Brake Pads, Accessory Drive Belt, Idler, Tensioner, Brake Fluid Tank on 2040-parts.com

Three Lexus special editions arriving before the new year

Lexus has rolled out three special-edition models. They aren't F-branded as we hoped, but they do come with some sporty touches. The Lexus LS 460 Sport Special Edition gets upgrades from the wheels to the sunroof and a unique obsidian paint job.

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.

One Lap of the Web: Buy yourself a Bentley 4 1/4 Litre, A Futurliner car hauler and the TagAZ Aquila

-- Forget to get yourself a Christmas gift this year? Why not buy yourself a Bentley? Not all examples of the marque sell for six figures, especially if you look back a few decades into the past.