Bilstein Ak7114sb06 on 2040-parts.com

Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake on the way

Mercedes’ design boss Gordon Wagener has revealed to WhatCar that they are planning to go exactly the same route with the CLA as they did with the CLS, and create a coupe estate. The CLS Shooting Brake (pictured below) has been very well received, and with much of the world downsizing its cars a CLA Estate is a very sensible way to go, offering all the good design elements of the CLA – which already looks like a CLS on a boil wash – in a car that has more practicality. Wagener gave no idea of time scale for the CLA Shooting Brake, but with the first CLAs expected to hit customers in June it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a concept CLA Shooting Brake arrive by the time of the Frankfurt Motor Show in September before going on sale in 2014.

Suzuki plans to bring Kizashi to UK in 2011

Suzuki is evaluating bringing in its Mondeo-rivalling Kizashi family car to the UK market this time next year. The Suzuki Kizashi is already sold in Japan, the US, Australia and New Zealand, but now European importers are beginning to sell the car on the Continent. It's already sold in Switzerland and Norway, German sales begin in winter 2010 and - if the trial goes well - UK sales could kick off in autumn 2011.

Nissan tests self-cleaning paint

Well that took long enough. Nanotechnology is here, and Nissan is reportedly using it in the paint on its little Versa Note hatchback. We would have started on something a little more exciting, like the hard-to-care-for matte finish on the GT-R's rear spoiler, but that's just us.