Autoblog UK

The latest E-Class range is gaining an additional model in the shape of the traditional T model estate. This vehicle is popular mainly in Germany, and the home market continues to take around half of all the E-Class Estates produced. But the numbers sold will probably never overtake those of the saloon. Whereas with other manufacturers, estate cars often outsell saloons of similar construction, the E-Class Estate is a vehicle for discerning individuals. In some respects, the estate car is a more exclusive version of an E-Class, just like the coupé. That's shown rather impressively in that 50% of buyers are self-employed and 25% are managers, and by the fact that the T version is mainly for leisure and family use.

It appears that there's always a big demand for supercars. At least, that's what you would think looking at the many newcomers in this expensive section. In the Golden Steering Wheel awards, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG beat off its ten competitors in the supercar class. The darling of the Frankfurt Motor Show garnered almost a third of the votes in a poll of readers in Europe.

Amongst the hopefuls were: the Alfa 8C Spider available in a limited production run of 500 units, the beautiful Aston Martin One-77, the hottest 911 ever, the Porsche 911 GT3, the sweet-sounding Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, the mighty 1,001bhp Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport convertible, the new Ferrari California and the Audi R8 Spyder. Other cars in search of an award were: the Japanese cult car, the Nissan GT-R, the new iconic Mercedes SLS, plus the ZR1, which heralds the start of a new era for Chevrolet and the LF-A from Toyota subsidiary, Lexus.

The most important prize award for cars in Europe was instituted by the publisher Axel Springer in 1976, and has been awarded annually since then. On the 4th November, top managers from the car industry accepted awards for the model year 2009 at the Axel Springer Building in Berlin. Eight new models in total received a Golden Steering Wheel award. For the third time, a Green Steering Wheel prize was presented for the best eco car. Fiat and Ferrari president, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, received an honorary award.

The winners in the individual categories:

Small car class: VW Polo
Compact class: Vauxhall Astra
Medium class and above: Audi A5 Sportback
Luxury class: Porsche Panamera
Supercar: Mercedes SLS
MPV: Renault Scenic
Eco award: Toyota Prius and VW Blue Motion
Honorary prize: Luca Cordero di Montezemolo

If you've ever been a passenger on a car journey trying to surf the internet on your mobile, you'll know just how far removed the information highway is from the Queen's Highway. Now the automotive industry are trying to get a grip on the problem. Mercedes-Benz are claiming some degree of success with their web-based infotainment system myCommand. The concept behind the infostation currently being tested in the E-Class is the updating and maintenance of all data and functions via the internet.

In order to increase transmission speeds, the boffins in Stuttgart have got together with their opposite numbers at Nokia to develop fourth-generation radio technology referred to as LTE (Long Term Evolution) and capable of bandwidths of between 5 and 25 Mbps. This would be sufficient for the high-quality streaming of video material. Following extensive trials, the Daimler engineers have now reported excellent progress. At least as far as their remit is concerned: navigation, radio, telephony and additional services all functioned very smoothly. The missing component is Europe-wide availability of LTE, and that could take several years to put in place.

Mercedes have given the boys and girls at AMG a free hand and just look what they have come up with: one of the most exciting cars available today. Sporty through and through, possessing luxury aplenty and with an historical pedigree - that's how to build a supercar and show that German engineering is still in the premier league. One perfect technology package consisting of, aluminium space-frame body shell with gull-wing doors, AMG 6.3L, front-mounted V8 engine having dry sump lubrication, rated at 571bhp and 650 Nm, transaxle-mounted seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and sport's chassis with twin aluminium wishbones, guarantees superior driving dynamics and fun of the highest order The bad news, as always, is the price. At around 178,000 euros (£164,000), it's not exactly peanuts. But we can all have our dreams, more so than ever, given the present climate.

Mercedes-Benz UK chief Dermot Kelly has added his name to the list calling for a scrap extension... but there's a twist!

Not only would the UK managing director like to see the scrappage scheme continued but he'd also like to see it revised to be fairer on all manufacturers.

'Our preference would be for it to be on a sliding scale compared to price,' he told AutoBlog at the Frankfurt Motor Show. 'VAT increases as the price of cars increase and that's the way I'd like to see the scheme run – so that there's more contribution the larger the car's price.'

Effectively what he's saying is as the price of the car bought under the scheme goes up, the contribution from the government and carmaker goes up too.

'At Mercedes we did not anticipate we'd do a high level of volume under the scrappage scheme, but we've even sold an SL63 on the scrappage scheme,' he added. 'But there is a tendency for it to benefit smaller cars, from Kia and Hyundai for example, and less so for brands like us. A sliding scale would help.'

The 63rd IAA in Frankfurt will doubtless go down in automobile history as the 'green IAA'. There were many eco-cars to admire, but they were not always painted green and usually had the colour blue in their names (Blue Motion or Blue Efficiency). Renault and BMW preferred bluish light when exhibiting their e-cars. Skoda was the only manufacturer to call its fuel-efficient models 'Greenline'. The colours currently in fashion are silver, black, white and red. Of course, British models still use the legendary British Racing Green, but Bentley have launched new shades of green, with an Apple Green for its limousines.

Who do we associate with the colour red? Why, Ferrari, of course! Michael Schumacher's much-vaunted Formula One comeback didn't work out, but he will probably remain a Red for the rest of his life. At the IAA, Schu had the honour of unveiling the brand-new Ferrari 458 Italia, which, contrary to Ferrari tradition, was not painted red but yellow.

No fewer than 53 press conferences were held on the first day of the Frankfurt Motor Show, one of which proved so popular that they almost had to lock the doors of the Frankfurt Festival Hall. Fifty camera teams were on hand at the Mercedes-Benz press gathering to record the moment when the latest supercar from Affalterbach would be driven onto the stage – the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. For AMG boss Volker Mornhinweg, it was an emotional moment which left him struggling for words: "The whole team has been working really hard on this project for the past three years, so it's just a fantastic feeling to be presenting the vehicle to a worldwide audience here at the Frankfurt Motor Show. I won't try to hide just how proud we are of what we have achieved."

Since 11am on Tuesday, the red SLS AMG has been the centre of attention in the Mercedes hall. Camera crews have been queuing up to film the car from inside and outside, while photographers have been prostrating themselves to capture the full visual effect of the distinctive front end or chunky rear. The SLS is a real beauty. So much so that even Daimler CEO Dieter got a little carried away when the supercar rolled onto the stage shrouded in mist and illuminated by flashing cameras: "For someone like me who has petrol flowing in their veins, the fascination of a vehicle such as this is quite irresistible. It's a fantastic new product that obviously fills me with immense pleasure and pride: I also think it has been attractively presented." If you're one of those people for whom the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is a must-have, you're in for a long wait: the first SLS isn't due for delivery until 27th March 2010.

Autoblog's James Baggott reports from the Frankfurt Motor Show

MERCEDES' UK managing director Dermot Kelly has told Autoblog the UK allocation of the SLS Gullwings is nearly sold out – months before it hits the road.

Speaking moments after the wraps had been pulled off the new supercar, the UK chief said: 'We've already sold nearly all our allocation of cars and are working on getting more.'

Just how many that was, he refused to say, but the fact buyers are prepared to order before they've even seen the car in the metal is testament to the draw those special doors have!

The number of cars the UK are getting – and in fact how many Mercedes will make in total – is still under consideration with Kelly refusing to comment on either. The new SLS AMG is set to arrive in the UK in the summer (2010).

Autoblog's James Baggott reports from the Frankfurt Motor Show

MERCEDES' latest supercar - the SLS AMG - 'winged its way into the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The stunning Gullwing packs a monstrous 6.3-litre front-mid engine V8 packing 571bhp and 650Nm of torque.

That's enough to power the £150,000 machine to 60mph in 3.8 seconds and on to a top speed of nearly 200mph. It features a seven speed semi-automatic gearbox with paddle shifts.

Mercedes chairman Dr Dieter Zetsche told the hundreds of journalists watching the car's Frankfurt unveiling that the new Gullwing was the 'realisation of a dream'.

'It is 55 years since the last Gullwing arrived,' said Dr Zetsche. 'And that car was rightly named the sportscar of the century. Now we're in a new century and have a new contender.'

The Merc boss also revealed the manufacturer was planning an electric version of the car for 2013. This will be able to accelerate to 60mph in four seconds – just two tenths shy of the petrol version!