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Vintage photos show Ford Mustang I and the elusive XD Cobra

It's hardly surprising that our readers want to share their memories of the Ford Mustang -- 50 years is a long time for an automotive nameplate to endure, and the model's upcoming 50th anniversary is as good excuse as any to look back on the experiences that have made the car an enthusiast hit. Take William Drew, who had a close encounter with pony car history when he saw the Mustang I concept, plus a rare Ghia-bodied Shelby Cobra concept, at an auto dealer in Dallas in 1970. His slides (taken with a Yashica camera, he notes) show the unusual cars in the nice, bright colors of Kodachrome.

Ford C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid gets 108 MPGe

Ford Motor Company announced that its C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid achieves an EPA-certified 108 miles-per-gallon-equivalent (MPGe) city and 100 MPGe combined. The rating makes the C-Max Energi the most efficient plug-in hybrid by MPG-e according to the listings on the Environmental Protection Agency Web site. The only vehicles to rank higher were the all-electric 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV with a combined MPGe of 112, and the 2012 Ford Focus EV with 110 MPGe.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class concept

The A-Class concept from Mercedes-Benz is set to make its debut at both the Shanghai and New York auto shows later this month. A distinctively aggressive development over the outgoing model, the A-Class concept is said to draw on the 'defined edges and free interplay of surfaces' first demonstrated with the F800 Style. The taught muscularity of other Mercedes models is also translated onto the show car.