mercedes 3 yacht

Sailing and preservation of wooden classic yachts.

Mercedes iii.

Boat Name: Mercedes III Designer: Ted Kaufman / Bob Miller (Ben Lexcen) Builder: Cec Quilkey Year Launched: 1966 Rig: Sloop LOA: 40′ LWL: 31′ 1.5″ Beam: 11′ 3″ Draft: 6’6″ Sail No: R 450 Owner: Martin Ryan ARHV Number: HV000494 History: Australia’s first cold moulded ocean racer, the first and fourth fore and aft oregon planking (5/16th”), 2 diagonal layers (3/16th”). Keel, ribs, frames and floors Queensland Maple. Racing History:1966: Launched for the Admirals Cup trials, she won 9 of her first 14 races. 1967: Member of the winning Admirals Cup Team (+ Caprice of Huon and Boambillee) 1969: Member of Admirals Cup team, finishing 2nd (+ Ragamuffin and  Koomooloo) 1980’s: Raced on Sydney Harbour with a short interlude at RBYC. Completed many Hobarts. 1986: Brought to RMYS by Martin Ryan. Sydney Hobart 1995, 1996. Success on CHS, IMS, and AMS over the years with the Cock of the Bay a favourite. (1st 1989 on CHS and 1st 2008 on AMS)

Link to the Mercedes III web site   Link to the recently discovered 1967 Admirals Cup documentary 

Link to Mercedes III Construction story Seacraft Magazine May 1966

Mercedes III Honour Board. Found at RMYS and Cleaned up by George Fisscher .

Mercedes lll won MHYC Offshore division 8 years in succession under A T Clutton. Crayfish Derby Honour Plate 61,62 Mercedes ll 63 Salacia 64 Freya 67 Salome 69 Boambillie 70 Prospect of Whitby 71 M lll 74 Ragamuffin

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Experience Mercedes-Benz Style on the sea

Silver Arrows Marine yachts are born to challenge convention

Cruising towards perfection

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Challenging convention never looked so sleek

Working in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz Style and some of the world’s foremost marine architects and suppliers, the first ARROW460- Granturismo introduces a completely new way of looking at, and living with, a 14m motor yacht.

The Mercedes of the seas

A new standard

Our aim is not just to set a new standard of motor yacht but to challenge conventions in all areas of yacht building: design, development, partnerships, construction, testing and selling. We think we have found a better way to do all these things.

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Mercedes-Benz Reveals Design for Its First-Ever Superyacht

By Dave Banks

Photography by Mercedes-Benz

There’s arguably nowhere in the world that speaks to luxury and wealth more than the French Riviera. So it was appropriate that on the crystal clear, tranquil waters of the Côte d’Azur, Mercedes-Benz recently announced its entry into the world of superyachts. Like Bugatti and Aston Martin before it, the German car manufacturer is bringing its industry-leading innovations and opulent designs to the seas. The Arrow460-Granturismo, created in partnership with U.K.-based Silver Arrow Marine, borrows heavily from Mercedes-Benz’s long history of ergonomics, attention to detail, and revolutionary designs. “This new motor yacht, with its emotional and high-tech features, embodies our Mercedes-Benz design philosophy of sensual purity and is a perfect expression of modern luxury,” said Gorden Wagener, vice president of design at Daimler AG, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, in a statement.

A look at the Arrow460-Granturismo from the stern.

At first glance, it’s easy to compare the Arrow460-Granturismo to the company’s flagship S-Class cars. The long foredeck and arched roofline also echo the looks of iconic Benz models such as the 2011 SLS AMG Roadster and 1954 300 SL. But the Granturismo borrows other touches from its asphalt-based cousins, too. Much like the brand’s newer motor vehicles, the superyacht can electronically dim its windows to protect passengers from the sun.

The sleek 46-foot craft, which accommodates ten people, has a massive windscreen that can be raised to create a protective archway, shielding passengers from UV rays while allowing ocean breezes to cool them off. The Arrow460-Granturismo is propelled by a 960-horsepower engine, moving it up to 40 knots (46 m.p.h.), and has a Twin Disc Express Joystick System, providing more hands-on control of the yacht’s movement. Further technical details will be available this month; the Arrow460-Granturismo will go into production later this year.

By Sarah Archer

By David Nash

By Katherine McLaughlin

By Jessica Ritz

Why the Mercedes F1 team is getting involved in yacht racing

The Mercedes Formula One team has joined forces with British sailor Ben Ainslie in a quest to win the America's Cup for Great Britain's Royal Yacht Squadron.

The America's Cup is the oldest international trophy in sport, predating the Olympics by 45 years, but has not been won by a British team since it was first held as a race around the Isle of Wight in 1851. The Ineos Britannia team, skippered by Ainslie, hopes to change that by working closely with British-based Mercedes team to build a yacht capable of defeating the current holders, Emirates Team New Zealand.

The link-up between the two teams comes via Ineos, which owns a third of the F1 team and is the main backer of Ineos Britannia. The sailing team will be based at Mercedes' headquarters in Brackley, leaning on the engineering resources of various departments via the F1 team's Mercedes Applied Science division.

Mercedes is expecting to have as many as 50 people working on the early design process of the yacht once the regulations, date and location for the 37th America's Cup are agreed in mid-November by New Zealand and Great Britain. Mercedes' chief technical officer, James Allison, who recently took a step back from the F1 side of the company, will be the technical lead on the yacht project.

Shouldn't Mercedes be focusing on F1, not yachts?

While the project has an obvious commercial tie-up via Ineos, Mercedes is also keen to make the project work for the engineering benefit of the F1 team. The America's Cup is often known as 'F1 on water', and clear links can be made between the hydrodynamics that allow a racing yacht to "fly" on its foils in the sea and the aerodynamics that keep an F1 car pinned to the track.

But Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says the joint project will offer more than just a new revenue stream for the team through Mercedes Applied Science.

"We have had situations where engineers said, we have done this for seven years -- and many were even longer -- with seven world championships and they are asking where the next challenge is," Wolff said. "And it doesn't go any bigger than the challenge of winning the America's Cup as Challenger of Record.

"You are being the underdog, so you need to do an even better job. So that is of benefit because we retain the ability in-house and they are not going elsewhere -- within the industry or outside. Some of the people throughout the departments have said this is a nice challenge that they would like to take up for the next three or five years and gain some understanding, which probably can be deployed back into Formula One.

"It's almost like an activity that is so competitive that you need all your cognitive and intellectual concentration and that becomes an advantage when you are looking back into Formula One and it takes you out of your comfort zone."

Part of the reason the Mercedes team can afford to lend significant resources to the America's Cup campaign is thanks to Formula One's new budget cap this year. The introduction of a $145 million spending cap in 2021 forced the team to make cuts in its design and engineering departments, but by shifting staff to a non-F1 project outside the cap they can continue to work for the team.

"From a cost cap point of view, this team was bigger last year than you could afford in a cost cap this year and that means a certain amount of our resources is able to work on this type of project," Allison said. "As the rhythm of the Cup campaign requires it, hopefully it will intermesh adequately well with the corresponding demands that happen over in F1 land, so all the skill that we have here can be brought to bear."

Mercedes Applied Science also works on other projects, including the design and optimisation of road bikes, running shoes and Ineos' off-road vehicle the Grenadier. Wolff said the decision to diversify the business away from F1 came from looking at the success of sports franchises in the U.S.A..

"We looked at this pretty early because I'm always keen to learn from other sports leagues and when you look over the ocean at the most developed American sports leagues - the NBA and the NFL - these guys have diversified into real estate and into the hospitality business by the sheer fact that they are having a stadium," Wolff said. "And I think for us the logical next step is diversifying into engineering. We have created all this I.P. that we have never deployed on any other vehicle other than a racing car.

"We have never monetised any of the I.P. that exists here, and you are talking billions of spend into technology in a Formula One team, so that's why it sounds pretty logical that other teams are also looking at that space.

"But Mercedes Applied Science is not a commercial engineering entity. We are not pitching actively for engineering jobs, but we want to work with people who want to break records or win championships in land, sea, air and space. We have seen how the most challenging of all racing, the pinnacle comparable to Formula One, and this is not in the pursuit of margin, but more in the pursuit of learning and diversification for the benefit of Formula One.

"In the same way, a great new project for engineers that have learned their laurels in Formula One but they want to look at something different. Having said that, it needs to stand on its own commercial legs.

"It's our way of diversifying into other business areas, but we need to make sure that we are a contributing partner with the same ambition that we have in Formula One racing but without distracting from any of the two activities: they must run in parallel.

"We don't want to read the headline in three years that since we have started sailing we haven't been winning on the road. That must not happen."

How will Mercedes F1 technology make a yacht go faster?

While Allison will be the technical lead on Ineos Britannia's America's Cup campaign, German naval designer Martin Fischer will lead the design concept. As tempting as it is to imagine shapes from Lewis Hamilton's F1 car emerging on a racing yacht, the reality is that Mercedes' engineering know-how will more likely contribute to parts of the boat you can't see.

"Areas which are harder for America's Cup teams to do but are the meat and drink of an F1 team are all the systems that we have in place to know, for example, that if you want to put a hydraulic pipe down a certain length of something, how far away to keep all the other things so it doesn't fret on the pipe and how often down the pipe do you need to support it so it doesn't bounce around so much and the type of equipment that we have to inspect stuff so that we know that what is designed is what we built and are assembling," Allison said.

"All of the design standards that have been painfully learnt and written into a procedure in an F1 team can now be picked up and used by the community of engineers that is Britannia. That sort of stuff is pretty valuable.

"When you want all your good hydrodynamic and aerodynamic ideas to come true - i.e. the things that are coming from the marine folk of the team, backed up by the capable bodies that are working with them - then the boat has to be assembled on time and to the right qualities, it must not break down on the water so the sailors can learn while they are sailing it, so I think the maturity of the Mercedes Formula One team provides a really functional environment for the design engineers to then create designs that ought to be reliable and work.

"Hopefully we then build enough raw performance in to the boat to make it a competitive boat as well as reliable boat."

Allison added: "We hope we properly understand that being good at racing cars doesn't mean you are good at making yachts. What we wish to do is to learn from people that are good at doing yachts the manner in which we can best help.

"So my opening conversations with Martin were to try and assess the strengths and weaknesses of the previous campaign inside Ben's team, the strengths and weaknesses of the campaign Martin was involved with in with Luna Rossa [the runner up at the 36th America's Cup], to try to figure out how we can amplify the strengths and mitigate the weaknesses.

"And to see where there are areas of opportunity, like the engineering standards that we have is stuff that any engineering group can happily pick up and fall on like manna from heaven to just say that's work we don't need to do, can we just use that?

"To specifically try to get the likely key features, because we don't know a location or the timing yet, but what are the likely key features and what sort of level of force are we going need."

Highly exclusive 13th special edition boat from Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing celebrates world debut

Today, Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing presented the all-new Cigarette 41' Nighthawk AMG Black Series special edition boat, alongside the breathtaking new on-road performance benchmark, the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series. As the 13th boat jointly developed in this longstanding partnership, this boat is the latest in an impressive line of highly exclusive special edition performance vessels. The new Cigarette 41' Nighthawk AMG Black Series promises direct and unfiltered performance, combined with iconic design and luxurious features, with exclusivity and craftsmanship unlike any other performance boat in its segment.

The 41’ Nighthawk AMG Edition draws on Cigarette’s advanced engineering, utilizing cutting-edge elements such as a unique twin-step hull design to deliver its remarkable on-water performance. A low center of gravity, which improves handling, and light overall weight, which improves speed, have been achieved using a completely carbon-fiber deck and an all carbon-fiber hardtop design. Intelligent use of composite materials and proprietary construction techniques improve structural integrity, delivering enhanced ride comfort and composed handling characteristics in even the most demanding conditions.

The striking design of the 41' Nighthawk AMG Edition is the result of the close collaboration between the Cigarette Racing Team, the Mercedes-AMG design team and Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer Mercedes-Benz AG. Mercedes-AMG embodies the pinnacle of Performance Luxury on the road, and the Cigarette 41' Nighthawk AMG Black Series promises outstanding on water performance, exciting driving pleasure and ultimate quality and craftsmanship down to the finest detail. The new Cigarette 41' Nighthawk AMG Black Series perfectly translates the shared philosophies between AMG and Cigarette, resulting in a truly remarkable special edition boat. With its dramatic proportions, benchmark-setting power and striking design, the new Nighthawk AMG Black Series delivers Mercedes-AMG's legendary performance from its awe- inspiring Black Series model, creating an equally compelling role model on the water.

High performance on water

Like the awe-inspiring AMG GT Black Series, this special edition boat also sets new standards in performance within its segment. For example, the new 41' Nighthawk AMG Edition is the first in its model range to feature five racing-grade outboard engines. These five 4.6-liter V8 Mercury Racing 450R outboard engines create an industry-leading 450 peak propshaft horsepower each, and are controlled via an advanced shadowing throttle system, which allows only two levers to be used to control all five engines simultaneously.

The combined 2,250 HP output accelerates this new special edition boat to a remarkable top speed of more than 90 MPH. This is an achievement of particularly high significance for a boat in this large center console segment, which can comfortably hold more than ten people and still feature exceptional luxury amenities.

Show-stopping design and features

The eye-catching Magmabeam orange and black exterior of this special edition is influenced by the AMG GT Black Series, which debuted the Magmabeam exterior color as an exclusive new option, and also offers optional orange elements in its interior. The Magmabeam orange and black color scheme is further enhanced by small AMG logos painted towards the bow of the boat in a repeating pattern. Each of these logos are individually painted--there are no decals. The center trim pieces of the engine cowlings are also painted in Magmabeam orange, uniting the distinctive aesthetic from bow to stern.

The layout of the Cigarette 41' Nighthawk AMG Black Series focsues around a central console with a helm and cabin in the center of the boat, with the ability to walk around on both sides, and an open bow for seating up front. Part of what makes the Cigarette Racing Team center console unique is its advanced hull design,incorporating a highly refined "twin step" design that makes the boat dramatically more efficient. This advanced engineering combined with remarkable construction techniques and exceptional attention to detail - utilizing the latest technology combined with superior craftsmanship, results in a truly one-of-a-kind boat for the most discerning captain

This exceptional attention to detail continues inside this special boat. The interior is primarily grey and black, with distinctive orange detailing, uniting the exterior color scheme with the attractive interior design. The vessel also features the unique Cigarette Cool upholstery, which dissipates heat so that dark colors can remain comfortable, even when exposed to consistent sun and heat. The forward helm seating consists of two rows (three seats per row), with the front row featuring height adjustability, enabling the captain to achieve an ideal yet personalized seat height for spirited boating. This helm seating layout is advantageous for sporty driving, because you can have six people comfortably seated, forward facing, behind the central helm. There is an L-shaped lounge at the rear of the boat, and U-shaped seating at the bow. This layout creates a boat that is not only remarkably sporty and agile, but still offers the sort of entertainment and luxury that enhances its ability to cruise in comfort and relax with friends.

The helm features three Garmin 8617 multi functional displays flush-mounted to an instrument panel CNC-cut from a solid block of aluminum. This protective coated instrument panel is resistant to heat, reflections and fingerprints, while the perimeter of the panel is uniquely lit by RGB LED accent lighting, providing a distinctive glow, creating the Illusion that the dash is floating. Passengers can feel secure thanks to stainless steel grab bars and relax in total comfort with an ergonomic CNC-machined footrest.

The 41' Nighthawk AMG Edition also impresses with its advanced control-interface design. Controlling the vessel's features is acomplished through a sophisticated digital switching system. This system offers simple control of all systems onboard and also provides a performance benefit. By reducing the total weight of cables within the boat, the overall weight of the boat is also lowered, enabling higher performance. A lithium ion battery system further reduces weight, providing high power density, better durability and lower maintenance.

Balancing performance with impressive amenities, the 41' Nighthawk AMG Edition also features comfort options such as a high powered Audio Marine audio system, an advanced lighting system, and a bow thruster. Additional Garmin multifunctional displays are located at the aft seating and bow, providing guests with easy access to the digital switching system to control lighting, stereo, chart plotting, and other amenities. Loaded with the latest technology, the 41' Nighthawk AMG Black Series is truly as luxurious as it is thrilling to drive.

Driving performance on land: The AMG GT Black Series

As the inspiration model for the new Cigarette 41' Nighthawk AMG Black Series, the AMG GT Black Series makes waves of its own with regards to its performance capabilities. This halo model features the most powerful AMG V8 production engine of all time, a highly expressive design, sophisticated aerodynamics and an intelligent material mix, creating optimal dynamics and vehicle balance. Featuring a Handcrafted AMG V8 engine producing 720 hp, the new Black Series embodies AMG's roots in motorsport---together with a design derived directly from the current AMG GT3 race car.

The heart of the all-new AMG GT Black series is the new Handcrafted AMG V8 engine featuring a flat- plane crankshaft, developing 720 hp from 6,700-6,900 rpm, with a peak torque of 590 lb-ft available from 2,000-6,000 rpm. This new engine lends the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series a completely unique character while enabling unprecedented driving performance. The new AMG GT Black Series accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds and can reach 124 mph in under nine seconds. The top speed is 202 mph.

Arriving in U.S. dealerships in summer 2021, the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series will be priced from $325,000*.

Collaboration between Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing began their collaboration in 2007, primarily for organizing joint customer and marketing activities. Whether on water or on land, Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing are united by their focus on delivering the ultimate in performance. The special edition boats from this unique partnership share the same interpretation of Performance Luxury---the brand aesthetic that has been defined for Mercedes-AMG. This turns them into a perfect technological and optical match.

About Mercedes-Benz USA

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Atlanta, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and customer service for all Mercedes-Benz products in the United States. MBUSA offers drivers the most diverse lineup in the luxury segment with 15 model lines ranging from the sporty A-Class Sedan to the flagship S-Class and the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series.

MBUSA is also responsible for Mercedes-Benz Vans in the U.S. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found at www.mbusa.com and www.mbsprinterusa.com.

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing debut the Cigarette 41’ Nighthawk AMG Black Series

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MERCEDES yacht NOT for charter*

26m  /  85'4 | azimut | 2008.

Owner & Guests

Cabin Configuration

• Previous Yacht

Special Features:

• RINA (Registro Italiano Navale) classification
• Interior design from Carlo Galeazzi
• Cruising speed of 24 knots
• Sleeps 10 overnight

The 26m/85'4" motor yacht 'Mercedes' (ex. 4Fun) was built by Azimut in Italy. Her interior is styled by Italian designer design house Carlo Galeazzi and she was completed in 2008. This luxury vessel's exterior design is the work of Stefano Righini.

Guest Accommodation

Mercedes has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 10 guests in 4 suites. She is also capable of carrying up to 4 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

Her features include deck jacuzzi, WiFi and air conditioning.

Range & Performance

Mercedes is built with a GRP hull and GRP superstructure, with teak decks. Powered by twin diesel Caterpillar (C32 ACERT) 12-cylinder 1,825hp engines, she comfortably cruises at 24 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 30 knots. Her water tanks store around 1,500 Litres of fresh water. She was built to RINA (Registro Italiano Navale) classification society rules.

*Charter Mercedes Motor Yacht

Motor yacht Mercedes is currently not believed to be available for private Charter. To view similar yachts for charter , or contact your Yacht Charter Broker for information about renting a luxury charter yacht.

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Mercedes Photos

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Specification

M/Y Mercedes

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The Mercedes Benz Luxury Yacht

Arrow460-Granturismo

There aren’t many things that say luxury quite like yachts. This decadent pastime is one of the hallmarks of the international elite. And now this most luxury of markets is opening up to some very different brand names. The car companies are hitting the water! And Mercedes-Benz has partnered with a brand new marine company, Silver Arrows, to create something completely new. The Arrow460-Granturismo. We decided the S-Class of the sea was missing. So instead of going on big sizes, which is sometimes easier to design or even nicer for the designer to make it, we decided to enter into the range of the 46 footer. The real challenge for Mercedes was to learn about what is a boat. The ergonomics to live onboard are completely different from a car. And on the other side, the challenge they gave to us is that once they have designed the first package – in terms of the style you can see outside, but also this nice loft layout we have inside – is how to create a boat that is open and closed at the same time.

We had to do a lot of research and development, which has been the last 4 years now, to make sure we were arriving at the aim that both of us had. Mercedes Benz decided to make a boat to emphasize and also to strengthen the message we want to bring across with our cars. It’s important to not stay static but to go into completely new directions. Luxury has been our driving force in the whole process of developing this project. Mainly on how we choose materials. The luxury comes also from Mercedes because they have introduced to us a new level of supplier, which was not known in our market. you can see in the wood all around the interior, you can see in this net fabric. Then you have all leather finishing with very custom made items.

The new luxury is one of the ideas to have a kind of seamless experience. You can see already that we did a lot of connections to bring these two things together. We had to find something that could be combined with performance on the sea. But where performance should not be the speed but should be comfort. But what about the competition from the other luxury car companies? Lexus has created a concept boat – although not for sale. Aston Martin has teamed up with Quintessence Yachts to produce the British built, 50 knot AM37. Bugatti’s Niniette 66 – produced by Palmer Johnson – is a 66-foot version of their Chiron supercar, and now there’s even a Porsche inspired superyacht built by Dynamiq. Well, at least I think everybody is trying to create a whole world for their customers. If you ask me what maybe we are doing differently, it is much more the interpretation of our design and bringing it into the form of a boat. Just having a simple graphic of a car and putting it onto a boat – that wouldn’t be our style. But is this just an expensive PR exercise or is there really a market for luxury car brands on the sea? Having a car company behind means that you have a big network. So it can mean new markets like China, The Middle East, Brazil, India. So there are a lot of new markets to explore where the normal competition is there but is not there with massive volume. People appreciate the boat even if they are not buying or interested. It is something you can always look at because it gives the feeling of freedom.

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Arrow 460 Granturismo: The Mercedes of the yacht world

Next to the huge, multi-storey, luxury motor yachts that cruise the seas, the Arrow 460 is more of a compact, thoroughbred roadster - a fact starkly emphasised by the fact that the boat's first unveiling at the Monaco Yacht Show is only as a two-metre long model. Following in the highly successful footsteps of the Eurocopter EC145 Mercedes-Benz Style two years ago, the yacht now transmits the Mercedes brand's DNA to a new medium - water. The Arrow 460 Granturismo is notable for its long foredeck, set-back cabin and sliding glass panoramic roof - even a sloping rear that clearly recalls the C-pillar of a four-door coupé or sports car from Stuttgart.

The yacht has been developed by Mercedes-Benz Style and Silver Arrows Marine to implement car concept ideals in  shipbuilding. T eak and brass are replaced by materials from the automotive industry to give the yacht the silvery appearance of a modern supercar. The 14-metre long Silver Arrow of the seas is powered by two Yanmar engines, each providing 480HP to allow a cruising speed of 28 to 30 knots and a top speed of 40 knots. The Edition 1 model will be built as a limited series of 10 units, at a price not dissimilar to some limited-edition supercars, namely 1.25 million Euros (plus VAT).

Photos: Mercedes-Benz

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Land Yacht's Customizable Floor Plans

Built upon the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, TANK 77 comes equipped with a wide range of configurable amenities to meet your adventurous lifestyle.

Climb up the rear ladder and enjoy the view from above on the TANK’s 50 square foot roof deck. Step inside and sit behind the steering wheel in one of the two plush front seats ergonomically designed for comfort. The cabin easily accommodates up to eight additional passengers and can be configured to include two 3-person benches as well as two swiveling captain’s chairs that recline and feature electric footrests. Each bench converts into a two-person bunk bed.

Ample storage is available in stylish floor mount and overhead cabinets as well as underneath Land Yacht’s unique space saving bench design.

As with all Land Yachts, inverter VAC/USB power and upgraded upholstery are provided throughout. An optional premium sound system is also available. All cabinets, seating configurations, and other amenities are customizable.

The JET 77 is your choice for a luxury shuttle, limousine service or executive transporter. With seating for up to 14 passengers, JET 77 provides a distinctive quiet ride and interior comfort with ample storage space for cargo.

Built upon the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 170-EXT, the JET 77 includes artisan quality interior upholstery upgrades throughout. Exclusive multi-layered flooring upgrades and extensive sound dampening provide a first-class ride in the cabin as well as the cockpit.

Interior comforts include swivel seating for socializing or doing business on the go. Seat recline is standard and an optional massage feature is available for relaxing and cruising in style. An inverter system provides power for laptops and mobile devices. Convenient overhead cabinets provide storage for your carry ons. An optional premium sound and/or video system rounds out the luxury interior experience.

A partition separates the spacious rear cargo area from the cabin. Optional chrome rims and upgraded tires offer style and an even smoother ride. And, as always, Land Yacht provides customizable options to meet the unique needs of all our clients.

The Tailgater is the ultimate weekend gaming platform. Up to four captain’s chairs swivel to face a removable table for playing cards and socializing. The kids can play games or watch movies at the entertainment console complete with satellite TV and wifi for online action. And while mom can take a snooze on the 69” leather couch, the real entertainment happens outside with a trailer hitch mounted bench, footrest and a rear facing flat-screen TV for watching the game. A portable BBQ pit, YETI coolers and portable Bose sound system rounds out the outdoor entertainment experience.

JET 77 Mini

The JET 77 Mini is a luxury upgrade package for the stock Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Passenger van. The upgrade converts an otherwise uninspiring passenger van into a high-end luxury transporter. Both the 144 and 170 versions seat 12. The upgrade includes ultraleather reupholstery and custom stitching for all seats, wool floor mats, a rubber insulated and sound dampening underfloor with 100% wool carpeting throughout. Additional upholstery upgrades include headliner, side columns, side panels, and interior trim. Leather seating upgrade is optional. A sound system upgrade and roof air conditioner paint finishes out the package.

The Cockpit Upgrade Package provides a flare of luxury to the otherwise utilitarian Mercedes-Benz Sprinter line of cargo and passenger vans. The package includes front door and front seat upholstery upgrades with styling improvements, leather accents and custom stitching, leather wrapped steering wheel, and Land Yacht’s custom designed raised armrest that greatly improves posture resulting in less strain on your back and neck. Additional upholstery upgrades include instrument dome, grab handles, sun visors, control panel, center console lid and overhead compartment (if equipped).

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Arrow 460-GT: On board the Mercedes-Benz styled speedboat

At the 2012 Monaco Yacht Show , naval architect Martin Francis dragged me to one side and revealed that he was working on a unique boat project with some really interesting people. “You have to see it,” he whispered, excitedly. Four years later I’m at the wheel of a very expensive, very powerful Mercedes AMG s63 Cabriolet, finally on my way to do just that.

I have been invited by the car company to the South of France for a trio of tests — featuring the AMG supercar, an Airbus helicopter featuring a Mercedes-Benz Style interior, and finally the boat that had so animated Francis. For most of the 100 or so journalists in St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, the helicopter and car are the main attractions. But the boat is all I see.

Ever since that hush-hush conversation in 2012, I have been following its build and am the only writer to be given behind-the-scenes access to the Arrow460-Granturismo — a collaboration between new shipyard Silver Arrows Marine and Mercedes-Benz Style, with input from Francis, designer Tommaso Spadolini and Van Oossanen Naval Architects .

In the car world, it is common for a project to be in development for five years or so before the prototype is unveiled. In the boating world, no builder would tie up design capital that long, which makes this boat all the more intriguing.

The idea was conceived in 2009 by Gorden Wagener, vice-president of design for Daimler, Mercedes’ parent company. Mercedes has numerous design centres but it was the Advanced Design Centre for Mercedes-Benz Style on Italy’s Lake Como which developed Wagener’s idea: what if Mercedes-Benz Style designed a boat?

The company had ventured on to the water only once before — in 1888, when it designed and built a launch for Otto von Bismarck, equipped with Gottlieb Daimler’s early one-cylinder internal combustion engine. It burned benzene for fuel and was named Mercedes, after the daughter of one of his engineer investors.

Some 121 years later, the Lake Como style gurus began sketching, borrowing liberally from Mercedes’ famous Silver Arrows racing cars of the 1930s and from the iconic 1954 gull wing 300 SL. Soon the group expanded to include former automotive journalist and avid boater Paolo Bonaveri, and entrepreneurs Jacopo Spadolini and Ron Gibbs, who investigated the niche for an ultra-exclusive, innovative Med-style cruiser.

They formed the UK-based company Silver Arrows Marine to build it and brought in Tommaso Spadolini and Francis to direct hull and engineering concepts. A full-scale prototype of the open hull was built and tested in Turkey.

Mercedes began suggesting innovative features, from electric windows to a disappearing swim platform and a vanishing bed and table. A pop-up saloon roof and other features were added. Van Oossanen refined trim and balance, highlighting comfort instead of autobahn-like speeds.

The dayboat concept was becoming multifunctional; they began to think of it as a grand touring car, a granturismo. The name stuck. On the technical side, Swiss composite expert Carboman pushed every element from skin laminates to the 3D engineering of the systems. At an overall length of just 14.2m, the R&D per centimetre is staggering.

My first impression as I pull up to the quay in the tiny French port is that the boat looks exactly like its rendering, which rarely happens. “Giving shape to a boat is a dream come true for automotive designers,” says Wagener. “We applied the refined design genes of our sports cars. The results are an automotive style, open-plan cabin, high-tech materials and, in place of a bathing platform, a terrace.”

The “terrace” is out when we arrive — it is truly too large to call a bathing platform. At the touch of a button, it retracts into the hull between the deck and propellers.

Despite the fact she’s carrying more people than she was designed for, as we round the breakwater the captain nudges the throttles ahead and in the blink of an eye we are heading into the sea with no pounding.

“Faster,” we urge. He complies and we spin doughnuts around the 92 metre Feadship superyacht  Royal Romance setting her anchor nearby. I choose a spot behind the captain in an attempt to stay dry but it turns out I could be sitting anywhere: there is very little spray.

The boat is so new, splashed only three days before, that her interior is not completely fitted out, a factor that cuts short our sea trial given the number of people aboard. I don’t get chance to take the helm and I wish everyone else would evaporate. At our 28 knot cruising speed, I could have been in Monaco in no time.

Mercedes does not make engines that could be marinised to fit the horsepower and torque parameters and profile of the Arrow460 so a pair of six-cylinder 480hp Yanmars have been installed. For the production series of the boat soon to begin lay-up at Baltic Yachts in Finland, next generation Yanmars meeting US emission regulations will be fitted. They have more power and weigh 100kg less and should provide a more muscular top speed of 38 knots.

The boat’s layout is like no other. Instead of trying to create a seating area with a bimini top for shade when anchored, the social cockpit is below in a space with full standing headroom. To enjoy it alfresco, a big window section of the coachroof lifts up on struts — a modified sunroof.

Like a car interior, everything is built-in, and storage, the head and mini galley are hidden away. Michele Jauch-Paganetti, studio manager of the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studio in Como, says: “We wanted [the passengers] to be protected from the elements but not feel enclosed. The silver body is minimal and yet confident. In contrast, the interior is warm with voluptuous shapes.”

Steffen Köhl, advanced exterior design director for Mercedes-Benz, adds: “Modern luxury is a rare thing — it is clarity, calmness and purity. The product doesn’t interrupt you. Intellectually it touches your senses. Luxury makes you say: ‘I want to touch it, I want to fit in it, I want to own it’.”

Six years of incubation have delivered a very different boat from anything currently on the market. Silver Arrows Marine clearly thinks it’s found a niche and is producing a limited run of 10 Arrow460s at Baltic, each coming with a seven-figure price tag. But who cares about that, especially now you can drive to the dock in your AMG s63 Cabriolet, go for a cruise in your Arrow460-GT and head for dinner in the Mercedes-Benz Style chopper.

First published in the March 2017 edition of Boat International

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Mercedes created a luxurious $1.7 million yacht that only 10 people in the world will be able to buy

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Mercedes-Benz is known for its luxurious cars, but the company is also behind one of the most anticipated yachts being shown off this year at the Monaco Yacht Show.

On Wednesday, the German automaker debuted Edition 1 of its Arrow460-Grandturismo yacht, a sleek-looking vessel that begins pricing at about $1.7 million.

The company originally showed off its yacht concept in 2012, but later worked with the yacht building company Silver Arrows Marine to turn the concept into a reality.

The two companies plan to only build 10 Edition 1 models of the yachts and aim to only sell one in each country, making the yacht incredibly rare. Here's a closer look at some of the other features that make the vessel so special.

The vessel is nicknamed "Silver Arrow of the Seas" after Mercedes race car called the "Silver Arrow" built in the 1930s.

Jim d. woodward, the 46-foot yacht may be on the smaller side, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in design., mercedes-benz, from the side, the stylish yacht resembles a saloon style car, similar to mercedes model s-class., its large side windows can retract, and the windscreen can be raised so that passengers can sit inside the boat while enjoying surrounding views while at sea., with 960 horsepower, the yacht can travel at a top speed of 40 knots., in total, the yacht can comfortably accommodate up to 10 people., beds and tables inside the yacht are extendable, so that you can create more space when needed., the vessel has all the modern amenities you'd expect in a luxury yacht, including air conditioning, a sound system, wine storage, and an ice maker., silver arrows marine will begin production of the arrow460-grandturismo in the coming months. deliveries are expected to take place in the second half of 2017..

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• YACHTS FOR CHARTER
• DESTINATIONS

MERCEDES, YACHT FOR CHARTER

INQUIRE ABOUT MERCEDES

The 121.39ft  /37m  motor yacht, custom built in 1996 by Oceanfast and last refitted in 2012. Previously named Perseverance II, her luxurious interior is designed by Sam Sorgiovanni and her exterior styling is by Bannenberg & Rowell.

Mercedes’s interior layout sleeps up to 8 guests in 4 rooms, including a master suite, She is also capable of carrying up to 6 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience. Timeless styling, beautiful furnishings and sumptuous seating feature throughout to create an elegant and comfortable atmosphere.

You’ll enjoy many leisure and entertainment facilities onboard, making her ideal for entertaining friends and family on your charter vacation. There’s plenty of space for enjoying an alfresco lunch or dinner on deck, or simply lounging in the sunshine and working on your tan.

She has a cruising speed of 12 knots, a maximum speed of 16 knots and a range of 2,000nm from her 37,854litre fuel tanks, she is the perfect combination of performance and luxury.

A Jacuzzi on deck is just perfect for relaxing with friends and family, while taking in the breath-taking scenery after a long day of exploration.

Wi-Fi connection is available throughout, so you’ll be able to stay connected while you’re away, great for business, checking emails or sharing your experience on social media.

Air conditioning keeps conditions comfortable throughout the cabins, even on the warmest of days or nights.

Mercedes FEATURES & PRICING

• AIR CONDITIONING • DECK JACUZZI • WI FI

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Mercedes-Benz Gives Its Best Luxury Car A Very Subtle Facelift

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class receives more interior tech, increased safety features, and more personalization options than before.

Key Takeaways

• The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has received subtle updates with new paint colors and interior tech.
• The MBUX interface now includes the RIDEVU service for video streaming entertainment.
• The revised S-Class will reach US dealerships in August 2024.

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has received a mid-life refresh to keep the iconic luxury sedan fresh. As with the most recent facelifts (like the updated Mercedes GLS-Class ), the automaker has kept changes to a minimum, with subtle updates to the exterior, interior, technology, and Manufaktur personalization service. No powertrain changes have been announced.

For a start, the Sonderklasse can be specified with Verde Silver metallic or Velvet Brown metallic paintwork. Inside, the luxury sedan now benefits from standard comfort head restraints for the front seats. The MBUX interface has been upgraded to include the RIDEVU service from Sony Pictures Entertainment. The system allows occupants to stream video entertainment (including a library of films) from the leather-lined cabin. Customers can also stream video content via YouTube.

2024 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Sedan

More tech and safety features.

The MBUX interface is also more intuitive than before. The assisted parking suggestions, for example, are located in a user-friendly place. US customers can use the Mercedes me 'pre-installation for the Digital Vehicle Key' service for the first time. Aside from pre-installation, it will be compatible with Android mobile devices for the first time. The updated S-Class also receives the standard MBUX Entertainment Plus and an OLED center display.

2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS Sedan Debuts With Bigger Battery And S-Class Lookalike Grille

On the safety front, the W223 gains a new occupant presence reminder. This feature ensures that an occupant is not left behind in the vehicle. The system is activated and deactivated by opening the rear doors for a longer period. It works on the assumption that people have entered the car and are seated in the second row. In Europe, the S-Class also receives the Automatic Lane Change function supported on certain roads, like motorways and dual-carriageways. Mercedes notes all these changes will be applied to the armored S680 Guard . There's no mention of whether the Maybach is included in this light refresh.

More Manufaktur Personalization Options

Aside from this, the marque’s Manufaktur customization program has been expanded for the S-Class, with 12 exclusive colors for the luxury sedan. This includes solid paints like Vintage Blue and Silicon Gray, metallic hues such as Rubellite Red and Kalahari Gold, and 'Magno' (matte) finishes a la Opalite White Magno and Graphite Gray.

Manufaktur has multiple upgrades for the S-Class interior, including walnut brown open-pore wood with aluminum lines or black piano lacquer with flowing lines. Nappa leather upholstery with diamond quilting and cushions with an embroidered Mercedes star are also available. Plush Nappa hide can also be applied to the dashboard, center console, armrests, and door cards. Deep-pile floor mats with Nappa leather piping can be matched to the chosen upholstery. Five unique color combos are available: Yacht Blue/Black, Walnut Brown/Black, Deep White/Black, Tartufo Brown/Black, and Pastel Yellow/Black.

Manufaktur Components Crafted With The Utmost Care

But it doesn’t end there. Customers who want something Mercedes or Manufaktur can’t offer can discuss bespoke personalization solutions for their S-Class . If possible, the Mercedes Manufaktur workshop will take on the task of creating one-of-a-kind solutions for the luxury sedan. All Manufaktur components are mostly handmade, with a team of 250 experts crafting the headliners, unique window frames, and vanity mirrors, to name a few custom parts. Mercedes doesn’t just hire anyone for this department; experts must undergo a three-year training regime, with an extra six months required depending on specific components.

Driven: 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Proves Gas Is Still King

Mercedes has not announced pricing for the updated S-Class, but the automaker says the first batch of refreshed models will reach American dealerships in August. We expect pricing to be shared closer to the on-sale date, with an anticipated increase in the MSRP (owing to the increased standard features). As a reminder, the big Benz has a starting price of $117,300 before options. While the latest update has been very mild, a Mercedes insider says that a more substantial update will be announced in 2026 , with another facelift to arrive in 2029.

Exclusive: Mercedes becomes the first automaker to sell autonomous cars in the U.S. that don’t come with a requirement that drivers watch the road

The next time you’re traveling on the interstate and see a fellow driver whose hands are full with everything but the wheel—scrolling TikTok, applying mascara, eating breakfast—don’t panic. It’s all legal in certain states, as long as they’re in a new Mercedes with autonomous driving technology. 

The luxury automaker has become the first in the nation to start selling self-driving cars—at least those that afford riders a hands-free experience—to regular consumers. As of April 11, there were 65 Mercedes autonomous vehicles available for sale in California, Fortune has learned through an open records request submitted to the state’s DMV. One of those has since been sold, which marks the first sale of an autonomous Mercedes in California, according to the DMV. Mercedes would not confirm sales numbers. Select Mercedes dealerships in Nevada are also offering the cars with the new technology, known as “level 3” autonomous driving.

Level 3-enabled cars went on sale in December, Mercedes told Fortune. California and Nevada are the only two states where the company can legally sell the technology to consumers. The two state DMVs gave Mercedes approval to begin selling the cars last year—Nevada in January, and California in June. Mercedes announced in September its plans to begin sales, but this is the first news of the cars actually reaching consumers.

Drivers can activate Mercedes’s technology, called Drive Pilot, when certain conditions are met, including in heavy traffic jams, during the daytime, on specific California and Nevada freeways, and when the car is traveling less than 40 mph. Drivers can focus on other activities until the vehicle alerts them to resume control. The technology does not work on roads that haven’t been preapproved by Mercedes, including on freeways in other states. 

The sales mark a new echelon of autonomous driving available to the average American. Mercedes is the first automaker selling to customers to achieve level 3 capabilities in the U.S., with Tesla and others still offering technology at level 2—in which cars can perform specific tasks but require constant supervision from a driver. Some drivers, however, ignore those rules and operate the cars as if they are more capable than they are. One family of a deceased driver has accused Tesla  of hyping its assisted driving technology  as fully autonomous, allegedly leading to  tragic results , while California’s DMV last year accused the company of false advertising over the matter.

Meanwhile, robo-taxis from Alphabet’s Waymo and GM’s Cruise operate at level 4, meaning cars drive autonomously in most conditions without human interference. But these companies currently don’t sell vehicles to consumers, and Cruise recently halted its service after California’s DMV suspended its license due to an incident in which a car dragged a pedestrian under its carriage for 20 feet. 

U.S. customers can buy a yearly subscription of Drive Pilot in 2024 EQS sedans and S-Class car models for $2,500. Mercedes began selling level 3-enabled cars in its home country of Germany in May 2022. The European packages cost 5,000 to 7,000 euros ($5,300 and $7,500) for a three-year membership.

Mercedes is testing turquoise lights in its cars’ rearview mirrors, headlights, and taillights to let law enforcement and other drivers know when the car is operating autonomously. Drive Pilot is available only on select models that have the built-in hardware, including a sensor at the front of the car and a camera in the rear windshield.

Mercedes is also working on developing level 4 capabilities. The automaker’s chief technology officer, Markus Schäfer, expects that level 4 autonomous technology will be available to consumers by 2030, Automotive News reported. But the jump to level 4 is considerably more difficult than achieving level 3. While humans are still expected to take control of the car based on the circumstances in level 3, level 4 technology is supposed to offer near-total autonomy. At this level, a driver needs to take over only if the system fails. That means the technology must be able to safely respond to nearly all unexpected situations on the road.

Correction, April 19, 2024:  A previous version of this article misstated the number of autonomous Mercedes cars sold in California. There were 65 cars available for sale at the time of the records request.

Update, April 19, 2024:  This article has been updated with the information that one autonomous car has been sold in California.

Correction, April 24, 2024:  A previous version of this article misstated the status of Mercedes’s turquoise light technology. The lights will be installed only on Mercedes’s test cars at this time.

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Tested: 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S680 4Matic Is a Bargain of Sorts

Compared to its ultra-posh competition, the V-12-toting S680 seems like a screaming deal.

From the May/June issue of Car and Driver.

In the world of ultraluxury automobiles, as with mainstream vehicles, SUVs are the chic thing and command premium prices. The last V-8 Bentley Bentayga S we tested cost $302,910, and a V-12 Rolls-Royce Cullinan can easily cross the half-million-dollar mark. Against those yardsticks, the Maybach we drove looks like a steal. Consider what $245,650 gets you: a 621-hp twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V-12, rear seats to shame the ones you might find on a private jet (complete with tray tables), and power rear doors you can control with hand gestures. Enjoy your glass of Louis Roederer, Jedi, as you use the Force to close your door.

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Meanwhile, the high-dollar SUVs—even Mercedes-Maybach's own GLS—tend to blend in with all the other body-on-frame behemoths on American roads. But a sedan the size of a giant SUV? Now we're talking street presence, and the S680's 133.7-inch wheelbase is within a half-inch of a Chevy Suburban's. The effect is one of extravagant menace—like you want to meet whoever climbs out of the back, but also, maybe you don't. And even though the S680 is a mutated strain of S-class, nobody mistakes it for an off-the-rack Benz. Should you need to teach onlookers how to pronounce it, here's a handy mnemonic tool: It's not your -bach, it's my -bach.

While the S680's $6000 Executive Rear Seat Plus package brings two of the most luxurious chairs in a modern automobile, your chauffeur will have a pretty great time up front too. That V-12, with its 664 pound-feet of torque, simply shrugs off the S680's 5301 pounds and rips this land yacht to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds. The S680 blows past the quarter-mile in 11.9 seconds at 120 mph, figures that put it roughly door to door with a C7 Corvette Stingray. Benz's four-door leviathan serves up more body roll than a racing sloop but still posts an impressive 0.92 g of stick on the skidpad. A car this large doesn't seem like it should move like this, but that's part of the appeal—a few dozen layers beneath the genteel limousine, there's a sports sedan awaiting an imprudent prod of the throttle. Rear-axle steering helps enable lively responses, with as much as 10.0 degrees of countersteer with the 19-inch wheels (Mercedes relegates the 21-inchers and staggered 20-inchers to 4.5 degrees).

LOWS: Soft brake pedal, 14-mpg EPA combined rating, having to correct the hoi polloi's mispronunciation of "Maybach."

So, back to price. The S680's $232,750 base sticker puts it in rare air. Yet it seems like a bargain for a car offering so much luxury, performance, and V-12 star quality. Maybach exists in a weird space, a premium variation of an already upper-crust marque, but without quite the badge snobbery of a venerated stand-alone like Bentley or Rolls (the two companies Mercedes-Maybach overtly identifies as competitors). In other words, this nearly $250K car feels like it could justifiably cost $100K more. If you can write that check, the S680 is sedan writ large.

Specifications

2023 Mercedes-Maybach S680 Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE Base/As Tested: $232,750/$245,650 Options: Executive Rear Seat Package Plus (includes First Class 4-seat configuration, folding rear tables), $6000; Maybach champagne flutes, $3200; Piano Lacquer Flowing Lines trim, $1300; 21-inch multispoke Champagne Flute wheels, $1300; rear refrigerator, $1100 

ENGINE twin-turbocharged and intercooled SOHC 36-valve V-12, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection Displacement: 365 in 3 , 5980 cm 3 Power: 621 hp @ 5500 rpm Torque: 664 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm

TRANSMISSION 9-speed automatic

CHASSIS Suspension, F/R: multilink/multilink Brakes, F/R: 15.4-in vented disc/14.4-in vented disc Tires: Pirelli P Zero PZ4 F: 265/35R-21 101Y Extra Load MO-S PNCS R: 265/35R-21 101Y Extra Load MO-S PNCS

DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 133.7 in Length: 215.3 in Width: 75.6 in Height: 59.4 in Trunk Volume: 12 ft 3 Curb Weight: 5301 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 3.7 sec 100 mph: 8.3 sec 1/4-Mile: 11.9 sec @ 120 mph Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec. Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 5.2 sec Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.6 sec Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.2 sec Top Speed (gov ltd): 129 mph Braking, 70–0 mph: 165 ft Braking, 100–0 mph: 331 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.92 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMY Observed: 17 mpg

EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/City/Highway: 14/12/20 mpg

C/D TESTING EXPLAINED

Ezra Dyer is a Car and Driver senior editor and columnist. He's now based in North Carolina but still remembers how to turn right. He owns a 2009 GEM e4 and once drove 206 mph. Those facts are mutually exclusive.

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Mercedes-Benz won’t let Apple CarPlay take over all its screens

In a decoder interview, mercedes ceo ola källenius explains why he won’t allow apple’s more immersive version of phone mirroring in his vehicles..

By Andrew J. Hawkins , transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State.

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Mercedes-Benz doesn’t have any plans to adopt Apple’s immersive, next-generation version of CarPlay, the German automaker’s CEO said in an episode of Decoder .

“The short answer is no,” Ola Källenius told The Verge ’s Nilay Patel in response to a question about whether Mercedes-Benz will enable Apple CarPlay to take over all the screens inside its vehicles. Instead, he touts the need for a “holistic software architecture” to meet the needs of customers who are increasingly looking for a better technology experience from their vehicles.

“The short answer is no.”

Apple announced its next-gen version of CarPlay , in which the phone-mirroring feature would extend beyond the central touchscreen to also include additional screens like the gauge cluster, back in 2022. It was a bold move, with Apple signaling its desire to control core functions of the vehicle like HVAC, as well as the speedometer and odometer. But since then, the new CarPlay has yet to appear on any production models. Last year, it said that Porsche and Aston Martin would be among the first companies to adopt the new immersive display.

• Car companies haven’t figured out if they’ll let Apple CarPlay take over all the screens

But Mercedes doesn’t appear to be in any rush to follow its luxury vehicle peers in letting Apple dominate the in-car experience for its customers. Instead, Källenius said that the company is working closely with Apple’s main rival, Google, in designing a new navigation feature that will build on Google Maps. The key difference there is that Mercedes’ own engineering team will be heavily involved in the process.

“I fundamentally believe that that holistic customer experience is best done by us, and we will serve you,” he said during the interview.

But Källenius said he still sees value in offering phone-mirroring services to his customers and has no plans to exclude their use — despite some in the auto industry turning away from them. Last year, General Motors made the controversial move to prohibit Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in its forthcoming lineup of electric vehicles, arguing that the company could provide a more comprehensive software experience than what exists on someone’s phone.

“We’re not fundamentalists to say, for some reason, we’re not going to allow a customer to use Apple CarPlay if that’s what they choose to do,” Källenius said. “So, we have Apple CarPlay. We have Android Auto. If, for some of the functions, you feel more comfortable with that and will switch back and forth, be my guest. You can get that, too.”

At the end of the answer, he reiterated his position that Apple’s next-gen CarPlay was a bridge too far for Mercedes. “To give up the whole cockpit head unit — in our case, a passenger screen — and everything to somebody else, the answer is no.”

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On the  Electrek Podcast , we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss all the news coming out of Tesla’s earnings, Model 3 Performance, Mercedes-Benz electric G-Class, and more.

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The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on  Electrek ’s YouTube channel .

As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the  YouTube channel  to get your questions and comments in.

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Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:

• Tesla officially unveils new Model 3 Performance with 0-60 mph in 2.9 sec
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• Tesla may start selling its Optimus humanoid robot next year, says Elon Musk
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• Tesla Autopilot is again under NHTSA investigation after doubts over recall remedy
• Tesla Cybertruck owner gets quoted over $30,000 for Powershare installation
• Tesla lowers price of ‘Full Self-Driving’ to $8,000, down from $12,000
• Mercedes unveils 2025 electric G-Class, with 4 motors and tank turns
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