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New Mercedes CLA: First photos

We have the first photos of the production version of the new Mercedes CLA due to debut at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. The photos are quite stylised, but they do look like the real deal. They also look like they’re a version of the new CLA sporting the AMG Styling Packs rather than photos of the CLA 45 AMG (the CLA 45 AMG won’t arrive until Frankfurt 2013).

BMW Concept5 X5 eDrive revealed. It’s a plug-in Hybrid X5

The BMW Concept5 X5 eDrive (pictured) will debut at Frankfurt The arrival of the BMW Concept X5 eDrive ahead of its debut at Frankfurt next month doesn’t preview and immediate addition to the X5 range of a plug-in hybrid, but it does show what will be on offer in a year or two. Just like yesterday’s Mercedes S500 plug-in hybrid, the X5 eDrive is another example of how car makers have developed their way round CO2 taxation levels by throwing electric motors at ICE engines to create a car that offers impressive emissions and economy on official tests. In the case of the X5 eDrive that means a four-cylinder twin power ICE engine (BMW aren’t saying, but we’re assuming its a petrol engine), a 94bhp electric motor and a lithium-ion battery under the boot all working together to produce an X5 that is capable (at least in official tests, which is all that matters) of 74.3mpg and emissions under 90g/km.

Study finds customer satisfaction up slightly

U.S. customer satisfaction with vehicles industrywide has increased slightly, fueled by gains among Asian and European automakers, according to an annual report released by the American Customer Satisfaction Index on Tuesday. Overall satisfaction with the auto industry climbed 1.2 percent from 2010 to 83.