Latest news with #MercedesBenz
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Two arrested for possession of stolen luxury vehicles
Two people have been arrested for possessing stolen luxury cars that had their VINs changed. While it's unclear if these two cases are connected, police are saying the thieves used a familiar trick to make it look like the cars were legal. ALSO READ: Police across US warn about new, high-tech key fob thefts Two weeks ago, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department arrested Aditya Chandiramani and accused him of possessing a stolen Mercedes-Benz G-63 with a VIN that had been cloned. Chandiramani lived at an apartment complex in the university area, and the vehicle was parked in the deck. It quickly caught the attention of some residents. 'Usually, you just see lower-end cars, cheaper cars. This is a cheaper complex. I was kind of surprised, like seeing a higher-end type of car here,' said Luis Licona. According to police, the Mercedes-Benz was stolen from Boca Raton, Florida. Thursday night, police arrested 38-year-old Tahiim Douglas after they said he was cruising around a neighborhood next to the Arboretum in a $250,000 Lamborghini Urus. They said the car had been stolen and the VIN had been cloned. Once again, neighbors in the area noticed. 'The car stood out because everybody drives more average cars here,' one resident expressed. That resident went on to say that they believed the Lamborghini was from Montana or some other northwest state. According to police, VIN cloning has become a big problem because it can hide the fact that a car has been stolen, leaving buyers on the hook. The Federal Bureau of Investigation said you can protect yourself by being wary of someone trying to sell you a vehicle for substantially less. You should also look for evidence of tampering around the VIN, like scratches. Also, trust your intuition; if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. There are numerous websites where you can check to see if a VIN is legitimate. Two of the best are the National Insurance Crime Bureau and the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System. VIDEO: Police across the country warn about key fob thefts
The Independent
16 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
Smart #5 review: Tesla-rivalling family SUV is both big and clever
Best known for making city cars small enough to lose down the back of the sofa, Smart has lately been resurrected as a purveyor of premium (and very normal-sized) electric SUVs. The new Smart #5 is the biggest and boldest yet, a tech-focused family SUV with off-road stylings that joins the smaller Smart #1 and #3 in the brand's embiggened line-up. Built by Chinese firm Geely and designed by Mercedes-Benz – both share custody of the Smart name and DNA – the 4.7m long Smart #5 is about as far from the brand's compact roots as you can get. But besides a faint sense of loss for the goofy pocket-cars of yesteryear, the Smart #5 gives you little reason to dislike the brand's change of direction. So yes, the Smart #5 is big – you could parallel park the original Smart Fortwo inside its 2.9m wheelbase – but its boxy proportions, wide-apart wheels and flat floor make it lavishly spacious inside. The rear seats are as well-appointed and roomy as those in the front. The 800V architecture of the top-spec models means it charges faster than most UK charging points will allow, and most versions of the car offer some impressive tech as standard. How we tested We drove the Smart #5 Brabus around Porto and its surrounding countryside, assessing its performance, handling, interior tech and practicality on a variety of challenging roads. Independent rating: 7/10 Smart #5 specs Price range: From £32,000 (estimated) Battery size: 76kWh / 100 kWh Maximum claimed range: 366 miles Miles per kWh: 3.8 Maximum charging rate: 150kW / 426kW Battery, range, charging, performance and drive The Smart #5 comes with two battery sizes. There's the entry-level Pro with a 76kWh battery and 288 miles of range which will probably cost around £32,000. Move up to the Pro+ and beyond and you'll get the 100kWh battery, which offers 366 miles in RWD rear-drive configurations and 335 in the 4x4 AWD car. Those higher trims include the over-the-top Brabus version which could cost something in the region of £55,000. It does away with some comfort and efficiency to deliver a whopping 637bhp and nail a 0-62mph time of 3.8s – just in case that's something anyone would ever want to do in a Smart car. That's silly performance for an SUV of this heft and weight (and something few customers will choose) but thankfully the Smart #5 is fast in ways that matter, too. Charging speeds are where the Smart #5 excels. The biggest battery will charge at speeds of up to 400kW in optimal conditions, taking the Smart #5 from 10 to 80 per cent in under 18 minutes. That's quicker than the Porsche Taycan and the new Tesla Model Y, but you're unlikely to find those optimal conditions in the UK any time soon – where typical motorway fast chargers currently top out at 350kW. The entry-level Pro edition won't worry our current charging infrastructure, with 150kW charging speeds capable of getting from 10 to 80 per cent in under 30 minutes. We test drove the Smart #5 Brabus which, even on its 21in alloy wheels, feels composed and comfortable whether you're crawling along cobbled streets or cruising at motorway speeds. The top-spec Brabus is incongruously powerful for an otherwise sensible family SUV, but switch to a less sporty driving mode and you'll get something closer to the performance of lower trim models. Things gets more business-like then with nicely weighted steering and smoother, more predictable power delivery. Ironically, city driving isn't the Smart #5's strong point. The 2.4 tonne SUV is more than comfortable in start-stop traffic, and the boxy body shape gives you excellent road visibility, but the car's size and fairly unremarkable turning circle makes it naturally unsuited to squeezing around tight bends and out of tricky spots. Interior, practicality and boot space The Smart #5 is surprisingly cavernous. A flat floor and long wheelbase, coupled with the overall boxiness of the shape, creates a huge amount of headroom and legroom for even the tallest front and rear passengers. Boot space is generous at 630 litres, expanding to 1,530 litres with the seats down. There's also 74 litres of space in the frunk, should you need it. The Smart #5 comes with some decent kit as standard. Even the basic Pro gets a panoramic roof, plus heated driver seat, a 360-degree parking camera and climate controls for passengers in the back. Move up to higher trims and you get features like dual wireless charging pads for your phone, a touchscreen display for your passenger, a heat pump for better battery efficiency and an augmented reality head-up display. Technology, stereo and infotainment Smart has gone all-in on displays with the #5. The dashboard is dominated by a bright and responsive 13in OLED central touchscreen – it's an impressive, pill-shaped panel that stretches all the way over to the passenger side on Pro+ models and above. Somewhat alarmingly, your passenger can watch movies on their side of the car if they're sufficiently bored of your company – though Smart says the passenger display will disable if the driver tries to sneak a peek at whatever's on. The OLED display is vibrant, fast, isn't overly fussy and intuitive to navigate. While you don't get physical buttons on the display, you do get a few on the steering wheel and the most essential controls are always within reach on screen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto work wirelessly and seamlessly, integrating neatly with Smart's underlying interface. You've got your usual list of driver assist systems, which as with many modern cars includes a few overly judicious safety warnings. Overtaking a truck on a motorway with ample space, for example, we received the rather stark message that the car was 'taking evasive action'. Yawn just once and you'll be told to take a break and grab a coffee. The car's lane keeping can get a little jaunty with adaptive cruise control too, sometimes meandering in the lane like it's looking for something. Premium models and above get an impressive 20-speaker Sennheiser system with Dolby Atmos support, all 1,190 watts of which sound great in the the arena-sized cockpit of the Smart #5. Prices and running costs The Smart #5 will be available in the UK later this year, with prices still to be announced. Estimates put the entry-level Pro at around £32,000 which, if Smart could manage that, would offer good value in a competitive mid-size SUV market considering the #5's size, the amount of standard kit, and that impressive charging tech. The top-spec Brabus model could well top the £55,000 mark when prices are announced. Efficiency is nothing special, but still decent at around 3.8 miles per kWh, meaning running costs will be typical for a large EV. That means cheap if charging at home on off-peak tariffs, but potentially pricey if you want to make regular use of the Smart #5's impressive charging speeds at public chargers. FAQs How long does it take to charge? Models with the 100kWh battery and 800V system can theoretically charge 10 to 80 per cent in under 18 minutes on a 400kW+ charger. The 76kWh Pro model takes under 30 minutes on a 150kW charger. How much does it cost - is it worth it? Estimated from £32k to over £50k. Mid-range models offer a strong blend of space, tech, and range for the money, making it a compelling premium EV choice if you can live with the screen-heavy interface. Does Smart replace batteries for free? Like most EV manufacturers, Smart will offer an 8 year/100,000 mile warranty on the high-voltage battery, covering significant degradation or failure. Why trust us Our team of motoring experts have decades of experience driving, reviewing and reporting on the latest EV cars, and our verdicts are reached with every kind of driver in mind. We thoroughly test drive every car we rate, so you can be sure our verdicts are honest, unbiased and authentic. The verdict: Smart #5 Big enough to swallow the old Smart Fortwo whole, the Smart #5 is about as far from the brand's dinky heritage as you can get. Impressively large, crammed with technology and with a few too many screens in the cockpit, the family SUV delivers a premium driving experience, copious interior space, plenty of kit and enough character to avoid feeling generic. The Brabus is bonkers fast, but the standard versions will be the smarter buy.
Bloomberg
18 hours ago
- Automotive
- Bloomberg
Huawei Unveils 1 Million Yuan EV to Crack China Luxury Market
Huawei Technologies Co. and its automaking partners are pushing further into the luxury end of China's car market with the launch of the Maextro S800, a sedan with a price tag exceeding the 1 million yuan mark. The smartphone maker and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp., or JAC, unveiled the vehicle in Shenzhen on Friday. Priced at 1.02 million yuan ($141,637) for its most premium version, the car is designed to go up against top-end models from Mercedes-Benz Group AG and Volkswagen AG's Bentley.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Hindu
Mercedes-Benz presents two multipurpose vehicles to Parvatipuram-Manyam district in Andhra Pradesh
Parvatipuram-Manyam district received two multi-purpose vehicles, specially designed by Mercedes Benz, thanks to the initiative of Niti Aayog, which accepted the proposal submitted by the District Collector A. Shyam Prasad. Speaking to The Hindu, the Collector said the vehicles would enable the District Administration to meet the various needs of tribal people living in remote areas of Palakonda, Kurupam, Gummalakshmipuram, Makkuva, Saluru, and other mandals. He said the multipurpose vehicles will be used as mobile Giri Bazaars and to promote government welfare schemes meant for tribals. He thanked both Niti Aayog and Mercedes-Benz for sanctioning two vehicles under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. According to him, the vehicles will have audio-video facilities to highlight the welfare schemes of both the Union and State Governments. The officials and staff can also travel in the vehicles to create awareness among the tribals about the schemes and their benefits. On normal days, they function like Giri Bazaars and enable tribals to buy rice, pulses and other essential commodities at affordable rates. The district administration observed that many middlemen and traders are fleecing the gullible people with imitative and inferior products, which are also sold at exorbitant rates. Currently, the district administration is using a few vehicles for the Giri Bazaars. The two vehicles provided by Mercedes-Benz would enable the officials to send essential commodities to faraway places as the vehicles can move easily on ghat roads.
Top Gear
a day ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Expedition Motor Company 250GD Wolf (US) review: the OG Wolf rides again Reviews 2025
It's true, the long-lived Geländewagen has strayed into ludicrous ubiquity, passing the point when it was unique and different to becoming a standard-issue status accessory. While the former military vehicle retains some of its original character – either through design or attitude – we need only to look at variants like the AMG G 63 6x6 to see how far it's strayed from its roots. That's an extreme example, sure, but even the current run of 'normal' G-Classes and the EV version are wild departures from the original. Advertisement - Page continues below This one aims to be a solution for those seeking to get back to the raw appeal of the classic G-Wagen, one that's more Hinterland than Hollywood. It's the EMC Wolf, a restored Mercedes-Benz 250GD from Expedition Motor Company. Wow, so EMC does G-Wagen restos? EMC restores *one* specific G-Class. The 250GD 'Wolf' is the convertible version of the military vehicle built with a 2.5-liter five-cylinder diesel engine and a fold down windshield. Company founder Alex Levin grew up in these and loved them so much, he started EMC to build top-notch 250GD restorations for folks with similar passions. Alright, we're intrigued. What's the story? We'll always find rugged, practical equipment tough enough for the military to be intriguing, with the Jeep Wrangler being the most famous example. Sorry, Defender fans. For the G, it's the same thing but with that particular German sensibility. The classic Wolf has this in spades – ammo box, a gun mount, a built-in map light and the aforementioned fold-down windshield for easier, er, aiming. Powering it all is the OM602, a 2.5-liter straight-five diesel engine that puts out around 100hp and maybe 114lb ft of torque. Power output varies by vehicle so if you want specifics, feel free to travel back in time and dyno several military diesel trucks yourself. Advertisement - Page continues below That's pretty much the case with the builds out of EMC. The company sources disused Wolfs (Wolves?) from around the world, takes them to a facility and begins the restoration process with a full breakdown. You'll never find its facility on a map, by the way, it's the convenient side effect of having a lot full of camouflaged vehicles. Apart from certain custom requests, Alex and crew tend to stick to the original builds as possible, and even those are quite limited. Everything from the donor car is broken down, rehabilitated, and put back together while paired with a few modern components like a working HVAC and some sound absorbing materials. The ammo box even sticks around, though it's home to the new sound system's subwoofer instead. Customers can either choose from an existing Wolf in the EMC inventory or build their own with the help of the website's 'Wolf Builder' that displays the available interior and exterior color options, add-ons and powertrain configurations. You can go full 'mil-sim' and spec a murdered-out Wolf for nighttime ops, or have some joy in your life with a colorful, beach-ready G-Wagen complete with extra jump seats. All Wolfs roll away with creature comforts like that HVAC system, heated seats, a six-speaker Harman sound system and wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity. How does it drive? It doesn't take long at all for the EMC Wolf to work its charms on you. We first drove one of two builds, a Sahara-colored Wolf with the naturally aspirated diesel paired with a five-speed 'ironbox' manual. The fully-synchronized gearbox is easy and familiar for any modern manual driver, though the lack of a tachometer did take us by surprise. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. Might as well take the speedo off, too. The maybe-100hp engine isn't built for modern highway pace and indeed takes its sweet time getting up to neighborhood limits, too. This isn't meant as a knock, it's very much part of the Wolf's character, but it's easy to see how someone used to modern G-Wagens would be put off. The EMC Wolf isn't difficult to drive, it's fundamentally basic, and therein lies the joy. Skip 14 photos in the image carousel and continue reading With the ration of power on hand, you're hyper focused on the act of driving the G-Wagen – carrying momentum through an incline, scrutinizing bends in the road and thinking about what to do four steps ahead from now. You're not even looking at gauges for much info, you're listening and feeling for the car's behavior and thus more connected to the act of driving. You quickly realize how much we take the effortlessness afforded by modern-day cars for granted. You said that was one of two builds… Yes, due to some arm-twisting, Expedition Motor Company does offer a couple of different engines for their Wolf builds, including a six-cylinder turbodiesel. This power unit is era-accurate and stems from the same family of diesels as the original. A conservative estimate puts the power output at around 225hp, but it's likely more. The Wolf with this engine was married to a five-speed automatic transmission this time around, and while it shared the charm of its more authentic sibling, the character was quite different. In short, it's the build for folks interested in the 250GD but aren't 'hardcore' about the lifestyle. We also fibbed a bit. We drove the two builds that were on hand. There is a third engine option, a 430hp LS3 V8, which sounds like… a lot. To date, EMC has only built six. Even so, to my original point, super-powered G-Wagen builds are a dime a dozen, and as fun as they can be, it changes the experience of what something like the 250GD offers. Silly question: can it off road? It's certainly built for it, of course. How much you'd want to is another question. The Wolf has two- and four-wheel drive capability, locking diffs for both axles and multiple ranges for the transfer case since powering out of trouble isn't going to happen. It also rides on a rugged off-road ready suspension, with the option to upgrade to one with adjustable dampers if you're looking to get serious about it. Would you, though? We ask because if you want to pretend you're traversing the Ardennes, there are cheaper ways to do it. A naked build on the Expedition Motor Company's configurator starts at $180,000. Accessories like a brush bar and a winch up the price, as does the inclusion of the automatic and, of course, the optional engine upgrades. We suppose if you're the one paying for all of this custom craftsmanship, it's up to you to decide. We'd be happy to let this retired service vehicle enjoy the peace of civilian life. What's the final takeaway? The Expedition Motor Company's 250GD Wolf restorations are wonderfully analog vehicles that honor the character of the original, with just enough upgrades to bring them in line with modern sensibilities. Along with giving junked military vehicles a second life, they are fun, back-to-basics rides that allow us to be romantic about our automotive past while being authentic to the experience. LS3 swap notwithstanding. READ MORE Please buy this incredibly cool restored Merc G-Wagen As with most cars in this category, the craftsmanship comes with a cost, but even after a short time with the 'Wolf pack', it's hard to say it isn't worth it.
