2010 Mercedes-Benz-GL-Class-(GL320-CDI,-GL450,-GL550)
Initially designed to replace the boxy, dated, but still rugged G-Class sports utility vehicles, the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class takes on an entirely different role in the Mercedes-Benz lineup by taking on the Cadillac Escalade, Audi Q7 and Lexus GX470.
The GL-Class is essentially a stretched and somewhat squared off version of the smaller ML-Class vehicles. They share the ML's fully independent suspension, unibody construction and some powertrain choices.
A recent facelift for the GL-class resulted in redesigned bumpers, front grille, faux skid plates and LED tail lamps pair up with revised alloy wheels in 19 to 21-inch diameters, depending on trim and equipment levels.
The GL receives Mercedes' PRE-SAFE system, which prepares the vehicle and occupants for an impending collision.
Inside, the GL gets a new instrument panel and steering wheel, as well as revised active head restraints for the front passenger and driver.
Standard on the GL320 CDI is a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 engine that puts out 210 horsepower and an impressive 400 lb-ft. of torque, the highest of any GL model. Though not certified for sale in states that follow California or Northeast emissions rules in the United States, the GL320 CDI is available elsewhere, where buyers will discover 23 MPG fuel economy on the highway and effortless power around town while obtaining 17 miles per gallon. That performance is due in part to a seven-speed automatic transmission, which is standard on all GL-Class models.
At $1,000 higher than the GL320 CDI's base price of $59,950 is the GL450. Motivated by a 4.6-liter, 335 horsepower, 339 lb-ft. of torque V8, the GL450 is otherwise identical to its diesel brother.
Topping the range is the new-for-2008 GL550, which features a 382 horsepower, 5.5 liter V8. Though its 391 lb-ft. of torque isn't quite up to the GL320 CDI standards, the GL550 moves with authority at all speeds. Both the GL450 and GL550 are rated at 13 and 17 mpg in the city and highway, according to the EPA.
With three rows of passenger seats as standard, the GL is capable of seating up to seven passengers. Standard features on all models include power, heated leather seats, wood trim, a CD changer and automatic climate control.
For the GL320 CDI and GL450, major options include a Harman-Kardon audio system, xenon headlamps, a heated steering wheel and rear seats, and a premium package with front-and-rear obstacle detection, navigation, power telescoping steering wheel, memory seats and mirrors and a power liftgate. A sunroof and full leather upholstery are also available.
Making the GL more capable when the pavement ends is an Off-Road package, which includes a two speed transfer case, locking center and rear differentials, a roof rack, skidplates and a height-adjustable air suspension.
The GL550 adds 21-inch wheels, special running boards and nearly all of the available features as standard to the mix. The only factory options on the GL550 of note include KeylessGo and a rear seat entertainment system.
IIHS 2010 Top Safety Pick list
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has introduced its picks for the safest cars for 2010. This study is done every year to determine which vehicles are going to do the best job protecting you and your family. For the first time this year a roof test was added to the criteria since a significant number of deaths due to a car crash are the results of a rollover.
The safety institute employed front, side, rear and now rollover to their crash test for 2010. The IIHS selected 27 cars in five categories for the award, down from the 94 vehicles tested last year thanks to the heightened roof strength standards. Subaru stands out as the only manufacturer to receive a top rating for all four crash tests in every vehicle class it competes. Multiple awards also came from Ford owned, Volvo and German automaker, Volkswagen.
In the roof strength test, a metal plate is pushed against 1 side of a roof at a constant speed. To earn a good rating for rollover protection, the roof must withstand a force of 4 times the vehicle’s weight before reaching 5 inches of crush. This is called a strength-to-weight ratio. For an acceptable rating, the minimum required strength-to-weight ratio is 3.25. A marginal rating value is 2.5. Anything lower than that is rated poor.
Testers say not to worry if your vehicle has not made the list. Although it is clear, some automakers are doing a better job with safety, all vehicles on the road meet the minimum safety standards. The IIHS says that whenever a new test is introduced, it takes about one year for most to catch up. By 2011 most vehicles will have caught up to the new rollover standard.
It’s worth noting that some of last year’s winners have not been tested for the rollover standard. Most notably, the Acura RL, TL and TSX, Audi A4 and A6, BMW 3-Series, Cadillac CTS, Hyundai Genesis, Saab 9-3, Toyota Avalon and Prius, as well as a wide range of midsize SUVs and small sedans, have yet to be tested.
25 out of the 27 winners can be found at a MileOne dealer near you. Visit MileOne.com for more information. See below for all 27 winners.
Large cars
Buick LaCrosse*
Ford Taurus*
Lincoln MKS
Volvo S80*
Midsize cars
Audi A3*
Chevrolet Malibu (built after October 2009)*
Chrysler Sebring sedan (with optional electronic stability control)*
Dodge Avenger (with optional electronic stability control)*
Mercedes C-Class*
Subaru Legacy*
Subaru Outback*
Volkswagen Jetta sedan*
Volkswagen Passat sedan*
Volvo C30*
Small cars
Honda Civic sedan (except Si) (with optional electronic stability control)*
Kia Soul
Nissan Cube*
Subaru Impreza (except WRX)*
Volkswagen Golf four-door*
Vanity Plates
A vanity plate or personalized plate (U.S.), prestige plate, private number plate, or personalised registration (UK) or custom plate or personalised plate (Australia and New Zealand) is a special type of vehicle registration plate on an automobile or other vehicle. The owner of the vehicle will have paid extra money to have his or her own choice of numbers or letters, usually forming a recognisable phrase, slogan, or initialism on their plate. Sales of vanity plates are often a significant source of revenue for North American provincial and state licensing agencies. In some jurisdictions, such as the Canadian province of British Columbia, vanity plates have a different color scheme and design.
In 2007, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) and Stefan Lonce, author of License to Roam: Vanity License Plates and the Stories They Tell, conducted North America's first state by state and province by province survey of vanity plates, revealing that there are 9.7 million vehicles "vanitized" with personalized vanity license plates.
The survey ranked jurisdictions by "vanity plate penetration rate", which is the percentage of registered motor vehicles that are vanitized. Virginia has the highest U.S. vanity plate penetration rate (16.19%), followed by New Hampshire (13.99%), Illinois (13.41%), Nevada (12.73%), Montana (9.8%), Maine (9.79%), Connecticut (8.14%), New Jersey (6.88%), North Dakota (6.51%) and Vermont (6.11%). Texas had the lowest vanity plate penetration rate (.56%).
According to the Federal Highway Administration, in 2005 there were 242,991,747 privately owned and commercial registered automobiles, trucks, and motorcycles in the U.S., which means that 3.83% of eligible U.S. vehicles are vanitized.
Massachusetts vanity plate on a parked motorcycle in Boston. This licence plate would be considered inappropriate in many jurisdictions, due to the presence of an obscene word.
The survey also found that vanity plates are issued by every state and the District of Columbia, and every province, except for Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.
In some states and provinces, optional plates can also be vanity plates and are a choice of motorists who want a more distinctive personalised plate. However, the maximum number of characters on an optional plate may be lower than on a standard-issue plate. For example, the U.S. state of Virginia allows up to 7.5 characters (a space or hyphen is counted as 0.5 character) on a standard-issue plate, but only up to 6 characters on many of its optional plates.
In some states, a motorist may check the availability of a desired combination online.
All U.S. states and Canadian provinces that issue vanity plates have a "blue list" of vanity plates that contains banned words, phrases, or letter/number combinations. The U.S. state of Florida, for example, has banned such plates as "PIMPALA", while the state of New York bans any plates with the letters "FDNY", "NYPD", or "GOD", among others. Often the ban is to eliminate confusion with plates used on governmental vehicles or plates used on other classes of vehicles. However, a licensing authority's discretion to deny or revoke "offensive" vanity plates is finite. For example, some U.S. motorists have successfully sued their state governments on that issue under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
The "blue list" is not definitive; in general, the agent processing an application for a vanity plate can reject a plate if it is deemed offensive, even if the phrase does not match a banned word exactly. State DMVs have received complaints about offensive vanity plates. In this case, the DMV can revoke a plate if it is deemed offensive, even if it were previously approved.
What Pennsylvania county is known as the Christmas Tree capital of the world?
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How to Protect Your Car Inside and Out This Winter
Utilizing these tips will help motorists avoid potential roadside issues and eliminate some unnecessary stress while traveling during winter.
Get a basic tune-up — Hoses, belts, spark plugs and wires should be checked and changed if necessary.
Protect against freeze ups — Antifreeze/coolant is extremely important in colder temperatures. If there is too much water and not enough antifreeze/coolant in the system, it can freeze up, expand and crack key engine components. Motorists should check fluid levels and top them off before temperatures plummet.
Check tire tread — Bald tires are not only unsafe, but can potentially lead to a disaster on slick roadways. Tires connect the car to the road, so traction is imperative during winter. In areas with high snow accumulation, winter tires are a solid investment, providing more traction when accelerating, braking and turning.
Replace worn brake pads and shoes — Having maximum stopping power is essential.
Use a winter-formulated washer fluid — Regular blue washer fluids can freeze in the washer reservoir or on the windshield while driving. Special de-icer formulas will stay liquid in the washer reservoir at temperatures as low as -34 degree Farenheit.
Check windshield wipers — If they streak or cause problems, motorists should buy blades especially made for winter conditions. Visibility is crucial this time of year.
Be prepared for an emergency — While routine maintenance can afford drivers a certain level of comfort, having a well-stocked kit provides peace of mind. Keep a cellular phone, extra de-icer washer fluid, a good ice scraper and snowbrush, spray de-icer, blankets, snacks, bottled water and warm clothing in the kit.
Remove snow and ice from the entire car — Not taking the time to clear off all surfaces before venturing onto roadways can create dangerous situations for all motorists. Blowing snow and ice causes reduced visibility and treacherous obstructions.
Pay attention — Take a moment to listen to weather and traffic reports. When the conditions are too hazardous, motorists should stay off the roads. If people must travel when roads are bad, it is important they know their vehicle and use extreme caution. Keeping an 8-10 second distance between cars, reducing speeds on hills, storing sandbags in the trunk of rear-wheel drive cars and wearing seat belts will all help prevent accidents from occurring. It is also a good idea for motorists to always keep at least a half tank of gas in vehicles during winter months — it will be their only source of heat if stranded.
Make sure that your automobile is up to date on its service schedule.
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Indiana County is the Christmas Tree capital of the world.
