New (2014) Mazda 3 revealed – no prices yet

The new Mazda3 (pictured) arrives – and it looks good. The Mazda3 is already a better car than its sales would suggest, and the all new Mazda3 looks to be even more competition for the Ford Focus and VW Golf than ever before. Perhaps the only complaint about the Mazda3′s design is that it looks a bit too much like a shrunken Mazda6, but that’s a bit like moaning the DB9 looks like the Vanquish (well, the Mazda3′s not that good looking, but it makes the point).

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.

Original 'Panthermobile' and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang replica up for auction

The rare original ‘Pink Panther' car, one of the most iconic vehicles in movie and television history, will be put up for auction for only the second time alongside a replica of the widely-recognizable Chitty Chitty Bang Bang vehicle. The one-off ‘Panthermobile' was created in 1969 for the 'Pink Panther' show, which NBC ran from 1969 until 1976. Jay Ohrberg, who is renowned for producing a number of other iconic Hollywood vehicles, created the unique vehicle, which was originally designed by Bob Resiner. Ohrberg's other creations include the Knight Rider K.I.T.T., Back To The Future's DeLorean, the 1966 Batman Batmobile, the 1989 Batman Batmobile, the Dukes of Hazzard General Lee, Starsky & Hutch's Ford Gran Torino and even the Flintstones cars.