no longer produces them. The letter asks DHS to detail flights taken by Noem on two existing jets used for travel as well as a breakdown of all Coast Guard aircraft that 'have a service life expiration date' prior to the two Gulfstreams. DHS did not immediately respond to request for comment Friday but has previously defended the need for the jets. 'The current CG-101 G550 is over twenty years old, outside of Gulfstream's service life, and well beyond operational usage hours for a corporate aircraft,' Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs, said in a statement when news of the budget request was first reported. 'This is a matter of safety. Much like the Coast Guard's ships that are well beyond their service life and safe operational usage, Coast Guard's aircraft are too,' she added. 'This Administration is taking action to restore our Nation's finest maritime Armed Service to a capable fighting force.' Coast Guard Adm. Kevin Lunday was grilled about the request when appearing before the House Appropriations Committee earlier this month. 'I was horrified last Friday when we received a last minute addition to your spend plan for fiscal '25, a new $50 million Gulfstream 5 for Secretary Noem's personal travel coming from the Coast Guard budget. She already has a Gulfstream 5, by the way, this is a new one,' said Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.), the top Democrat on the committee's Subcommittee on Homeland Security. Lunday described the plane as 'old, and it's approaching obsolescence and the end of its service life, the avionics are increasingly obsolete, the communications are increasingly unreliable, and it's in need of recapitalization, like much of the rest of the fleet.' Thompson and McIver said the bid for a new plane for Noem echoes President Trump's efforts to secure a new Air Force One from Qatar. 'We know President Trump has set a high bar for wasteful luxury travel by government officials with his unconstitutional attempt to personally acquire a $400 million jet from a foreign government. That does not mean members of his Cabinet must follow suit,' they wrote. 'Your desire to travel in luxury should not eclipse the need for USCG service members to fly safely and conduct lifesaving missions.'
Newsweek
28-04-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Warning Light Flaw Prompts Mercedes-Benz Recall of 6,247 Cars
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Three models of newer Mercedes-Benz vehicles were recently recalled in the United States due to possible warning light malfunctions impacting an estimated 6,247 vehicles, according to an April 17 notice issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Newsweek reached out to Mercedes-Benz for comment. Why It Matters NHTSA says the recall follows concerns regarding the vehicles' electronic stability programs (ESP) potentially displaying incorrect warning lights during ESP system failure. The issue, which could affect thousands of drivers plus their vehicle occupants, may not pose an immediate hazard. However, experts warn that the light continuously remaining on could indicate that stability and control could be compromised—notably on slick or slippery roads and during certain conditions. An incorrectly displayed warning light may also fail to alert the driver to critical safety information, increasing the risk of a crash. What To Know Mercedes-Benz recalled certain 2025 G 550, G 580, and AMG G 63 vehicles—all of which are 2025 models—for failing to comply with requirements set by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. All 6,247 vehicles were manufactured in Jacksonville, Florida, according to records. Of that total, 3,070 vehicles are G 550 models; 1,507 are G 580; and 1,670 are Mercedes AMG G 63. All models were produced between December 14, 2023, and January 28, 2025. Records indicate that the issue was first raised by an automotive supplier in October 2024. An internal analysis followed to assess the potential implications, going hand-in-hand with updated software developed and introduced into production in December 2024. Analysis was ongoing until last month, which included testing of specific fault cases where warning lights remained displayed. That was synonymous with an internal effort by Mercedes to rework vehicles still in their possession. On April 11, at Mercedes' discretion, they decided to conduct a recall to fix the faulty ESP control unit software. Stock image. The car pictured in this image, a Mercedes-Benz C350 4matic AMG luxury sedan, is not part of the recall. Stock image. The car pictured in this image, a Mercedes-Benz C350 4matic AMG luxury sedan, is not part of the recall. Getty Images What People Are Saying The NHTSA recall report reads: "In the event of an independent hardware failure of the ESP system, certain functions of the system (e.g. ESP, ABS, recuperation) would be deactivated. The driver would be made aware of the issue via warning telltales in the instrument cluster, however, the displayed warning telltales might not accurately represent the deactivated function." It added: "Furthermore, in the event of a deactivated recuperation system, the respective malfunction indicator lamp might not be activated as to incorrect warning telltales in the instrument cluster, an increased risk of a crash cannot be ruled out." What Happens Next? Individuals with any of the models being recalled are instructed to take their vehicles to an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer, which will update the ESP control unit software on the affected vehicles free of charge. Vehicle makes and models not mentioned have the correct software and should not be concerned. Owners can check on their models by visiting and entering their vehicle's 17-character VIN. Mercedes-Benz says that a change in the production procedure of their supplier ensures that the issue would no longer occur from January 29, 2025, and onward.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
This New Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen Is a Retro Ode to the 1980s
Mercedes-Benz is looking to the past with its latest G-Wagen. The German luxury automaker just unveiled a highly exclusive G-Class celebrating the Decade of Decadence. The striking 'Stronger Than the 1980s' variant is specifically inspired by a one-off built to mark the 500,000th example of the boxy SUV rolling off the line. More from Robb Report English TV Chef Fanny Cradock's Former U.K. Home Lists for $6.6 Million A 178-Year-Old Provincetown House Just One Block From the Beach Lists for $3.8 Million A Porsche 911 Just Became the Nürburgring's Fastest Manual Production Car That G-Wagen, which was unveiled in April 2023, was modeled after the 1986 280 GE, the version of the 4×4 that first captured the public's imagination. While still very clearly a W 463-series G-Class, the unique build featured several retro details outside and in, including an Agave Green paint job, amber turn signals, and checker-patterned upholstery inserts. The example wasn't meant to be a preview of a future production model, but due to popular demand, that's just what it has become. The Stronger Than the 1980s edition is as close as you can come to buying the 500,000th G-Wagen. The variant, which is based on the newer W 465-series G-Wagen, comes in one of two period-appropriate colors, Agave Green (of course) or Colorado Beige. The hues aren't the only nostalgic exterior detail, though. The vehicle's trim—including radiator grille, headlamp grates, bumpers, wheel flares, and roof rack—is painted black, and it rides on a set of classic, five-spoke light alloy wheels. The interior has been treated with a similarly light-but-loving touch. The majority of the cabin is covered in black, but the center inserts of each seat features a dove-gray checked pattern. Other model-specific details include grab handles that feature the variant's name, '1 of 460' stitched into the center console, and a 'Schöckl Proved' badge on the B-pillar that looks just like the one from the '80s. Mercedes's announcement is short on technical details, but the exclusive model is based on the 2025 G 550. That means it's powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with mile hybrid technology that makes 443 hp and 413 ft lbs of torque. In the market for a G-Wagen with some old school flair? You'll want to reach out to Mercedes soon about the Stronger Than the 1980s edition, as the automaker plans to build just 460 examples of the 4×4 (the model's first series was the W 460). Pricing has yet to be announced, but expect the variant to cost more than the standard G 550, which starts at $148, of Robb Report The 2024 Chevy C8 Corvette: Everything We Know About the Powerful Mid-Engine Beast The World's Best Superyacht Shipyards The ABCs of Chartering a Yacht Click here to read the full article.
Forbes
15-04-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Test Driving The Mercedes-AMG G 63, The Swabian Ibex Maximus Hot Rod
Mercedes-AMG G 63's 577-horsepower twin-turbo V8 wears the Swabian equivalent of the lake pipes immortalized by the Beach Boys in 'Little Deuce Coupe.' The enormous performance tires and twin exhaust tips popping out under the running boards are obvious indicators that G 63 is an on-road hot rod, no matter that it retains the architecture and much of the off-roading capability of its military relatives. Unlike its 6-cylinder brother, the G 550, which is an excellent choice to keep at a posh log structure in the Rocky Mountains, G 63 is more an exotic high-performance vehicle than SUV. Think of it as a factory engineered and built restomod. LET THE LAKE PIPES ROAR! Differentiation is found under the hood. G 63 possesses that most prized element of the Mercedes-AMG brand: a one-man/one-engine hand-built twin-turbo V8 hooked up to an AMG-sorted Mercedes 9-speed automatic. With subtle packaging and calibration differences, it's essentially the same 577-horsepower engine found in AMG's high-performance GT and SL, as fine as any V8 offered. You can find more radical V8s, more powerful V8s, even from AMG, but you won't find one that's better. SUPPLEMENTAL ELECTRIC TORQUE For 2025, the 48-volt starter-generator electric motor located in the forestock of the 9-speed transmission can add a significant 184 lb. ft. of torque at low speeds for short bursts. Torque grand total is 627 lb. ft. The motor gives an instant-on boost of pure electric torque during launch. Compared to the 2024 G 63, that electric boost cuts the sprint to 60 mph by 0.3 seconds, to 4.2 seconds…no mean feat considering G 63 weighs just shy of three tons. It's still a war wagon, tailored for urban combat. Sure, exotic GTs and sports cars that do the deed in 3 seconds or less deliver a more powerful emotional experience, a nearly surreal experience in some of those low-slung rigs. But doing it while seated so high and upright, perceiving the violent rush, the blurring of the periphery through a huge nearly flat windscreen instead of an exotic car's mail slot is without doubt a unique experience in the world. That you can sense the all-wheel drive apportioning power to the individual wheels with the best grip, the Geländewagen feeling absolutely alive, pouncing like a cartoon cat, well, that is truly an experience. POINT IT AND PUNCH IT As a child working stopwatches at Vintage Auto Racing Association events at Willow Springs and the many Southern California road courses that are now shopping malls, I often saw a phrase attached to cars powered by vicious American V8s: point it and punch it. Well, G 63 may have a state-of-the-art Swabian twin-turbo V8, but it's a point it and punch high-performance vehicle. If you want near-GT cornering capability in a tall SUV, the two Swabian performance car companies—AMG and that other one—both offer SUVs that will make you pucker attacking a big hairpin corner with elevation change. But that's not G 63's raison d'être. SPECIAL ORDER PAINT AND INTERIOR If one accepts my argument that G 63 qualifies as exotica and is not a pokey Tiger Mom SUV, then it's also best to special-order paint and interior, to go a little nutso with a wild color and a slightly kinky leather interior. In my part of LA, I see at least a dozen of these vehicles every single day: at school transportation, along boulevards, in parking lots of the area's best golf clubs. Sure, some are white, black or silver—boring rental fleet colors—but most are finished in black cherry, pearlescent gold from the AMG GT color palette, groovy shades of blue, orange, crazy red, screaming lizard green. If you must have a camo shade like my test vehicle wore, at least pick a distinctive shade of green, grey, tan or the test car's titanium. Leave white to the annoying Tiger Moms. Both Mercedes and that other Swabian sports car maker call their eats-and-treats atelier department MANUFAKTUR (all caps, please). Available colors for G 63 are incredible. Some rich and subtle, some eye-popping outrageous. If you're spending close to $200K, which is the borderland of exotica, then drop the extra cash for cool paint and leather. WALKING TALL Geländewagen stands tall, has running boards, and a stubby flat hood, all of which remind of cars from the 1920s. Climbing aboard is a physical event that requires left foot to sideboard, right-hand grip on the steering wheel, and then a hop, arm pull, and hip rotation to smoothly land hindquarters on the most excellent leather-wrapped chairs. This is not the Steve McQueen sports car entrance taught in acting schools. But with practice, one starts to feel like John Wayne or Clint Eastwood swinging a leg over the saddle of a trusty steed and turning towards the sunset. Or maybe a military officer heading on patrol. I'll say it again to Mercedes: it might help having a grab handle on the A-pillar, or the extreme left of the upper dash panel. MAN-MACHINE CONNECTION Man-machine relationship is ideal, expected of a purposeful military vehicle. It works particularly well for tall males. Clearly the basic architecture is meant to accommodate full field dress: boots, sidearm, plate hanger, the works. You're not squeezed in, as with a GT or 2-seat sports car. Tall and nearly flat, Geländewagen's windshield offers a commanding view forward over the stubby hood and flat fenders. The fendertop turn indicators serve double duty, giving subconscious information about the placement of front wheels, the corners of the vehicle when navigating tight circumstances. A big help working through choppy paths in a warzone, or just placing the car in a parking spot at your local deli. Tall side glass is also a big help. And of course it has all the sensors, cameras and needed real-time software to project useful images onto the flatscreen when maneuvering in an old, cramped downtown parking garage. No vehicle is perfect. In G 63, the areas where a driver must accept compromise relate to ride characteristics and steering precision. If you want a limo ride combined with fierce acceleration, well, turn to other luxe gasoline or electric SUVs found on the Mercedes dealer lot. Geländewagen is stubby, with a relatively narrow track. But with the addition of meaty tires, the result is bobbling side to side on uneven pavement, and the occasional entertaining hop over water channels at boulevard intersections. On harsh sections of LA roadway, well, it's that Walt Disney favorite, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. But in the case of G 63, all that hippity-hop is charming, a big part of the fun. With its high seating position, it starts to feel like a restomod based on a classic car from the Teens or Twenties. Also, damping and springing is excellent, and combined with the equally excellent seats, Geländewagen does not kidney punch like the more primitive off-roaders produced in Detroit. It's amusing, not painful. The other issue is steering, and here is the one place I do not recommend the AMG or MANUFAKTUR optional upgrade. I've never had much interest in off-roading since my uncle the motorcycle desert racer taught me how to ride on a Hodaka, but I've done it, even in an LM002 in the Rocky Mountains. No matter the AMG-spec wheels and tires, G 63 has legit off-roading capability thanks to its sophisticated drive system. One would be hard pressed to find a luxury log structure in the Rocky Mountains or Sierra Nevada that G 63 cannot reach. Steering is slow, particularly coming off top dead center, a good trait in an off-roading situation, like crawling over culverts and ditches or crossing a short bridge comprised of two felled trees. Wrist-flick steering is great in a track day GT car, but off-roading, with the vehicle jostling the driver about, slower is gooder. But here is a point where brand imagery needs to be adapted to reality. AMG is all about performance and high-performance. Mercedes-AMG builds one of the best Formula One Grand Prix powertrains of 2025, and has won many a world championship. But a steering wheel wrapped in microfiber with carbon-fiber sections top and bottom is not the right choice for this vehicle because it's slippery, and to navigate a 90-degree or tighter corner, one must shuffle steer, repositioning hands, getting a fresh grip while cornering. AMG should recognize the difference and develop a very thick-rimmed fatboy wheel wrapped in perforated leather or another material that is grippy, preferably with big stitches on the backside where the palm-side of knuckles can dig in. I know, how 1980s, but a fatboy leather-wrapped wheel would work very well. The solution is easy: don't order the gorgeous GT car steering wheel and all will be well. Thanks to the military DNA, the cargo hold is huge, a tall, flat-sided cube ideal for stowing long rifles headed into the field or to a range. And you can even order it with cherry wood flooring. For our family friends who live in the northern plains of Canada, well, if you buy a G 63, have the dealer set up a winter wheel/tire package and save the big wheels for summertime. Mercedes is offering a special edition of Geländewagen with a bias to off-roading, dubbed the Better Than The 1980s Edition. The wheel/tire package off that rig would ably handle winter in Winnipeg or Manitoba. Ancestry and residual off-roading capability notwithstanding, G 63 is not meant for battling Soviets in the Fulda Gap, or serving with UN blue helmets in Bosnia or southern Lebanon. G 63 is an exotic hot rod for blasting along boulevards or cutting a fine figure on the upgraded Main Street of a once-sleepy Rocky Mountain village, a big rumbling war wagon that never, ever fails to bring a big grin and a chuckle.
