Mercedes A45 AMG takes aim at the Audi RS3

The performance version of the new Mercedes A Class – which looks like it’s going to be the Mercedes A45 AMG – is gunning for the Audi RS3. We know that car makers have other car makers’ models in their firing line when they plan a new model. But it’s not all that common for them to publicly admit it.

New Lexus NX Compact SUV ‘Grows’ on UK debut

The Lexus NX in a flower bed at Hampton Court The new Lexus NX – a compact take on the Lexus RX Hybrid SUV – arrived officially at the Beijing Motor Show in April and will cost from £24,495 when it arrives in the UK in October. Ahead of its official arrival in Lexus UK dealers, the NX has had its first public outing in the UK at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Hampton Court Palace Flower Show – the world’ largest annual flower show – where it was plonked somewhat incongruously in the middle of a flower bed (above). The NX was included in the ‘Inspire’ zone to showcase the NX’s contemporary design and technology and the debut was part of Lexus’s relationship with Quiet Mark, an international seal of approval from the Noise Abatement Society which encourages quiet technology.

Bentley SUV (Falcon) to be built in Slovakia?

Bentley says it has 2000 pre-orders for the Bentley Falcon SUV and that it is possible the Bentley won’t be built in Crewe but in Bratislava. January’s news was that the Bentley SUV was close to being signed-off for production (we’ve heard that once or twice) and in February we learnt that Bentley have gone back to the drawing board to produce a new design under the watchful eye of Luc Donckerwolke, Bentley’s Chief Designer, which we expect to be a more dynamic one with cues from the Continental, rather than a square truck with Mulsanne headlights. So now it’s time for the March instalment of ‘Bentley SUV News‘, and we have Bentley boss Wolfgang Schreiber telling us that Bentley already has 2,000 pre-orders for their SUV (we’re guessing ‘expressions of interest’ may be closer to the truth) before the new design is shown, and before Bentley has decided whether they want to pitch their SUV just above the new Range Rover at around £150k, or do what Bentley dealers want which is a Bentley SUV costing north of £200k.