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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.

McLaren 650S priced from £195,250 and does 0-62mph in 3.0 seconds

The new McLaren 650S (pictured) costs from £195,250 It’s only ten days since the McLaren 650S was revealed as a more hardcore version of McLaren 12C supercar – and with more than a hint of P1 styling – but McLaren are already building it and have revealed performance and price details. Available as either a 650S Coupe or 650S Spider, the starting point is £195,250 for the Coupe and £212,250 for the Spider, that’s almost £20k more for the 650S Coupe than the 12C Coupe and £17k more for the Spider. But apart from the more dramatic styling, increased downforce and tweaks from the extra power – the 650S gets 641bhp – to the improved handling and dynamics, you also get increased levels of optional equipment including carbon racing seats from the P1, rear parking camera and full carbon fibre interior.

Four-wheel, two-wheel BMWs battle it out in 'The Chase'

A just-released Internet video pits two Akrapovic-tuned BMWs against one another to see which is faster--the two-door BMW M3 coupe or the BMW 1000 RR motorcycle. Starting at opposite sides of an unnamed street circuit, the winner takes 15 laps to overcome its "slower" opponent. See who wins the battle of the Bavarians in the video.