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New Mercedes B-Class Electric Drive goes in to production

The first Mercedes B-Class ED (pictured) rolls off the production line in Rastatt With the BMW i3 grabbing headlines – and flying out of showrooms – as BMW’s first electric car, Mercedes need to play catch-up with a convincing EV of their own, and that’s the new B-Class Electric Drive – an EV version of the regular B-Class – which has now gone in to production in Germany. Built alongside regular ICE versions of the B-Class at Mercedes’ Rastatt Plant, the B-Class ED (Electric Drive) looks practically the same as its more conventionally powered siblings – although the front bumper does look a bit different – and has an electric motor good for 177 bhp and 250 lb/ft of torque, can manage a scoot to 62 mph in 7.9 seconds and has a range of up to 124 miles. The range – at least the quoted range – is a chunk better than the BMW i3′s and on a par with the latest Nissan LEAF, thanks to EV technology provided by Tesla, and the wrapping of an EV drivetrain in a conventional series production car could appeal to more buyers than the ‘statement’ design of the BMW i3.

Ferrari deny subliminal Marlboro advertising

The Ferrari F1 2010 - complete with a pack of Marlboros? In the Nanny-State world in which we live sport is no longer allowed to take advantage of the bulging coffers of tobacco companies to boost their bottom line through advertising. At least in Europe.

1924 Le Mans-winning Bentley to go on show

A 90-YEAR-OLD Le Mans-winning Bentley is to go on display in Paris next week as part of the prestigious Rétromobile exhibition. The car, which won the 1924 Le Mans race with John Duff and Frank Clement behind the wheel, is to be Bentley’s headline act at this year’s show. It was picked as a celebration of the rejuvenation of Bentley’s racing programme, with the Continental GT3 racer this year competing in races at Silverstone in Northamptonshire, Italy’s famous Monza and the cutting edge Paul Ricard circuit in southern France.