Today, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, third installment in the sage in which 1980s-vintage Hasbro toys come to life and kick ’bot, opens in theaters. Like the other films in the franchise, Transformers: Dark of the Moon drops in on the saga of two warring sentient robot factions whose intergalactic battle spills over from their home planet (Cybertron, natch) and imperils humankind. But the film also features a slew of cars including the Mercedes Benz E-Class 550 Sedan and the SLS AMG Roadster.
Automotive placements in film appearances is very competitive. Experts say that carmakers might spend as much as $10 million to market their vehicles’ appearances in films. There was much speculation leading up to the event about the role the E550 plays. In this movie the cars will not be transforming into the Decepticons, the film’s villains. Carmakers typically don’t want to commit money to a film only to be portrayed as the ride of a murderer, drug dealer or as the form for an evil robot. With such a global film these Mercedes will be featured in the hero line up. Dark‘s director, Michael Bay, revealed on his official Internet forum that Mercedes “would never let us make their car into a bad Decepticon. Car companies really frown on that.”
Instead, a blue Mercedes E-Class sedan will play an Autobot named Que. And Mercedes’ gull-wing SLS AMG also makes an appearance, though not as a Transformer. Instead, the silver supercar is the vehicle of choice for Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s character, Carly Miller.
Check out the Mercedes Vehicles Featured:
1. Silver Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG (as seen filmed in Chicago- http://youtu.be/_hR8CJBt60k)
Notable Features Includes:
Chassis components for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG shouldn’t be too exotic, as the next SL will share them. However, the new flagship performer will likely get carbon-ceramic disc brakes, perhaps as an option, plus “active” springs and shock absorbers that change firmness according to road speed and road surface. The latter was previewed on the recent F700 concept sedan as the “Pre-Scan” suspension. The specs chart should also list Mercedes’ anti-lean Active Body Control and Pre-Safe collision-mitigation system. One notable feature likely to be absent is an “air-brake” wing that pops up from the rear deck in hard braking. The SLR had one, but only to remedy some unexpected aerodynamic quirks that showed up after the body design was approved. Even so, the SLS should emulate the SLR with surfaces shaped to optimize high-speed stability, including racing-style underbody channels and a rear air diffuser that generates down force to keep the car better glued to the road.
2. Blue Mercedes-Benz E550 (as seen filed in Chicago- http://youtu.be/Ktw4WAMCkcY)
Notable Features Include:
Fueled by eight generations of automotive ancestry, the E550 whets the appetite with a muscular profile and satisfies the soul with visionary technology, class-leading safety innovations and unrivaled refinements, all powered by a mighty V-8 engine.
- 382-horsepower 5.5 liter V-8 engine
- Leather upholstery and hand-polished wood trim
- AIRMATIC Semi-Active Suspension with Sport and Comfort modes
- Available with 4MATIC™ all-wheel drive
Penske Mercedes-Benz is honored to have one of their franchises products featured in this summer flick. Take virtual walk through of E-Class 550 Sedan or virtual walk through of SLS AMG. Or stop by one of the convenient Penske Mercedes-Benz locations mentioned below and speak with one of their highly trained staff. Penske Mercedes Benz pride themselves in providing memorable experiences, top-notch customer service and exceeding your expectations in every aspect of your visit to Penske dealerships. We look forward to seeing you soon.
| Dealer Name | Address | Country▼ | Phone | Make | Collision |
| 7450 West Orchid Lane Chandler, AZ 85226 |
US | 480-403-3400 | Mercedes-Benz | Yes | |
| 4750 Kearny Mesa Road San Diego, CA 92111 |
US | 858-569-6900 | Mercedes-Benz | Yes | |
| 165 Commerce Drive Fairfield, CT 06825 |
US | 203-368-6725 | Mercedes-Benz | Yes | |
| 99 Route 304 Nanuet, NY 10954 |
US | 845-624-1500 | Mercedes-Benz | No | |
| 18122 Rockside Road Bedford, OH 44146 | US | 440-439-0100 | Mercedes-Benz | Yes | |
| 1557 Bald Hill Road Warwick, RI 02886 |
US | 401-821-1510 | Mercedes-Benz | Yes | |
| 8545 Leesburg Pike Vienna, VA 22182 |
US | 703-442-8200 | Mercedes-Benz | Yes | |
| 14841 Stonecroft Center Court Chantilly, VA 20151 |
US | 703-956-2000 | Mercedes-Benz | No |
