At the New York show, Mercedes reminded crowds of its revamped SL-Class, which TheCarConnection previewed earlier this year. It also announced pricing on the GL450 sport-ute, also reviewed here earlier this year - the new SUV will start from $54,900 including a long list of standard features like curtain airbags and anti-roll technology.
But the electrifying news at the Mercedes stand was the new E-Class. Shown in diesel, gas and AMG form, the new E's press launch featured an aerialist who seized the power of a Tesla coil to direct lightning around the new E-Class. The new E-Class looks very familiar, but Mercedes says more than 2000 changes have been made, qualifying the 2007 model as a new generation. The E550 model will be the first model in the U.S. ; its 382-hp V-8 will still give it 20-mpg fuel economy. The E63 AMG model has a 507-hp V-8 with 463 lb-ft of torque. And the new Bluetec diesel E320 arrives in the fall with 221 hp, 376 lb-ft of torque, and a 35-mpg fuel-economy rating good for 780 miles of driving range.
In what the Jeep crew called "the dirtiest show in New York," Chrysler marketing chief Joe Eberhardt and Jeep leader Frank Klegon unveiled a pair of new Jeeps for New York crowds, beginning by enlisting the New York Fire Department to blast away a mountain of dirt off the show stand, revealing the new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. The Unlimited arrives this fall as a long-wheelbase, four-door edition of the new Wrangler with a convertible Sunrider fabric top or a removable Freedom Top system with three panels and multiple configurations. With a 3.8-liter V-6 and a choice of manual and automatic gearboxes, the Unlimited is more versatile than the last model of that name; the second-row seats also flip and fold to create a larger cargo area.
In the second unveiling of the sunny Jeep press conference, held outdoors, the new Patriot four-door SUV drove up for its own dose of mud. Actress Eva Mendes (Hitch) came out to christen the Patriot with Champagne - but Chrysler's execs decided buckets of mud would be more appropriate for the Caliber-based crossover ute. With real off-road capability and an available CVT transmission, the Patriot will be the least expensive vehicle in the Jeep lineup, priced below the $15,985 Compass crossover, Eberhardt confirmed.
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