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Chevrolet Cruze gets better fuel economy for the 2012 model year

The 2012 Chevrolet Cruze is making a run at its Eco brother, with a highway fuel-economy rating of 38 mpg with an automatic transmission, 2 mpg more than last it got last year. A manual transmission is now more widely available on the Cruze, according to the General Motors ordering guide. The 1LT and 2LT models will now be available with the six-speed manual, which should increase the fun quotient with the turbocharged 1.4-liter engine.

Mercedes SL63 AMG, David Coulthard & (blindfolded) illusionist Dynamo (video)

David Coulthard & Dynamo (pictured) in the Mercedes SL 63 AMG If there’s one man who’s made magic and illusions cool again it’s the little man from Bradford – Dynamo. His street illusions are a must watch – and usually completely unfathomable – and he’s often coaxed in a celebrity face or three to perform illusions with as it makes for more marketable TV . That combination is something Mercedes couldn’t resist as a PR vehicle, so they enlisted Dynamo, David Coulthard, a Mercedes SL63 AMG and an abandoned airfield to produce a new Dynamo illusion to promote the SL63 AMG.

Electric Ford Focus starts European production

The Electric Ford Focus (pictured) is now being built in Europe The electric Ford Focus is already in production, and on sale, in the USA, and now it’s gone in to production in Germany ahead of arriving with owners in July. So far, the Focus EV hasn’t been an overwhelming success in the US, with just over 700 sold in the first five months of 2013 but, even though Ford see the EV as a niche product, they’re still hoping to make a dent in sales of the Nissan LEAF in Europe. The Focus EV comes with an electric motor producing 143bhp and powered by a bank of lithium-ion batteries.