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Maybach Zeppelin comes over the horizon

The Maybach Zeppelin - an even bigger waste of money than the standard Maybach Maybach has not exactly been an unmitigated success for Mercedes. Conceived as a competitor for Rolls Royce, it does seem to have carved itself a niche, but probably not the one that Mercedes wanted. Perceived by most as a tarted-up S Class, and bought by the wealthy of the Playstation generation, rather than the Captains of Industry that Mercedes envisioned, the Maybach must be a loss-maker for Mercedes.

All used up: Pre-owned sales rise as consumers seek new-car alternatives

Used-car sales took a leap upward in April, and the trend is expected to continue at least until midyear as pent-up demand for affordable pre-owned vehicles jacks up at least one segment of the car marketplace. Sales of new cars continued an unabated slide toward what analysts say is a 30-year low in the United States, but used-car sales showed strength as buyers unable to finance new cars shifted their sights to less expensive used models. As a result, retailers such as the large Penske Automotive Group reported that despite an overall decline in sales in the first three months of 2009, improving used-car sales kept them in the black.

Tesla unveils Model S electric saloon (2009)

By Ben Oliver First Official Pictures 27 March 2009 09:00 Tesla last night launched the Model S, a seven-seat electric hatchback capable of 60mph in 5.5 seconds, with a range of up to 300 miles and a charging time as low as 45 minutes. When it goes into production in 2011 the Tesla Model S will cost US buyers around $50,000 (£34,600) after a federal tax credit. Without a tax break, European buyers can expect to pay closer to £50,000.