The reason for the recall? According to Mercedes Benz, they have found out that when the sedans get too exposed to moisture, the Signal Acquisition and Actuation Module (SAM) which can be found inside the vehicle’s engine compartment could actually act up and would go invalid. With that, the vehicle’s headlamps, wipers, and corner lamps would start to malfunction. This is according to the car maker’s papers that were filed at the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

Those who would be sending their units back to Mercedes Benz would not need worry about any fees because the car maker would be doing the repair free of charge.

Starting March 21st, the doors to the 2008 New York International Auto Show will open and attendees would be able to witness the newest and the best vehicles that car makers have set on display.

Mercedes Benz would be taking advantage of the mentioned event to show off three of its newest SUVs. According to the automaker, these three SUVs have been equipped with their diesel engines which has been known as the cleanest and the most state of the art diesel units in the world. The three vehicles which would be coming with the mentioned engine are the ML320 BlueTEC, the GL320 BlueTEC, and the R320 BlueTEC.

According to the car maker, these new engines have been designed so that owners of the mentioned diesel engine-equipped SUVs would be able to save 20% to 30% on fuel. These vehicles are not only clean but could also perform well.

Last October 27, 2006 at the Arena Civica in Milan, Italy, the Mini Cooper, Volkswagen Eos and a host of other stunning automobiles emerged victorious at the XIV L’Automobile più Bella del Mondo or The World’s Most Beautiful Automobile” competition for 2006. The international jury led by Bruno Alfieri, the Italian journalist and editor who created the awards back in 1993, chose the best looking cars in various categories such as city cars and compact cars, mid-size hatchback, limousine, coupe, spider, station wagon, concept cars and many more.

After examination of the various new models introduced in 2006, the jury proclaimed the winners in their respective categories. However, upon a closer look on the list of winners, one can see that Japanese and American cars are conspicuously absent from the list. Europe does offer some of the most stunning of automobiles, but do they have the monopoly when it comes to aesthetics? We don’t think so. Still, the list offers a veritable showdown of some of the most beautiful cars ever to grace the road.

City cars and compact cars: Mini Cooper

Mid-size hatchback cars: Volvo C30

Mid-size sedans: Volvo S80

Limousine: Bentley Continental GTC

Coupé: Mercedes CL

Coupé-cabriolet: Volkswagen Eos

Spider: Alfa Romeo Spider

Sportscars: Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

Station wagon: Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon

MPV: Citroën C4 Picasso

Crossover: Audi Q7

Specials: Studiotorino RK Coupé

Concept Cars: Renault Twingo Concept

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The new 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is Motor Trend’s SUV of the year. The GL450 bested twenty two other SUVs to grab the accolade. The Benz GL450 comes with a seven-speed transmission and a V8 engine producing 335hp output. It is also the first full-size SUV from Mercedes-Benz. Motor Trend cited the GL450’s third row seating, which the magazine found to be the most comfortable among all the SUVs tested. The GL450 is also cited for being one of three SUVs with real off-road capability – the other two being the Jeep Wrangler and the Toyota FJ Cruiser.

The magazine further described the Mercedes-Benz GL450 as the “21st Century station wagon, neither truck-based nor car-based”. “In every facet, from performance to the interior, (the GL450) is a winner”, said Motor Trend Editor-in-chief Angus MacKenzie. Other SUVs tested included the new Acura RDZ and MDX, Ford Edge, Ford Expedition and the four SUVS from GMC.

More and more automakers are recognizing the importance of “active head restraints” in preventing spinal/neck injuries and damages resulting from whiplash. New 2006 models from Honda and Mercedes Benz now feature restraint systems. This is a response to the growing demand for anti-whiplash safety equipments. Whiplash is the result of impulsive stretching of the spine, often the result of a rear-end collision between cars or trucks. The consequences of whiplash range from mild pain for a few days, to severe disability caused by restricted head movement and persistent pain.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that a total of $8.5 Billion are paid in whiplash claims annually. However, the frequency and depth of the claims are lower in states with laws limiting whiplash tests. The IIHS has also initiated an award and test for whiplash in 2005, bringing more focus to the issue. It’s “Top Safety Pick” award is based on combined scores that includes results for the whiplash test. Automakers are compelled redesign seats and headrests to address these tests.

Do you know what your favorite Hollywood Stars have been seen driving? Forbes.com recently featured a list of luxury cars that America’s celebrities own. With tons of money to burn, it’s not a surprise that the list is a veritable showcase of some of the most expensive cars today: with hybrid and horsepower as the main trends. The almost half a million price tag of the Mercedes Benz SLR Mclaren is no big deal for Britney Spears. Paris Hilton drives a Bentley Continental GT priced at $170,000. Meanwhile, superstars Julia Roberts and Leonardo DiCaprio have opted for gas/electric hybrids such as the Toyota Prius, even though they can afford much more expensive cars. Here’s a list of some of the cars of the stars.

Luxury cars from Mercedes Benz just got safer with the new autonomous braking feature that aims to reduce crash severity. The PRE-SAFE brake system works by partially engaging the brakes when the Mercedes Benz vehicle approaches another vehicle. The system uses radar technology to detect the proximity of the vehicles to each other.

In the Benz 2207 S-Class, the vehicle also features cut lines to help rescue workers when cutting through air bag components. The PRE-SAFE brake system works together with the Mercedes Brake Assist PLUS or BAS PLUS system. It has been proven to reduce severity of accidents by about 40% when it was field tested with 500 drivers. The new S-Class and CL-Class coupe will feature the PRE-SAFE system as an option.

The automatic partial braking of the PRE-SAFE system is activated if the driver does not react to BAS warnings. The car decelerates up to 40% of maximum braking performance. Because the car is already decelerating, the severity of the accident is substantially reduced. In simulator tests of 70 drivers, 53% avoided accidents by responding to BAS PLUS. Seventeen percent reacted after PRE-SAFE was triggered but avoided accident; accident severity was significantly reduced for remaining drivers.

Luxury automakers have introduced a number of innovative features in the vehicles they roll out every year in the hopes of attracting more buyers. These range from a supercharged engine to plush leather interiors. Now, automakers are trying out new lighting effects and features to lure in more potential buyers. Some of the newest lighting effects include soft night lighting that aid passengers in finding controls, dropped items without fumbling for a switch. There are also lights fixed into the side mirrors of some vehicles that automatically turn on when a key fob near the vehicle.

Most of these innovative lighting systems are more on aesthetic rather than functional. Usually, lighting systems are standard equipment in vehicles while exterior lights are typically optional. Some of the luxury models offering new lighting systems and features are the Lexus GS and the Mercedes S-Class. The Lexus GS offers 18 lamps that light up different areas of the interior one after the other. Meanwhile, the Mercedes S-Class features a fiber-optic light strip that spans the dashboard and the doors.

The lights in the interior of the new Honda Civic SI glow read while the interiors of the Civic Coupe EX is blue-lit. The Saturn Vue Red Line lets owners choose from two personalized foot-well lighting colors: warm amber and cool blue. The new Dodge Caliber has a removable rear dome light that can double as a flashlight. Other light effects are a bit whimsical, like illuminated cup holders in the Subaru B9 Tribeca and red dashboard and center console illumination in Audis.

The German Car Blog reports that Audi has begun production of the newest version of the Audi TT sports car. Audi has spent almost 230 million euros on new production technologies and equipments to ensure that the new TT is produced with highest quality standards and latest production methods. The production of the TT will be a joint effort between two Audi plants, the main plant in Ingolstadt, Germany where the TT’s body will be built and painted and the Audi Hungaria Motor Kft. in Györ, Hungary where final assembly will take place.

The assembly line at both plants have been redesigned and streamlined without any compromise in the quality of the vehicle, Audi says. The automaker is not about to gloss over the finest details. In fact, TT’s are regularly taken out of the production process and tested by laser measurement to ensure that everything is at its right configuration.

The new TT is an improvement on its predecessor especially in the way it is constructed, its overall body weight and weight distribution, longer wheelbase, and roomier interior. The body of the new TT is a mix of both steel and aluminum that weighs in at 3146 lbs, about a hundred pounds lighter than the previous version. The redesigned and freshened 2007 Audi TT is poised to be a fierce challenger in the luxury sports car segment, already populated by the BMW Z4 Coupe, Nissan 350Z, Porsche Cayman S and the Mercedes-Benz SLK. It will be available in North America by April of next year.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Toyota executives are currently in talks to revive the automaker’s sports-car lineup. Mr. Tokuo Fukuichi, a Toyota official based in France said that the new Toyota sports car model “is going to be a global project, not one aimed at one region more than another”. Meanwhile, Shinzo Kobuki, Toyota’s managing OIC of development of hybrid systems said that the automaker is aiming to produce sporty cars to compete with German luxury automakers such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi. Toyota has been criticized for being the last major car maker without a trophy sports car.

Last year, Toyota unveiled a hybrid sports car concept, named the Volta (pictured above) designed together with the legendary Guigiaro of Italdesign. The concept was later renamed as the ‘Priapus’. Despite the rather awkward name, the Volta/Priapus featured a stunning design, a powerful V-6 engine with electric motor providing 408 horespower, 0-60 mph acceleration in 4 seconds, and 30 mpg fuel economy.