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LA Motor Show 2013 preview guide

According to the show's organisers, the 2013 LA Motor Show is the 'mother of all shows' - how wonderfully American! It runs from 20 November to 1 December at the Los Angeles Convention Center, and although it's not the biggest motor show on Earth, it does boast a fair number of world debuts and 'first reveals' – many of which we’ve rounded up in the following gallery. Tickets cost $10 (£6.22) during the week and $12 (£7.47) at weekends.

Mercedes GLA goes subterranean

FOR SUV owners looking to test their cars’ off-road credentials, the obvious place to put them to the test probably isn’t nearly 200 metres underground. But that’s exactly where the new Mercedes GLA found itself as it descended into Winsford Rock Salt Mine, 620 feet beneath the Cheshire countryside. The working mine, which supplies much of the UK’s gritting salt for wintry roads, played host to four standard (apart from extra driving lights) GLA models, which were lowered down into the mine nose first before being let loose in the 130-mile network of tunnels.

Aston Martin reveals Vantage N430 and Carbon editions before Geneva

Stop us if you've heard this one before: Aston Martin is bringing two special editions to the Geneva motor show next month. Unfortunately neither of them is coming to the United States, but since they're Aston Martins, we figured you'd still want to be in the know. The V8 Vantage N430 builds on the N420 special edition from 2010.