Wix 58936 Automatic Transmission Filter on 2040-parts.com

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.

Infiniti's Smart Move

If you're going to throw props at people for their insight and business acumen, be sure to aim some at Infiniti's new global boss, Johan de Nysschen. Here's why: On Sunday, before the final 2012 Formula One championship race, Infiniti announced it would be the title sponsor of Red Bull Racing going forward into 2013. That in itself is a great coup for the luxury car maker.

2012 Hyundai i20 Facelift arrives UPDATED

The 2012 Hyundai i20 Facelift arrives a bit earlier than Hyundai planned The Hyundai i20 Facelift for 2012 has arrived a bit earlier than Hyundai planned, with the first photos arriving ahead of its Geneva debut. Update: Hyundai caught up with the news on the i20 facelift and confirmed the changes. But under the skin they’ve also had a play, with a new 1.1 litre 3-cylinder ‘U-II’ diesel which, when mated to Hyundai’s Blue Drive tech, delivers 74bhp and the lowest emissions of any car on sale with a conventional powertrain at just 84g/km.