Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake -- a wagon we still want 2015

this new wagon -- which remains a Euro-only offering for now - will start hitting showrooms there this month. Like its sedan sibling, the new Shooting Brake offers a choice of gasoline and diesel engines with outputs ranging from 121 horsepower to 355 horses in the range-topping CLA45 AMG - a variant that also comes standard with M-B's 4Matic all-wheel drive which is optional on the other front-drive members of the family

"Like its big brother, the CLS Shooting Brake, the CLA Shooting Brake is targeted at active customers who are looking outside of the mainstream for a car that impresses with a high utility value," notes Ola Källenius, Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars with responsibility for Marketing & Sales. Those seeking a bit more visual distinction without the added performance and expense of going the full AMG route will be able to choose a limited-run OrangeArt Edition that adds unique orange highlights to the bezels around its the bi-xenon headlamps, rim flanges of the AMG light-alloy wheels and lower fascias as well as orange/black sports seats with orange contrast topstitching

Offered in standard, Urban and AMG Line trims as well as the CLA45 AMG itself, the 5-passenger CLA Shooting Brake features bespoke body bits from the A-pillar back to its smartly raked tail. Both a Panoramic glass roof and power liftgate are included in its roster of upline options. The Shooting Brake's more flowing roofline adds nearly 1.6 inches of additional rear headroom and the available cargo space can be increased from 17.5 to 47.8 cu ft by dropping the near-flat folding backs on its 60/40-split rear seat. There are currently no plans to bring the CLA Shooting Brake to America, although we hope Mercedes reconsiders that decision at some point

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Mercedes-Benz 550 SL Mille Miglia 417 bows 2015

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the production sports car win by a Mercedes-Benz 300SL in Italy's grueling 1955 Mille Miglia (1,000 mile) road race, the German automaker debuts in Geneva  a limited edition model called the "Mille Miglia 417" that will go on sale in the U.S. later this fall. The original 300SL that won its class in 1955 was piloted by American John Fitch and left the starting gate at 4:17 a.m. in the morning with co-driver Kurt Gessl aboard. Fitch SL's fifth overall finish and class victory has been overshadowed by the record run by Sterling Moss and Denis Jenkinson, which completed the 1,000 road race from Brescia to Rome and back in 10 hours. That duo's overall win came in a competition-only Mercedes-Benz SLR

The anniversary model is based on the 2015 Mercedes-Benz SL550 coupe equipped with a 429-horsepower twin-turbo 4.7-liter V8 engine mated to a 7-speed transmission. Primarily an appearance package, the Special Edition "Mille Miglia 417" is painted black like Fitch's 300SL Gullwing, but it's a matte finish with contrasting red on the front and rear spoilers, brake calipers and rims on the sport alloy wheels, which measure 19-inches in the front and 20-inches in the rear

Cabin highlights

Interior upgrades include AMG Line sport seats, black center console with contrasting red inlays and edging as well as headrests embossed and embroidered with "SL Mille Miglia." Red is also used to outline the door panels and arm rests, while red seatbelts contrast with the black leather seating. The sport steering wheel is wrapped in red and black Nappa leather. Other trim bits are finished in matte carbon, while the black floor mats are edged in red and embroidered with a "1000 Miglia" logo

The SL Special Edition "Mille Miglia 417" will be available as an SL550 in the U.S.  in the fall of 2015, and pricing will be announced closer to the market launch. Current starting price on the standard 2015 Mercedes-Benz SL550 is about $107,000

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Mercedes-AMG GT3 races into Geneva 2015

Heading to customer hands at the end of this year, the GT3 is rumored to foreshadow a range-topping version of the production GT

Although incorporating much of the basic engineering found in the standard GT, this new GT3 racer takes everything up a notable notch. Finished in 

designo Selenite Grey Magno, the car features a wider and more aggressively contoured body that for the most part replaces aluminum panels with lighter carbon fiber. The GT3 matches its larger front intake and aggressive splitter with a downforce enhancing rear spoiler and lower diffuser. Beneath its skin, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 is equipped with a full steel rollcage and a carbon-fiber seat pan

While understandably circumspect about output numbers, Mercedes-AMG does say the new GT3 will be fitted with a "further enhanced" version of the 6.2-liter AMG V8 used in the outgoing SLS AMG GT3 racer. Under FIA rules, the engine will likely be restricted to around 600 horsepower. Whatever the specific pony count, that output is sent to the rear wheels via a new 6-speed sequential racing-style transaxle, which further optimizes the car's weight distribution

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McLaren P1 GTR: On track for greatness

"The best driver's car in the world..."

In creating what it deems has no peer, McLaren Special Operations revisited every functional aspect of the standard P1 supercar in order to extract more performance. The most visible changes can be seen in a deeper front splitter, a wind-channeling lower blade that runs along the P1 GTR's sill area, a revised aft diffuser and a significantly larger rear wing. While fixed, it sits nearly five inches higher off the deck and retains the same F1-style Drag Reduction System with pitch-adjustment found on the P1. Working with articulated flaps ahead of the front wheels, it can increase total downforce by up to 10 percent at 150 mph. New twin exhaust outlets are made from an Iconel/titanium alloy that's nearly 15 pounds lighter than those on the base P1. Closer inspection reveals the glass side and rear windows in the GTR are lighter Polycarbonate and the P1's toughened-glass roof panels are replaced by carbon fiber -- changes that contribute to a total weight reduction of more than 110 pounds. The P1 GTR's more aggressively tuned suspension brings a wider front track and drops the ride height by nearly two inches. Rolling stock changes to 19-inch center-locking alloys wrapped in Pirelli racing slicks

As first seen in the Design Concept, the potent gas/electric hybrid powertrain in the P1 GTR has been thoroughly revamped, adding more robust race-ready components that raise output and add reliability while stripping away street-oriented bits. The remix sees output of the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 rise from 727 to 789 horsepower while a more efficient electric motor cranks out 197 horses, up from 176 in the P1. Collectively, the pair puts out 986 ponies - 83 more than the baseline stat - and should endow the GTR with stunning acceleration

McLaren will build only 375 copies of the P1 GTR and all will of these $3 million-plus dream machines will be offered only to current P1 owners. Those fortunate enough to afford one also will be able to participate in a McLaren P1 Driver Program that includes a session at the McLaren Technology Center for a seat fitting, vehicle trim discussion and a driver assessment at the firm's Human Performance Center. From there, it will be off to a test at the Silverstone circuit in England then on to the first of six track-day events that will begin on the F1 Circuit de Catalunya in Spain

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McLaren 675LT stretches the performance envelope 2016

Revealed in all of its "long-tail" glory, the new 2016 McLaren 675LT is set to become the most track-focused member of the automaker's Super Series of road-going models. Based on the recently introduced 650S and paying homage to the successful McLaren F1 GTR created for the 1997 24 Hours of Le Mans, the new 675LT's unique aero-optimized bodywork extends its nose-to-tail dimension by a barely perceptible 1.3 inches. This super coupe's enhanced wind-cheating ability is further complemented by a major improvement to its power-to-weight ratio. To accomplish that feat, McLaren trimmed some 220 pounds from the package while upping the horsepower of its bespoke 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 from 641 to 666, a 1-2 punch that pays impressive dynamic dividends

While retaining a clear family resemblance to the 650S, McLaren says that nearly a third of the components in the new 675LT are new. The most visible changes are seen in an extended carbon fiber front splitter, deeper door-side blades and more pronounced cooling intakes. While only marginally longer, the aft section does feature redrawn fenders with integral air vents, new circular titanium exhaust outlets, a more efficient diffuser and a carbon fiber "Longtail" Airbrake that's 50-percent larger than the one on the 605S but considerably lighter

Major engine makeover

Modifications to the engine in the 675LT are even more extensive. With over half of the components new, it even merits a unique M838TL designation. Key changes include more efficient turbochargers, new camshafts and lightweight connecting rods, various detail changes to the cylinder heads and exhaust manifolds plus a faster-flowing fuel pump and optimized delivery system. Still sending power to the rear wheels via a paddle-activated 7-speed sequential shift transaxle, this more potent engine rockets the 2,712-pound 675LT from 0-62 mph in just 2.9 seconds and to 125 mph in less than eight ticks on its way to a 205 mph top end

The cabin of the new 675LT also reflects its competitive ethos, starting with a pair of Alcantara-covered carbon fiber shell-style sport buckets similar to those found in McLaren's P1 supercar. Unlike its other Super Series vehicles, McLaren has integrated the 675LT's air conditioning controls into the modestly-scaled touchscreen of its infotainment system. The 2016 McLaren 675LT is slated to arrive here sometime during the third quarter. Pricing has yet to be released, but is expected to start in the $325,000-$350,000 range

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