Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

New Mercedes A Class: Production increased to meet demand

With over 70,000 orders already in the pipeline for the new Mercedes A Class, Mercedes are increasing production to meet demand. The increase in production at Mercedes plant in Rastatt, Germany, means adding a third shift to effectively increase production by almost 50 per cent and make a dent in the 70k plus orders Mercedes already has for the new A Class. That’s in stark contrast to the recent news that Mercedes is having to slash production of the S Class as sales falter, partly due to a new S Class in the pipeline for 2013 but also because buyers are falling in love with more compact offerings.

One Lap of the Web: Nine cars you'll drive in hell, airbag watermelon destruction and luxury, Soviet-style

-- After carefully weighing the options, Motor Authority has arrived at a list of the nine cars you'll drive in hell. The Aztek is an easy (if misunderstood) target, and the Renault Fuego makes sense on the basis of its name alone but there are a few unexpected additions, too -- like the Tesla Model S, which won't be easy to keep running because “… Hell is a lot like the San Francisco airport--roughly five thousand people and their 25,000 battery-powered devices, all fighting for a pull off Hell's only functional power outlet.” -- Don't ask us why, but we're fascinated with old Soviet steel, from the no-nonsense heavy duty trucks the crappy Cars of the People. The supposedly luxurious, Packard-inspired Chaika M-13 limousine sits somewhere between the two, and you can read a Special Interest Auto article on the car at Hemmings.

EDITOR'S BLOG: Detroit Motor Show 2007

By Tim Pollard Motor Shows 09 January 2007 06:15 The covers are off all the new cars at the Detroit Motor Show. CAR associate editor Tim Pollard makes sense of it all. It's been quite a motor show.