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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.

Mazda Mazda6 [w/Gallery]

Mazda gave its Mazda6 its world debut today at the 2012 Moscow auto show. The Mazda6, which is the production version of the Mazda Takeri concept first seen at the Tokyo motor show last year, follows the automaker's new ‘KODO - Soul of Motion' design language. The Mazda6, which measures in at 4,800mm long, 1,840mm wide, 1,450mm high with a wheelbase of 2,830mm, features the ‘signature wing' - an element of the new design language - set into the front, while the creases extending from the tips flow into body character lines.

Audi Crosslane Coupe concept (2012) - the new Q2!

Audi showed off the new Crosslane Coupe concept car at the Paris motor show in 2012 - and it's basically the new Q2 in show-car drag. Ingolstadt may call it 'a hybrid study providing pointers to the design language of future Audi Q models,' but very senior execs told CAR it is the new Q2. Audi is preparing a raft even-numbered Q models which will provide a lower slung breed of crossover to the family-oriented Q3/Q5/Q7 set.