Cars and Coffee Dayton Ohio (Austin Landing), October 25, 2025: 1966 Volvo 122S Amazon

 

What is the current state of America’s love affair with the automobile? If you attended Cars and 

Coffee this morning -- held in forty degree weather -- you would have to conclude that car culture thrives.  And the younger folks were everywhere -- including lining the adjacent roadways waiting to take photos. Young families, younger women, children -- they were here.

The Volvo Amazon stood out among the many, many cars. An absolutely brilliant restoration of arguably Volvo’s most historically significant vehicle.

Sadly, the last event of the year, Let’s hope the salt stays off the roadways foe a long while in the meantime.

Grand Prix Mexico City Preview: 2025

Five races to go. Just 10 points separating P2 to P4 in the Constructors' Championship. We had a poor result in Austin and our rivals gained ground on us. We have the chance to bounce back straight away this weekend in Mexico though. It's going to be a battle all the way to the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi and that is something we are relishing.

Mexico City presents a unique challenge. The high altitude taxes the brakes and power unit significantly, whilst the thin air requires a high downforce set-up. Our Reserve Driver Fred Vesti will be in the car for FP1, completing the second of his rookie sessions this year. He will contribute to our programme, as he does every time he is in the car. The field is tight but we are hopeful of a strong showing, stronger than we managed a few days ago in Texas.

Fred Vesti Talks Mexico

I am extremely happy to get back behind the wheel of W16 for FP1 in Mexico this weekend. 

I have done a lot of work in the simulator these past few months and it is a huge privilege to put this into action on track. 

This new opportunity will give me more experience as a driver but will also enable me to bring new input to the simulator team back in Brackley.

My endurance racing this year has helped me stay sharp and prepare to jump back into the F1 car, and I have been working on my neck for Mexico as we know Formula 1 does not spare the body! 

I want to thank the team for giving me this opportunity and allowing me to build on the progress we have made so far.

Fact File: Mexico City Grand Prix

• The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is the third-shortest circuit on the 2025 F1 calendar, at just 4.304 km (behind only Zandvoort and Monaco).
• The track has the longest run from pole position to the first braking zone of any on the 2025 F1 calendar (767m) and almost 10 seconds of the 1.2-kilometre-long straight are taken at full throttle.
• Because of the high altitude and the low air density in Mexico City, the air is incredibly thin (meaning there are fewer molecules around) and transports less energy away from hot systems like the Power Unit and brakes.
• Because you can run a Monaco wing level but experience Monza levels of downforce, top speeds in Mexico are some of the highest of the season, where the cars can achieve 346km/h (215 mph) - or more with a tow.
• The Power Unit is one of the most affected systems on the car by the high altitude, with a decent drop in engine power due to the thin air. The turbocharger makes up for some of the power loss but must work much harder than it would in normal conditions.
• Because of twisty in-field section away from the main pit straight, the circuit sees drivers at full throttle for just 45% of the total lap time, and 60% of the lap distance – some of the lowest numbers of the season.
• The team has three wins at the track – two with Lewis (2016 & 2019) and 2015 with Nico. The latter’ win came on F1’ return to the track for the first time since 1992.
• Test and Reserve Driver Fred Vesti got his first taste of an FP1 rookie session for the team in Mexico in 2023 in W14. Kimi took part in the session last year in W15, his second FP1 after Monza.

The Mercedes-Benz E 60 AMG (W 210): A Wolf in a Tailor-Made Suit

Mercedes-Benz Museum, Collection Room 5: Special “Youngtimer” exhibition. Mercedes-Benz E 60 AMG (210 model series). Overall view from the right. Photo: Thomas Niedermüller. (Photo index number in the Mercedes-Benz Classic Archive: D862559)

Mercedes-Benz E 60 AMG (W 210)

Power package: The Mercedes-Benz E 60 AMG is a car of superlatives. Its high-performance V8 engine with 280 kW (381 hp) made it the most powerful E-Class in the mid-1990s. Its price of around 200,000 DM placed it in the top league. The most expensive vehicle in the portfolio at that time was the S 600 (model series 140) with long wheelbase and a twelve-cylinder engine (290 kW/394 hp), priced at 210,220 DM. The Mercedes-Benz Museum is presenting a black E 60 AMG as the highlight of the special exhibition “Youngtimer”. Standing at the center of the room, this extremely rare high-performance sedan attracts attention.

Discreet design: At the same time, the top model of the 210 series is a wolf in an elegant tailor-made suit. Only the understated body kit and the AMG 18-inch light-alloy wheels hint at Affalterbach’s craftsmanship. The Mercedes star and radiator grille shine in black instead of silver chrome – two exceptional design features for a sedan of this generation of the E-Class. And to put the price in context within the 210 series: in 1997, the year this E 60 AMG was built, the E 430 – also with V8 engine – was listed at 104,995 DM.

Metamorphosis: The E 60 AMG is based on the E 50 AMG, presented in 1996. This is already a high-performance saloon with an impressive 255 kW (347 hp) from almost five litres of displacement. Those who ordered it with the AMG technology package (Equipment Code 957) triggered the transformation: AMG bored the V8 engine to 5,956 cubic centimetres of displacement, achieving a power increase of 25 kW (34 hp) and 100 newton metres more torque. A total of 580 Newton meters are available. This effect distinguishes the E 60 AMG: it accelerates even more impressively from 0 to 100 km/h – in just 5.9 seconds, 0.3 seconds faster than the already highly dynamic E 50 AMG. The speedometer scale tops out at a confident 280 km/h, the top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h. Opting for the AMG technology package came at a price. It cost around 50,000 DM – in addition to the 148,350 DM for an E 50 AMG.

Fundamentally new: The company launched the E-Class of the 210 model series in 1995. This was in keeping with the dynamic spirit of optimism prior to the new millennium. The distinctive twin-headlamp face, elegant appearance, excellent aerodynamics, more than 30 innovations and a commitment to sporty performance characterised this generation of the E-Class. The design created under the direction of Bruno Sacco received the coveted “Red Dot Design Award”.

Technology for speed: The sporty top-of-the-range vehicles of the 210 model series were largely handcrafted. Mercedes-Benz supplied the bodyshell to Affalterbach, where the experts integrated the components developed there: the engine, transmission, powertrain and axles. Under the body of the E 60 AMG, an AMG sport suspension ensured a good feel for the road. 1:2.82 was chosen as the final drive ratio. The front brake system was likewise an AMG in-house development, while the rear brake system was adopted from the twelve-cylinder roadster Mercedes-Benz SL 600 (R 129). In 1997, the E 60 AMG was also used in Formula One as the Official FIA F1® Medical Car – alongside the C 36 AMG.

Luxury with character: The experts in Affalterbach also did a thorough job with the interior of the E 60 AMG, creating an atmosphere of casual yet dynamic luxury with a great deal of best craftmanship. This includes elegant wood inlays, Alcantara-lined door and seat centre panels as well as lavishly finished fine leather. The embossed door sill panels bear the model designation, as do the shift lever, the special carpets and a cover flap in the centre console. The flap also features the signature of Hans Werner Aufrecht, the AMG co-founder. The famous AMG sticker with his signature also adorns the rear window.

Precise handling: Another important highlight is the steering wheel, the central control element in the driver’s hands. To allow agile handling of the high-performance saloon through bends and hairpins, it was given a compact AMG steering wheel with a diameter of 390 millimetres, finished in leather with wood inlays.

A delight for all the senses: The AMG sports exhaust system ensured that the powerful eight-cylinder engine produced a sound befitting its status. While a Bose sound system spoiled those who were looking for musical accompaniment.

Rarity on wheels: Exactly how many E 60 AMG were built? This is not known because the number of units of the special version was not shown separately in the total production figure of 2,960 E 50 AMG models. There were probably fewer than 200. This certainly makes the E 60 AMG a great rarity, and therefore a highly sought-after recent classic. This also applies to the E 60 AMG of the 124 model series as this model had already existed before.

Mercedes-Benz Results at United States Grand Prix, Austin, 2025

Challenging Sunday in Austin

• George Russell finished sixth with Kimi Antonelli P13 in Sunday’s United States Grand Prix.
• George lined up P4 but was pinched on the inside of turn one, losing positions to the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton and the McLaren of Oscar Piastri.
• The difficulty, for the whole field, in getting close to the car ahead whilst also keeping tyre surface temperatures under control, limited the ability to regain those positions.
• Despite a three-lap tyre offset after switching from the Medium to the Soft compound, he couldn’t trouble Piastri before the chequered flag came.
• Kimi meanwhile, also running the Medium-Soft one-stop, held his starting position of P7 in the opening laps.
• He was unfortunate to be turned around by the Williams of Carlos Sainz at turn 15 in the early stages and could only rejoin at the back of the field.
• He fought back from there but his progressed was halted at P13 and he therefore finished outside of the points.
• The battle for second in the Constructors’ Championship has closed up once again with Ferrari now seven points behind in P3.
• The team now heads south to Mexico for next week’s Mexico City Grand Prix.

Mercedes R 107 Summer Blues, 2025: Oxygen Sensor, Brakes, and Cooling System -- Part I

 Summer 2025 turned out to be a bummer concerning my 1982 380 SL. Problems started small but then got far more expensive over time.

As a preface I have owned this California car since 2014 and have put 53K miles on it.   Currently it runs like a dream (with one minor exception I will cover in a later post), and is a great top down cruiser.

I had been experiencing poor gas mileage for some time -- probably since Started screwing around with the lambda oxygen sensor, and connected a new unit poorly to the lambda control unit. Those units are single wire and  with a very fine wire covered with a cable sheath. 

So I took it to an expert at Foreign exchange, who did little more than fiddle with it until the sensor started working, and charged me $400 plus.  More than an attorney or doctor.. That made me so mad that I fixed the issue myself, starting with a new Bosch Oxygen Sensor that the expert had suggested. The trick in making this right waste remove the wire leading from the control unit to the sensor, thereby have a good access to making a solid connection.  Previously I had tried to connect wires while under my back, and that did not work. MPG rose to an average 19!

More troubling was the fact that the Foreign Exchange guys had picked up that the brakes were pulling rather dangerously to the right.  Now front brakes need, with an estimate of $1400!

So I took that matter to my mechanic, Brock, who works for an outfit that I thought would be cheaper.  Guess what? the Bill was over $1400, because I also leaned that the transmission fluid was burned and need to be replaced! Ouch. I did salvage two harness wires connecting to the wear sensors from a pick and pull car at LKQ Cincinnati!  That was a small victory that saved me a few bucks.

Oh, and it was not long after I got the car back that on one of my near daily rides the brake pedal went to the floor! Here it took little sleuthing --- it was what you might think, a master cylinder -- and another $400 to get a firm pedal and a safe car. 

Great, but there was more coming.  It was about this time that I began to notice that my coolant was contaminated every so slightly with a  red substance.  I thought it might be  rust, but indeed after a bit of deceptive work by Brock, it was determined to be transmission fluid. Another potentially costly problem.

More follows!

Preview: United States Grand Prix, Austin, TX, October, 2025

 

We come off the back of a strong result in Singapore, taking victory with George and P5 for Kimi. Not only was that unexpected, our level of performance across Saturday and Sunday showed it was no fluke. That has been the story of the season somewhat, where it isn't clear which team will be leading the way from weekend-to-weekend. We were also good in Azerbaijan so we are curious to see if we can maintain the step we have made with the W16 into this next run of races across the Americas. They are very different layouts and challenges to those two street circuits, so we are heading a little into the unknown, but that unpredictability is what makes our sport so enjoyable.

Austin has become an iconic F1 venue with a large and passionate crowd and a fantastic city playing host. The Circuit of the Americas, with its elevation changes, spectacular first turn, and mix of high-speed corners and slower traction zones, is a real test. Adding to that challenge is the fourth Sprint weekend of the year. That creates extra jeopardy but also more opportunity if we can get the W16 into a good place quickly.

We are also delighted to celebrate 500 races of the Mercedes-AMG Safety Car this weekend. This milestone is a testament to the company's commitment to the pinnacle of motorsport, and the longevity, technical innovation, and beauty of our cars.

Fact File: United States Grand Prix

• COTA is one of nine tracks on the 2025 F1 calendar that is fully anticlockwise, alongside Jeddah, Miami, Imola, Baku, Singapore, Interlagos, Las Vegas, and Yas Marina. 
• It is tied with Baku for the second-most corners on any F1 2025 track, with 20, behind Jeddah (27). 
• The incline from the starting grid to the apex at Turn One is 134 feet, one of the highest elevation changes on the whole f1 calendar. 
• No one has more wins at COTA than Lewis Hamilton (5). Lewis also clinched his third (2015) and sixth (2019) F1 titles at the track while with the team. 
• The team has five wins at COTA – more than any other Constructor. Lewis has four of those, while Valtteri Bottas also has one US GP win, coming in 2019. 
• For the third year in a row, the circuit will hold an F1 Sprint race on Saturday.
• In 2025, as in 2024, COTA will host the fourth of six F1 Sprint races during the season. 
• COTA has been the home of the United States Grand Prix since 2012. 
• The 2025 United States Grand Prix will be the 500^th for Mrecedes-Benz as the official Safety Car, having debuted at the 1996 Australian Grand Prix and first been deployed at the 1996 Belgium Grand prix.

The cutting-edge development of advanced sustainable fuel

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• Episode three of the PETRONAS ’Road to 2026’ technical content series explores the latest development in the use of advanced sustainable fuel being used in F1 from next season onwards.
• The full video can be viewed here, with downloadable assets including imagery here. All assets can be used rights-free.

As F1 accelerates toward a more sustainable future, the third episode of the ‘Road to 2026’ series explores the cutting-edge development of advanced sustainable fuel. This instalment highlights the collaborative efforts between the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team and PETRONAS ahead of next year’s seismic regulatory changes, as together we push the boundaries of fuel technology.

Subject matter experts from the team and PETRONAS share their perspectives on the evolution of their technical partnership, and how they are developing advanced sustainable fuel to power the next generation in the sport.

The episode features exclusive insights from with:

• Hywel Thomas, Managing Director – Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains
• Chan Ming-Yau, Principal (Fuel Technology) – PETRONAS
• Chandramalar Muthiah, Principal (Fuel Technology) – PETRONAS
• Alice Ashpitel – Head of Sustainability – Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team

Developed in close collaboration between the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team and PETRONAS, advanced sustainable fuel is derived from non-food biomass, municipal waste or renewable fuel of non-biological origin (RFNBO) and designed as a drop-in solution that aims to deliver the same, if not better performance. Matching the fuel precisely to the Power Unit ensures efficient combustion output, helping to meet the extreme demands of racing while aligning with Formula One’s sustainability ambitions.

Driving the next generation of racing, PETRONAS is formulating a fuel that delivers a smoother, more powerful and responsive drive comprising of advanced sustainable components that have been specifically engineered to meet the latest Power Unit design. This innovation is complemented by PETRONAS Syntium engine oil and PETRONAS Tutela functional fluids, tailored to manage elevated thermal loads and electrical demands while delivering peak performance under the new regulations.

The third episode, The Science of Advanced Sustainable Fuel, is available now, rights-free, across all Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team and PETRONAS digital platforms.

Mercedes-Benz Advanced Lighting Testing Center Opened: Endurance Testing on a Rough Road Track in the Heide

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• Just opened: Most advanced light testing centre with a realistic country road replica
• Robots at the wheel: Fully automated endurance testing on a demanding rough-road track
• ‘Digital twin’: All test modules can also be used digitally for preliminary simulations
• A world of testing in Immendingen: Over 30 modules across 86 kilometres of road-simulating track
• Animal helpers: Sheep prevent scrub encroachment, llamas protect the herd
• Anniversary: Ten years ago, the ground-breaking ceremony for this unique development environment took place

With the new, state-of-the-art light testing centre, designed for versatile use, Mercedes‑Benz is once again expanding the diverse testing capabilities of the Global Proving Ground Immendingen. At 135 metres long and eight metres high, the new light testing centre ranks among the largest of its kind in the automotive industry. It enables detailed testing of headlight systems under constant, reproducible conditions – independent of time of day, weather or environmental influences. 

A complete country road is authentically recreated over 135 metres. In addition, the asphalt mixture was specially developed to replicate the reflective properties of an aged road as closely as possible. Up to five cars can be tested in parallel – including the simulation of oncoming traffic or vehicles ahead. Reflector posts can be deployed at the sides of the road in 20-metre increments and pedestrian dummies can also be flexibly integrated. The investment in the light testing centre amounts to 10.5 million euros, with a construction period of two years. 

Automation meets resilience: Driverless Heide durability circuit

With its high-tech testing facilities and advanced testing methods, the Global Proving Ground Immendingen continues to set new standards across the industry. This also includes the so-called automated Heide durability circuit. In this test, driving robots steer the test vehicles completely autonomously along a rough-road track. The track’s potholes, bumps and cobblestones pose a particular challenge for the chassis and body. 

The automation of this process increases the precision of driving manoeuvres, reduces the strain on human test drivers, enables 24/7 operation and significantly accelerates testing – all while maintaining the same level of stress on the cars. Depending on the vehicle type, the test vehicles must complete up to 6,000 kilometres on this circuit, which is equivalent to 300,000 kilometres of customer driving. This means that one kilometre on the Heide durability circuit is equivalent to 150 kilometres on an extremely poor road, littered with deep potholes, among other things. The test module is named after a very challenging rough-road track in the Lüneburg Heath dating back to the 1950s. 

Consistent digitisation: more efficient, faster and more sustainable testing

As with all test modules at Immendingen, the Heide durability circuit also has a “digital twin”. The proving ground is digitally mapped down to the sub-millimeter level, and vehicles and their loads are digitally mirrored. This data is used in preliminary simulations, serves as load spectra for test benches and thus enables test results to be quickly fed back to the development departments. Today, this digital testing is so precise that often many thousands of kilometres are driven digitally before the first real test kilometre is driven on the test site. 

In concrete terms, this means that, for example, in chassis tuning for each new model series, more than 100 different variations are tested digitally. Only the most suitable variants are then installed in a prototype and tested physically in Immendingen. One of Immendingen’s greatest advantages is precisely this: almost all test requirements for real-life testing – apart from snow, ice and extreme heat – are consolidated at a single location.

“The Immendingen Test and Technology Centre is the first digitised Mercedes‑Benz proving ground – here, real and virtual vehicle testing merge seamlessly. By digitally mapping the proving ground, using automated test programmes and employing state-of-the-art sensor technology, we are making vehicle development more efficient, faster and more sustainable than ever before.”