Road Test: 2008 Mercedes-Benz SL 550 Roadster

Story and photos by John LeBlanc Ever since the first Mercedes-Benz SL was launched in 1954, its been considered the German automaker’s top dog two seater. The first iteration, the 300SL with its gull wing doors, has become one of the automotive world’s most iconic sports cars. A hard act to follow, nein? But each […]

Comparo: Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG vs. Lexus IS-F

Story and photos by John LeBlanc Calabogie, Ont.–In its quarter-century-long war with rival German automaker BMW and its vaunted M3, Mercedes-Benz drew first blood in the battle of compact sports sedan V8s with the C 43 AMG in 1998. A decade later, eight cylinders are more common in this class than speeding tickets. Toyota is […]

Road Test: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG

Story and photos by John LeBlanc In the quarter century separating the new-this-year C63 AMG and the first factory hot rod baby ‘Benz, Mercedes’ smallest super sports sedan has certainly grown up. First seen at the Frankfurt auto show in 1983, the inaugural AMG-tuned ‘Baby Benz – the 185-hp four-cylinder 190 E 2.3-16 – was […]

Feature: The story behind Mercedes’ factory hotrodders

Story and photo by John LeBlanc Forming the “Triple Crown of Motor Racing” with the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Monaco Grand Prix is thought of by racing cognoscenti as one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world. The cars first raced on the narrow streets […]

Road Test: 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG

Story and photos by John LeBlanc Monte Carlo–What does it take for amaudit Anglais to get arrested in this two-bit Mediterranean town? Good question. Especially after squealing the rear Pirelli P-Zeros of my 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG Roadster within an arm’s length of one of the stoic gendarmes who patrol the narrow streets here […]

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