Mercedes sacks U.S. boss Ernst Lieb

Mercedes boss Ernst Lieb let go In a surprising move, Mercedes has upset its apple cart in America by sacking its CEO, Ernst Lieb. It’s hard to work out why Leib has been given the heave-ho, especially considering Mercedes USA is riding high at the moment on the back of strong sales and well-received models in the U.S. Under Lieb’s leadership Mercedes has enjoyed sales up 10.4 per cent for this year, a performance that is outstripping the market as a whole.

Design Services: Motorcity Europe

A recent Business Week article stated that "never before has design been so vital to an auto maker's success, maybe even to its survival". Much of the reason for this is the close parity in quality between different brands and the general high quality of new cars; according to J.D. Power, vehicle quality has improved 24% in the past five years.

Dune buggies on Father's Day horizon

IF YOUR dad's commute happens to cross pesky sand dunes that always leave his old Volkswagen stranded, fear not – he can turn the car into a dune buggy! Veloce Publishing has re-released the 'essential manual' for anyone wishing to turn a fatally corroded old Volkswagen (a classic Beetle is standard form) into a shiny new multi-purpose dune buggy that will laugh in the face of sandy stretches. According to the publishers, 'Building a Dune Buggy – The Essential Manual' is “the complete step by step practical guide to the equipment and building techniques needed to build a Buggy, as well as sound guidance on the choice of donor car and new components.