The Mercedes luxury coupes embodies forty years of design and styling that has made Mercedes Benz to become one of the most renowned luxury brand in the world.

The story of Mercedes luxury coupes started in the year 1950 in West Germany years later after the Second World War. During that time the traffic density in Germany was very low with only 19 cars per 1000 habitants. Despite the depressing post war situation in Germany Mercedes Benz was able to shine through and was able to launched the 300 S Coupe in the W 188 model series which was presented at the Paris Motor Show in autumn of 1951. And then a year later in the summer of 1952 the 300 S Coupe entered series of production.

The 300 S Coupe demonstrated Mercedes Benz outstanding engineering expertise and its entrepreneurial spirit. The S Coupe was equipped with 150 hp six-cylinder engine and capable of reaching 175km/h.

In 1955 Mercedes Benz presented a revised model of the 300 S, the 300 Sc Coupe which is equipped with an injection pump that resulted to its 128kW/175hp output. The new 300 Sc Coupe was also made even more comfortable with the addition of a single-joint swing axle derived from the Saloon model. Between the years 1951 to 1955 only 314 of the W 188 series coupes were produced.

The year 1956 an economic recovery in Germany had developed which was recorded in history as an ?economic miracle?. For the past four years starting 1952, car ownership in Germany has doubled to 40 per 1000 inhabitants.

It was also in the year 1956 when the first transatlantic telephone cable went into service making it possible to call New York or San Francisco from the comfort of one?s home. This year was also the start of the global revolution in telecommunications. Mercedes Benz presented the 220 S Coupe in the W 180 series also on this same year. The 220 S is a two door coupe with flowing roofline and prominent, curved rear window. And just like the 300 S Coupe the 220 S also displayed powerful and elegant contours that is typical of a Mercedes vehicle.

The large bumpers and fog lamps of the 220 S characterized the front end but its most striking feature was the three-fold division of the passenger cell, front end and rear end which has led to the ?Pontoon Mercedes? nickname given to the 220 S. The 220 S is the very first coupe ever produced by Mercedes-Benz to possess a self-supporting body which was welded to the frame floor.

The ?Pontoon Mercedes? models were given a 74kW/100hp engine which was increased later to 78kW/106 hp. Its front wheel location was also enhanced to provide better riding comfort. The same thing was done with the single-joint swing axle with its low pivot point. And at an addition of 450 Marks, an automatic, hydraulic clutch called ?Hydrak? is added.

The interior was also luxurious and included polished exotic wood trim, leather upholstery and an auxiliary fan which are for heating and ventilation system. The ?Pontoon Mercedes? was a blend of ?Modern technology and purposeful elegance?. As answer to the demands of customers, Mercedes-Benz offered a petrol injection system in the 220 SE W 128 series at an extra cost amounting to 1900 Marks from 1958. Only 2081 220 S and 220 SE coupes were produced. And today the ?Pontoon? Coupes have become one of the most sought after collectors? items.

1961 is the year when Mercedes Benz has started to attract enormous international attention. This is also the very same year when the GDR sent a construction team to build the wall that would separate the East and West Berlin. This has marked the political division which has lasted for 28 years.

Despite the political strife in Berlin Mercedes-Benz was able to launch another coupe, the 220 SEb coupe in the W 111 series which was presented at the opening ceremony for the new Museum at the plant in Stuttgart-Unterturkheim on February 24. The new coupe as expected has once again demonstrated the creativity and unerring sense of style that Mercedes vehicles are known for.

The 220 SEb is a four-seater coupe provided with plenty of room for long trips. It has adopted the engine and suspension plus the safety body from the four-door Saloon. It is powered by a six-cylinder engine that delivers 120 hp, enough for high average speeds on long journeys. The 220 SEb was the first series production car made by Mercedes Benz to feature disc brakes at the front. A padded steering wheel, three-point seat belts and new wedge-pin door locks were also added.

Then came the year 1981 which is the era of global communication, it was during this year that Mercedes Benz launched its 380 SEC Coupe and 500 SEC Coupe in the C 126 model series. With the production of these new coupes the designers and engineers of Mercedes Benz has once again turned to the S-Class as their basis. The 380 and 500 SEC were given slightly bigger dimensions.

The 380 SEC and 500 SEC coupes were also given the V8 engines which have been revised to achieve reduced fuel consumption and exhaust emissions as part of the Mercedes Benz Energy concept. The output of the 380 SEC Coupe was 150 kW/204hp while the 500 SEC Coupe delivers 170kW/231 hp. And according to a motoring magazine: ?The feeling of spaciousness and visibility are quite excellent, the SEC appears to drive itself.?

The SEC coupes were also given improved camshafts with altered timing, air-bathed injection valves and electronic idling speed control. The SEC coupes also share the same safety features as those of the S-class Saloons.

One of the most interesting interior features of the SEC coupes was the electrically operated belt feeders which were designed to bring the seat belts into the filed vision on all four seats while those of the driver and the front passenger were made easily accessible. Newer types of Mercedes Coupes produced today are equipped with even more advance equipments and parts such as the Mercedes catalytic converter which helps in reducing harmful emissions.

A brand new 2008 C-Class Mercedes-Benz which was unveiled last month in Stuttgart, Germany is due to arrive in showrooms in September. The new C-Class is loaded with features that customers would like. The question now is what happens to the old C-Class? Mercedes models do not grow old but instead transcends time just and the new 2008 C-Class simply demonstrates the evolution that the C-Class has undergone over time.

It is natural that buyers would prefer the new model over the old fortunately Mercedes Canada has devise a marketing strategy that would not cause to much consternation among the brand faithful. What Mercedes Canada did was to make the C-Class such a terrific value that people would surely go craving for the said model regardless of whether it?s the new C-Class or a much older model.

A sample of such marketing strategy was employed for the C280 Avantgarde Edition which the sales brochure described having ?spectacular performance, unprecedented value, and of course, the superb level of luxury you expect from Mercedes-Benz.?

And just what makes the C280 Avantgarde such a great buy? It is equipped with $6,000 worth of features added by Mercedes-Benz and amazingly at no additional cost. Such features include: sliding glass sunroof, power steering column and 10 way power adjustable driver?s seat with three position memory, Harman/kardon Logic7 surround-sound system, MP3 compatible six-disc CD changer, 17 inch seven spoke aluminum alloy wheels and metallic paint. The C280 is also equipped with quality Mercedes auto components such as a Mercedes muffler that reduces the noise produced by the explosive combustion of fuel.

The truth of the matter is that the C-Class is one of the rare cars that wear its age very well. Its subtle wedge shape and fluid lines which were updated two years ago were able to keep up their fresh and classy feel which makes most of its rivals to look nouveau riche.

The new C280 reflects the maturity in Mercedes? approach to the luxury, sporty sedan segment. This special compact four-door has a natural conservative streak that most of it rivals like the notable BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 don?t possess. Sadly despite the 228 horsepower, 3.0 liter DOHC V6 under its hood, performance doesn?t come naturally. And because of this, Mercedes Benz has decided to equip the C280 with a seven-speed transmission in automatic which enables the car to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 7.3 seconds.

Unfortunately, the C280?s sporting mode is inhibited by the gear selector?s side-to-side actuation. Similarly the forward to upshift and backward to downshift is far more intuitive. A word of caution for those planning to purchase a C280 never try to chase Bimmers and Audis especially on twisty back roads since the suspension of the C280 is made more for comfort and not for sport.

But in fairness to the C280 it?s not that bad on winding roads it?s just that it tends to eat up a huge amount of road space on major highways at a speed of 120 kilometers per hour. The cabin is conservatively upscale with emphasis on passenger comfort. The seating position is remarkably comfortable and supportive in all the right places. Plus it?s quite spacious with plenty of legroom. It also has Harman/kardon surround sound system for the passengers listening pleasure.

Mercedes Benz cars are known for their technological innovations and their emphasis on safety. They were first to introduce the safety cage, anti-lock brakes, airbags, traction control and many other safety features that are standard in every car they produce. Mercedes or Benz has also become one of the world’s top status symbols for the rich and famous. If you want the ?look,” the ?luxury? or simply the ?name,? Mercedes is the right brand of car for you.

Wouldn’t it be a drag if you’re driving around on your Benz and you hear a deafening kind of noise coming from within? I’m pretty sure it would reduce the whole ?Benz experience.? This is pretty much the main reason why mufflers were invented.

The muffler is also known as ?silencer? in other parts of the globe. It actually came from the term ?muffle? which means to wrap with something to deaden or prevent sound.

A muffler is typically installed along the exhaust pipe as part of the exhaust system of the engine. It’s connected between the tail pipe and the catalytic converter. Its main purpose is to reduce the tremendous amount of noise that an engine produces.

When the exhaust gases from an internal-combustion engine are released directly into the atmosphere, they create a loud noise, caused by the passage of the exhaust gases from the high pressure of the cylinder to the normal pressure of the atmosphere. To be more specific, when an exhaust valve opens, it discharges the burned gases at high pressures into the exhaust pipe, which is at low pressure. This type of action creates sound waves or what we call ?noise? that travel through the flowing gas, moving much faster than the gas itself. Typically a muffler consists of a tubular metal jacket containing perforated pipes and chambers through which the exhaust gases flow before entering the atmosphere.

But what really happens in the inside? A Mercedes muffler consists of several tubes with holes in it. These tubes are designed to create reflected waves that interfere with each other or cancel each other out. The exhaust gases and the sound waves enter through the center tube. They bounce off the back wall of the muffler and are reflected through a hole into the main body of the muffler. They pass through a set of holes into another chamber, where they turn and go out the last pipe and leave the muffler. This time, the noise would have been reduced.

There are two types of muffler designs. One type uses several baffled chambers to reduce noise. The other type sends the gases straight through perforated pipe wrapped in metal or fiberglass and is designed to reduce back pressure and, consequently, makes slightly more noise because they produce much less restriction.

An example of this second type is the glass pack or a cherry bomb. This specifically uses absorption to reduce the sound.

Mufflers of this type were invented in the late 20th century. Some of its advantages were increased engine efficiency, performance, power output, and simultaneously decreased overall wear and tear on the components of the engine.

The entire ?Benz? experience is one thing that Mercedes Benz car owners all around the world are craving about. Each Mercedes Benz car is packed with the excellence that consumers expect from it. One car part that fails or malfunctions will definitely ruin this ultimate experience. It is therefore necessary to keep every Mercedes Benz part as properly maintained as possible. Take for instance the Mercedes Benz muffler.

A Mercedes Benz muffler is the exhaust system of an engine that is specially designed to reduce emissions and noise. The term muffler actually originated from the word ?muffle? which means to deaden or to prevent sound. It is commonly located along the exhaust pipe as part of the exhaust system of the engine. It’s connected between the tail pipe and the catalytic converter.

A Mercedes Benz muffler consists of a backbox and one or more tailpipes. Although internal combustion accounts for some of this noise, most of it comes from pressure waves generated by the rapid opening and closing of the engine’s valves. One muffler design uses several baffled chambers. This type of muffler’s backbox is internally designed to receive the pressure waves and bounce them around inside carefully designed chambers and cylinders. The shape and length of these baffles creates pressure waves of a roughly equal nature moving in opposite directions. When they collide with one another, the waves of equal but opposite amplitude cancel each other out. One drawback of this design is that it causes back pressure, which impacts performance. The high performance muffler is another type of muffler. It is consists of a straight steel pipe with perforations, which allows some sound canceling while creating very little back pressure. The tube is wrapped in glass insulation, protected by a steel shell, and referred to as a glass pack. This muffler was very popular in the 1960’s and 1970’s for souping up muscle cars. The muffler has a characteristic explosive sound that earned it the street name cherry bomb. These mufflers are still popular for hot rods and classics. This type of muffler was invented in the late 20th century and some of its advantages include engine efficiency, performance, power output, and simultaneously decreased overall wear and tear on the components of the engine. Aside from this, there are also other ways in which the Mercedes Benz muffler car reduce the engine’s noise. One is that the body of the muffler is consist of three layers, two of which are thin metal layers with a thicker slightly insulated layer between them. These layers allow the body of the muffler to absorb some of the pressure pulses. Another one is that the pipes going to the main chambers have holes that allows tiny pressure pulses to bounce around and cancel each other out in the main chamber.

A Mercedes Benz muffler will eventually rust over time. A muffler in poor condition may keep a car from passing state-required smog tests. When a vehicle is smogged, the inspector will insert a probe inside the tailpipe to read smog emissions emanating from the engine. It is therefore recommended to check the muffler regularly to avoid failing the state-required smog test and to keep the vehicle up and running.

With two vital functions, catalytic converters are a must in every car. Catalytic converters are emission control products that convert harmful combustion byproducts from your engine into harmless compounds. Thus, catalytic converters protect your car?s exhaust system while protecting the environment at the same time. With its very important function, choosing only quality catalytic converters is essential to ensure top protection for the car?s exhaust system and for the environment as well. Mercedes owners are especially fortunate as one good catalytic converter was particularly designed for the Mercedes cars: the Mercedes catalytic converter.

How does the Mercedes Catalytic Converter work? First, it converts carbon monoxide, a harmful gas emitted by the car?s exhaust system, into carbon dioxide, a harmless gas that naturally exists in the environment. Carbon monoxide released in the environment can be fatal to humans, plants, and animals. The main job of the Mercedes catalytic converter is to prevent the vehicle?s harmful emissions like the carbon monoxide to break out in the atmosphere by converting such to carbon dioxide. This process is done without compromising the Mercedes engine?s power and superior performance.

While the process is generally easy to understand, it used to be that the design of such catalytic converters is actually a bit complicated. The first-generation Mercedes catalytic converter was pellet-filled and very restrictive, as it provides the needed emissions reductions but reduces the power of the engine. Mercedes engineers then set to work on redesigning the Mercedes catalytic converter into the powerful but safe device that it is today. Fortunately, the ingenuity of the brains behind Mercedes parts has mastered the design and manufacturing process of the Mercedes catalytic converter, making it effective in converting harmful gases to safe ones without compromising the engine?s production power. At present, Mercedes catalytic converters are generally in two types: a high-flow Mercedes catalytic converter or a regular Mercedes catalytic converter. A high-performance, high-flow Mercedes catalytic converter often feature less restriction than the standard Mercedes catalytic converter, thus deriving better engine performance.

Designed to last longer, there is no need for much replacement or repair of the Mercedes catalytic converter. Nevertheless, when the need for replacement comes and the Mercedes catalytic converter?s function and use has been maximized, immediate replacement must be done to prevent an outbreak of deadly pollution in the air. Replacement Mercedes catalytic converters can be readily found in the market as most auto parts sellers in various stores nationwide and online have these in stock. Car owners on a budget need not worry as the Mercedes catalytic converter and replacement Mercedes catalytic converter is very affordable and is a worthwhile purchase for your Mercedes or any other car. That?s the beauty of the Mercedes catalytic converter ? it?s not limited for use in Mercedes cars as non-Mercedes cars can also use it.

Indeed, pollution-control car devices have become more efficient and long-lasting as compared to the early days of the automotive industry. The Mercedes catalytic converter is no exception. Through this wonder auto part, protecting one?s car and the environment is a simple feat.