The truth is, there’s still a lot we don’t know about the new 2012 Mercedes Benz ML 63 AMG. However, thanks to Speed Lux we were able to get some insight on what to expect when the car debuts next month at the LA Auto Show. There will be changes to the already powerful and sleek ML 63 AMG not only on some exterior parts, but also under hood. With the reliable all wheel drive system and the new direct-injection 5.5-liter V8 engine, also found on the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG, this ML is going to be hard to keep around at our New Jersey Mercedes-Benz dealership. When the car debuts next month in LA, there will be so much more to talk about! Until then, we will be anticipating the arrival of the new ML 63 AMG and the rest of the luxurious 2012 Mercedes-Benz models!

Keep checking our Mercedes-Benz blog for more information about these new models to find out all the Mercedes news as soon as we do! You can also visit our NJ Mercedes-Benz dealerships or contact us for more information.

Source: SpeedLux

This past weekend, Ray Catena of Union welcomed the 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 4Matic to the showroom floor! Our customers and employees couldn’t be more excited for the new ML350 – people are lining up to buy this new Mercedes-Benz! If you’re interested in purchasing a new ML350, visit us at our NJ Mercedes-Benz dealership in Union. Call us today or click here to schedule a test drive, but in the meantime, read all about the new ML350 here. We’ve got news and photos courtesy of Motor Trend.

So you’ve got your eyes on the new 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 4Matic…now you just have to decide; standard or BlueTec? Hopefully we can shed a little light on the subject to help you make the best decision!

The BlueTec version of the new ML350 comes with a turbocharged, direct-injected 3.0 liter diesel V-6 engine that puts out 240 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque. When you consider your needs and how much cargo (people and/or things) you generally haul, this option may be for you if you’re usually toting a larger load.

The gas-powered version of the new ML350 boasts a V-6 that puts out 302 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque with 6500 and 3500 rpm. This version accelerates a bit faster, so if speed is what you seek, the standard ML350 could be what you’re looking for.

Overall, either option will suit the needs of most drivers, considering the interior and exterior designs are relatively the same in both models. The 2012 ML350 is rated highly for its 4Matic all-wheel-drive. Combining comfort, style, class and excellent handling, the new 2012 ML350 has already proven to be very popular among even our most discriminating customers. Come to this NJ Mercedes-Benz dealership for a test drive today!

The Mercedes-Benz M-Class is getting older, but the new designs just keep getting bolder! The Mercedes-Benz M-Class has been on sale since 1998 and each year, the designs for the ever-popular M-Class continue to please Mercedes-Benz lovers everywhere. The employees at this NJ Mercedes-Benz dealership are super excited for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class; with a new, striking design and awesome new features, you can’t go wrong with the all-new M-Class!

Source: Montgomery Media

The third-generation Mercedes-Benz M-Class — the car that created the luxury sports ute market — hits the streets, ready for the new realities of today’s automobile marketplace.

The Mercedes-Benz M-Class has been on sale for 14 years, the first generation from 1998 to 2005, and the second generation from 2005 to 2011. The third generation is all new, with a bolder design that begins with the three-pointed star in the center of the grille — the face of Mercedes-Benz. There are chrome front skid plates, clearly not designed for climbing mountains and fording streams, but to provide attractive protection. Not many buyers will want to scratch these.

From the side, you immediately notice the chrome roof rails and how big the wheel wells are. They’re filled with either 19-inch or 20-inch wheels. Mercedes says the shape of the c-pillar is a standard for the M-Class and has been reasonably consistent through the generations.

Although it’s on the same wheelbase, the car is an inch longer, 1/2 inch wider and 3/4 inches lower. While this improves the car’s aerodynamic slipperiness, it also makes it better looking.

The cabin’s quietness matches the comfortable feel, look and touch inside. You see plenty of high-quality materials — wood, leather, and a bright 7-inch navigation/control screen. Interestingly, the base interior features artificial leather, but few could tell it wasn’t real until the passage of time caused it to show more wear than most real leathers. The seats it covers are well-designed, infinitely variable and controlled now by the iconic Mercedes door-mounted controls.

If you’re a fan of the Mercedes-Benz M-Class or any other Mercedes-Benz models, stop by one of our NJ Mercedes-Benz dealerships in Edison and Union NJ to check out the latest and greatest Mercedes-Benz vehicles in stock!

Mercedes-Benz is the official vehicle of the US open and we here at Ray Catena Motor Car are pleased to announce the Mercedes-Benz Tweet Rally to the US Open promotional event!

Sometime between August 22 and September 5, 2011, an all-new 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class will visit our NJ Mercedes-Benz dealership with an incredible prize to give away: a pair of premium loge-level tickets – including hospitality – to one of two dates at this year’s US Open. Once the specially wrapped M-Class arrives on our lot, Mercedes-Benz USA will Tweet about it to anyone following the @MBUSA Twitter handle. The first fans to arrive and find the M-Class will get the tickets. It’s as simple as that. Tickets will be in short supply and once they’re gone, that’s it, so be prepared to act fast! Make sure you follow @MBUSA on Twitter for your chance to grab these incredible tickets!

Also be sure to follow us on Twitter and become a fan of Ray Catena Motor Car on Facebook for the latest news and information surrounding the Tweet Rally to the 2011 US Open!

If you have any questions about the Mercedes-Benz Tweet Rally to the 2011 US Open or the 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class, give us a call at 732-549-6600 or click here to contact us!

The employees in our NJ Mercedes-Benz dealership love selling cars, but when they’re not busy with customers, they’re reading the latest news on new Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The highly anticipated 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML 350 4MATIC is expected to arrive sometime this Fall and we couldn’t be more excited. Until then, be sure to stop by our Mercedes-Benz dealership in Union, NJ to check out more M-Class models, as well as other new and used Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

Source: MotorTrend

Mercedes would have you believe it practically invented the modern luxury SUV segment back in 1998 with the first-generation M-Class. That may be debatable, but the M-Class is an undisputed major sales success for the brand, selling 1.1 million units worldwide over the past 13 years. For the 2012 model year, the M-Class enters its third generation, and while revisions may appear subtle, they are aimed at keeping this luxo-ute at the top of its game.

Helping to do just that are two new V-6 engines. The base engine is Mercedes’ 3.5-liter direct-injection V-6, which produces 302 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque — improvements of 13 and 6 percent over previous figures. Fuel economy is rated at 17/22 city/highway mpg, also stronger figures than the outgoing model. An extra $1500 will net buyers Mercedes’ slick new turbocharged 3.0-liter BlueTEC diesel mill, producing 240 horsepower and a substantial 455 lb-ft of torque. That’s money well-spent. While Mercedes claims acceleration figures are similar for the two engines (and towing capacity is identical at 7200 pounds for each), the diesel is the superior fuel-sipper, boasting an EPA rating of 20/25 mpg city/highway and a theoretical range of more than 600 miles per tank (a smaller, European-market, four-cylinder diesel option is said to be capable of roughly 900 miles per tank). At launch, all 2012 M-Class models feature 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive, though a future front-wheel drive V-6 version will be released in late 2012.

For the full article, click here.

Mercedes-Benz is hardly tossing their SUV development aside and the writers at Autoblog are taking notice. Their recent review of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 SUV even goes so far as to say that the ML350 proves “there’s still life left in the SUV game.”  As you can see from the pictures and video below, Mercedes-Benz hasn’t sacrificed design for improvement in fuel economy and safety in any way. The ML350 can tackle the toughest scenarios with comfort and efficiency in a way only a Mercedes can, and we here at Ray Catena of Union can’t wait to get behind the wheel. Stop by our local NJ Mercedes-Benz dealership to see our M-Class models in stock.

Source: Autoblog

The ML350 has been redesigned both inside and out for the 2012 edition. Daytime LED running lights help other drivers see you during the day, and the optional bi-xenon headlights can improve visibility by as much as 90 percent at night. Large storage space and roof racks make sure you can meet any challenge with the ML350. The interior has been redesigned and implements more user friendly controls. The ML350 is expected to get 25 MPG highway and 20 MPG city, more than a 10% increase over last year’s model. Overall, the ML350 will represent a shift in the way we think about SUVs amidst rising fuel costs when it goes on sale later this year. The ML350 is truly a Mercedes-Benz, exhibiting style, comfort, and efficiency in a way no other can.

For the full article: click here

That’s right! If you didn’t already realize it, the Popes (past and present) have been big Mercedes-Benz fans. Rumor has it that Pope Benedict XVI will be getting a new plug-in hybrid Mercedes-Benz M-Class. The popemobile has been based off of the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, as well as the G-Class in the past, and it looks like this time around, His Holiness is ready to go green! But will he? Read on for more details, courtesy of The New York Times.

Never mind the fact that Mercedes-Benz spokesman, Dan Barile declined to comment about the Pope’s recent special order; if history repeats itself, we’re sure the popemobile will be a Mercedes-Benz! But will it be an M-Class hybrid? Reports are saying that the vehicle’s powertrain will be similar to the Mercedes-Benz Vision S500 plug-in hybrid concept that was on display at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show. That means the new popemobile would be packin’ a 10-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, 60-horsepower electric motor and a V-6 gasoline engine to boot.

Ever since the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II, Popes have had to travel in more secure vehicles. The current popemobile features a tall, bullet-proof glass cabin. The Pope enters at ground level and is then raised by hydraulic lift into the secure cabin.

We here at Ray Catena of Union sure hope the Pope’s next ride is, in fact, a Mercedes-Benz M-Class hybrid. If you’re interested in riding in style like the Pope (well, sort of), visit our NJ Mercedes-Benz dealership and test drive a Mercedes-Benz M-Class today!

For the full article, click here.

For 2012 the Mercedes-Benz M-Class looks a lot like the old ML, but with significant upgrades in efficiency and style. The exterior is sleeker and more sculpted, and the most noticeable difference inside the M-Class is rectangular air vents as opposed to the round vents in prior models. The new M-Class interior brings a big increase in both quality and design with wood or metal-like plastic set in front of the passenger, along with a meaty steering wheel.  As for the mechanical side of things we decided to let the Car and Driver article speak for itself:

“At launch, Mercedes will offer two familiar six-cylinders, while the company’s new twin-turbo 4.7-liter V-8 will follow later. (We’re also told to expect another AMG version soon, as well as a gas-electric and possibly a diesel-electric hybrid.) Both V-6 models will be badged ML350. The direct-injection 3.5-liter gas engine produces 302 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, increases of 34 and 15 over the outgoing port-injection gas V-6, and should see economy increase 2 mpg in both the EPA city and highway cycle for estimated ratings of 17/22; the 3.0-liter turbo-diesel in the BlueTec is now good for 240 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque, up 30 hp and 55 lb-ft, and will get an estimated 2-mpg city mpg bump for ratings of 20/25. A switch from pressed-in cylinder liners to a spray-on coating in the diesel reduces both weight and friction. Either engine comes coupled to a seven-speed automatic transmission and 4MATIC all-wheel drive. Mercedes claims curb weights for the new model will be comparable to those of the outgoing ML, despite added content.”

Can’t wait for the 2012 M-Class to arrive later this year? While you can order a new Mercedes to your specifications, Ray Catena Motor Car also offers a selection of M-Class models in stock. If a model with the specific features you require is not shown, please Contact Us.

For the full article click here.

The saying, “April showers bring May flowers” couldn’t be more true, except it’s May now and here in New Jersey, we’re still getting plenty of showers! Hopefully it won’t be much longer until it’s time to whip out the many Mercedes-Benz convertible models we have here at Ray Catena of Union; from the Mercedes-Benz E-Class E350 Convertible to Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class Convertible, Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Convertible and more! But for now, you may want to stick to something that will keep you dry, like the Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV. We’ve got spy shots of the new 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV for you, courtesy of Speedlux.com!

Source: Speedlux.com

The upcoming 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV has been caught testing in the homeland; Germany, that is. Rumor has it, this new M-Class SUV will be making its debut sometime toward the bitter end of 2011. The Frankfurt Motor Show will be held in September of this year, so perhaps this would be the perfect time for Mercedes-Benz to let the beast loose! For now, enjoy the pics!

For the full article, click here.

Mercedes-Benz USA announced last week a monthly sales increase of 15% for August with a sales total of 19,674 vehicles, which is a 22.2% increase year-to-date.  Leading the pack with impressive gains is the sporty C-Class with a sales increase of 43.4%, followed by the 9^th generation E-class with an increase of 25.6%.  The versatile M-Class SUV rounded out the top three volume performers with sales of 2,473 for the month.  Also improving on sales gains is the R-Class crossover (up 389.7%) and the commanding G-Class SUV (up 62.2%). The company also sold 56 of its newly launched supercar, the SLS AMG, bringing its year-to-date sales to 321.

For the full article click here.