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Maybach Coupe for sale: First Maybach Cruiserio Coupe up for grabs

Maybach Cruiserio Coupe - up For Sale We’ve run a couple of stories about a coupe version of the Maybach 57S this year, starting with the rather surprising news that a Maybach Coupe was coming - especially as it wasn’t going to be the spectacular Exelero Coupe – and culminating in the confirmation that German company Xenatec were building 100 Maybach Coupes. What I don’t think we knew at the time was that the whole Maybach Coupe plan was being funded by Saudi-based Auto Kingdom, which probably explains quite a lot. The Maybach has not been an explosive success since it launched – it’s been completely eclipsed by the far superior Rolls Royce Phantom – but its best market has probably been the Middle East, so Auto kingdom are probably pretty scure in the knowledge they can shift one or two of the Maybach Coupes on their home turf.

BMW X4 Leaks

We have the first official photos of the BMW X4 SUV – the ‘Lifestyle’ version of the X3 – which we expect to debut at the Shanghai Motor Show this month. We have the first leaked images of the X4 that show a BMW X3 with the same sort of treatment as the X5 got to turn it in to the X6, and create what BMW like to call an SAC – a Sports Activity Coupe. Apart from the changes to the body – and less room in the back – you can expect the X4 to offer much the same under the skin as the X3 – albeit at a premium price – which will mean – for the UK at least – will mean everything from an X4 xDrive 18d SE through to an X4 xDrive 35d M Sport.

News watch March 2010: today's auto industry news

Tuesday 30 March 2010• Mercedes has dismissed claims that its Maybach brand is for sale, after reports in the Chinese media claimed Chinese car company BYD was considering a bid for the upmarket offshoot. BYD has also denied the claims (Reuters)• Toyota president Akio Toyoda has promised his company will listen more carefully to customers and react faster in a bid to regain credibility after the Japanese car manufacturer was forced to recall millions of vehilces over safety fears (BBC)• The Obama administration is expected to unveil its finalised fuel economy and tailpipe emissions through to 2016 this week, to coincide with the opening of the 2010 New York auto show (Detroit News)  Monday 29 March 2010• Toyota has agreed to licence the hybrid technology in the Prius to Mazda, which will combine the electric system with its next-gen Sky engines. It’s part of Mazda’s plans to increase the average fuel economy of its vehicles by 30% by 2015 (compared to 2008 levels) and it hopes to have its first hybrid vehicle on sale in Japan by 2013 (Mazda)• Ford and Chinese car company Geely have signed a stock purchase agreement that will allow the latter to acquire 100% of Volvo (along with related assets including intellectual property rights).