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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.

Exclusive: The Designers Pt1 – Gorden Wagener, Mercedes-Benz

Car Design News launched its first ever Car Design Review yearbook at the Geneva motor show, featuring the award-winning Production Car and Concept Car Designs of 2013. Over the next three months we'll be publishing – in their own words – world-exclusive interviews with the 12 professional design judges involved in these awards, featuring their individual votes, their views on the year just gone plus their hopes for the year ahead. Kicking off the series is vice-president of design for Mercedes-Benz, Gorden Wagener, talking up the global recovery, exciting new Mercedes design studios and why a certain Pininfarina coupé was his favorite concept of 2013...

SEAT Altea XL

Two years after the Seat Altea hatchback was launched comes the extended XL version, which effectively becomes a mini-MPV thanks to a 187mm increase in length. This of course benefits the interior most, the trunk growing from 409 liters to 635 with the rear bench pushed forward - though is conspicuously without the extra row of seats offered by rivals. Outside, changes are most noticeable at the rear where the styling theme has been softened to reflect the car's renewed family-focus.