It's official: some seven years after the presentation of the U.S.-built R-Class, Mercedes-Benz's multi-purpose crossover model will be gradually phased out in the States as there won't be a 2013 model, however, it will continue to be offered in overseas markets.
Mercedes-Benz USA spokesperson Chrisitan Bokich confirmed the news to Carscoop and added that company's three other SUV/crossover models including the GLK, M-Class and the larger GL, cover the market's needs.
"It's true that there will be no model year 2013 R-Class in the U.S. Over the years since the R-Class was introduced, we have expanded our light truck model offering significantly and these vehicles are outselling the R-Class to the extent that we can no longer make the business case for continuing to offer the R-Class," Bokich told us in an email today.
We also asked Bokich about Mercedes-Benz's future plans in the segment, and even though he wouldn't comment on a replacement for the R-Class, he did confirm the presentation of a new GL model at the upcoming New York Auto Show in April.
"Here in the U.S., our top-volume premium light trucks are the M-Class, GL, and GLK models (as you probably know, we're gearing up right now for the world-premiere of the new segment-leading GL at the New York Auto Show.) While we're not commenting on the future of the R-class after this generation, the car will be on sale in other markets, including its main market China and even Canada, Mexico, and other European markets - just to name a few," said Bokich.
Nevertheless, even if Mercedes decides against building a successor to the R-Class at its Tuscaloosa, Alabama plant, the production of the next generation C-Class at the factory will more than compensate for the loss.
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Entering its sixth season this year, the Mercedes-Benz AMG Driving Academy is ready to accept participants for the 2012/2013 program in Europe. There are various available packages with all sorts of events ranging from the pleasure-oriented 'Emotion' trips to special winter training courses in Sweden's Lapland region and even tours to race circuits such as the Nürburgring Nordschleife and the Hockenheim ring.
The driving program covers five levels: Emotion, Basic, Advanced, Pro and Masters. It starts with the lifestyle-orientated 'Emotion' and advances to intensive race circuit training with the Masters level.
The vehicles that participants can drive this year include the SLS AMG, the SLK 55 AMG and the C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series, while there is also a thoroughbred racing car on hand for those that make it to the Master's level, in the form of the SLS AMG GT3. The team of instructors includes prominent racing drivers such as Bernd Schneider, Karl Wendlinger and Susie Wolff.
Mercedes says that a major difference to last year's AMG Driving Academy is the reduced size of groups for selected events, while the brand now also offers individual taxi trips with the SLS AMG GT3 that can now be booked at a price of €350 (US$457).
If you're interested, you can find more detailed information on the dates and the program at www.mercedes-amg.com/driving-academy or by calling the AMG Driving Academy hotline on +49 7144 302-575.
Once a racing driver, always a racing driver. Michael Schumacher knows that better than anyone else - after all, he is the man who, despite having broken almost every Formula 1 world record and with seven world titles under his belt, couldn’t keep away from an F1 car cockpit. Now, there are rumors that Schumacher, who for the better part of the season has been outperformed by his teammate, Nico Rosberg, is once again contemplating retirement – this time for good.
These rumors were fuelled by Rosberg’s new multi-year contract with Mercedes GP: Schumacher has not yet negotiated with the team, since he wants to assess its performance.
“I need a little bit more time to see about myself and how we are heading, and some input to see if that is what I want or not”, Schumacher reportedly told British racing magazine Autosport.
Schumacher, who still hasn’t climbed on the podium since returning to F1 in 2010, has already confirmed that he will race in 2013. However, he does not think that the team, which in 2009 won the world championship under the guise of Brawn GP before been taken over by Mercedes, is progressing as it should.
“You have to asses where you are and what needs to be done, and then to transform it. You would rather do this early than late, but we have to understand that we were later than we hoped to be”, said the German pilot.
“The important thing is, are we on the right track? Did we take the right measures? I think yes, but it has to be proven in the future,” Schumacher added.
As former rival, David Coulthard put it when he commented on Mika Hakkinen's return to racing, a true racer "never loses the speed, only the need to race"...
Story References: Yahoo Sports
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While Mercedes-Benz rolled out the second-generation of the B-Class at the 64th IAA in Frankfurt this past September, the German company continues to release new pictures of its compact MPV. This time, Mercedes published a fresh batch of 38 photos, perhaps in an effort to maintain interest in the 2012 B-Class amidst the storm of new arrivals that are swamping the media.
Unlike the upcoming A-Class, the new B-Class has retained its predecessor's “sandwich” platform.
While the exterior design does not depart significantly from the model that it replaces, the interior is all-new –and all for the better since it adopts Mercedes’ latest styling elements some of which, such as the chrome-ringed round vents, were first introduced in the SLS AMG supercar.
The new B-Class is available with two engines: a 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline four-cylinder, in 122HP (B180) and 156HP (B200) guises, and a 1.8-liter common rail turbodiesel with an output of 109HP in the B 180 CDI and 136 HP in the B 200 CDI.
Mercedes’ compact MPV is available in four equipment levels, while for the first time the 7G-DCT dual-clutch seven-speed gearbox is on the options list.
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It's official: some seven years after the presentation of the U.S.-built R-Class, Mercedes-Benz's multi-purpose crossover model will be gradually phased out in the States as there won't be a 2013 model, however, it will continue to be offered in overseas markets. 
We also asked Bokich about Mercedes-Benz's future plans in the segment, and even though he wouldn't comment on a replacement for the R-Class, he did confirm the presentation of a new GL model at the upcoming New York Auto Show in April. 
