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Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that it will kill off the B-Class Electric Drive after the 2017 model year. Speaking to Autonews, Mercedes-Benz USA spokesman Rob Moran said that production would be phased out in the third quarter of this year so the automaker can turn its attention towards it impending range of EQ vehicles. Moran said that the assembly plant in Rastatt, Germany, responsible for building the B-Class Electric Drive will soon be converted to build the firm’s updated compact vehicles from 2018. The cancellation of the electric B-Class comes as no real shock as it has never been particularly popular. In fact, since hitting the U.S. market in December 2013, only 3,651 examples have been sold across the country. In a statement, Moran said “Due to our strategic focus on [connectivity, autonomous driving, sharing and electric drive systems] for the mobility of the future, we are planning the step-by-step electrification of our portfolio. Moreover, we are evaluating the p...

Lucas di Grassi has walked away as champion of the 2016/2017 Formula E season at the final weekend in Montreal, Canada. Heading into the weekend, the Brazilian had a 10-point deficit to Renault’s Sebastian Buemi but on Saturday, scored pole position and went on to win the race to create an 18 point advantage over the defending champion. On Sunday, di Grassi started the season’s final race alongside his teammate Daniel Abt on the third row while Buemi started in 14th. The Audi drivers eventually finished sixth and seventh respectively, allowing di Grassi to claim his first Formula E championship. Throughout the season, the 2010 Formula One driver claimed two race victories, three pole positions and seven podium finishes in the twelve races. Speaking after the victory, di Grassi said:  “Today is the best day in my career. I’ve believed in Formula E from day one because the world, including motorsport, is changing. Three years ago, we won the first Formula E race in Beiji...

The fifth edition of the International Champions Cup is winding to a climax after Barcelona were crowned champions with a 3-2 victory over arch-rivals Real Madrid. Earlier in July they had defeated Europa League holders Manchester United 1-0 and Serie A champions Juventus 2-1. Zinedine Zidane's men conquered the Champions League and La Liga last season, but Lionel Messi and Co. got revenge with the first of at least five Clasicos in 2017-18 (two Supercopas and two league games to come). With a footprint in both Asia and the United States, the annual pre-season ICC tournament involving Europe's top clubs taps into the huge fanbases that exist for those teams outside of their local markets. It has drawn huge crowds and sees the clubs involved pocket significant appearance fees - rumoured to be worth up to $20 million - in addition to the longer-term commercial benefits of engaging with supporters across the globe. The downside is the amount of travel involved, with m...

Rolls-Royce has officially unveiled the all-new Phantom which seeks to reclaim its title as the most luxurious vehicle in the world. Looking instantly recognizable, the redesigned flagship has been created to deliver "new levels of iconic presence and an increased elegance." Starting with the front, designers installed a taller grille which sees the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament sit approximately a half inch higher than on its predecessor. Besides being larger, the grille has been integrated into the surrounding bodywork for the first time which results in a cleaner and more modern appearance. The grille is flanked by new laserlight headlights which are surrounded by an "expressive ring of daytime driving lights." Rolls-Royce says the headlights are the most advanced in the world and will cast light well over 600 meters (1,968 feet) down the road. Moving further back, the Phantom has been equipped with polished stainless steel strips which curve along t...

Prior to September’s Frankfurt Motor Show, Borgward has released a teaser image of a new concept it will debut at the event. Few details about the vehicle are known but the teaser clearly shows that it will not be an SUV like the revived company’s existing models. Instead, it appears to be a low-slung sports car with prominent wheel arches, a curvaceous hood and low windscreen. According to reports, the vehicle could use some form of electric powertrain and act as a precursor to a future production vehicle, potentially a modern-day successor to the much-loved Isabella. It should also help attract attention to the brand as it tackles the difficult task of competing in the crowded SUV space. Stay tuned for more about the concept as its premiere nears. Carscoops

Sauber has announced that its planned technical partnership with Honda for the 2018 F1 season has been cancelled. In April, Sauber made the surprising announcement that it would switch from using Ferrari-sourced engines to Honda ones in 2018 but on the back of the Japanese company’s consistent issues, the deal is no more. In a statement, Sauber team principal Frederic Vasseur said “It is very unfortunate that we have to discontinue the planned collaboration with Honda at this stage. “However, this decision has been made for strategic reasons, and with the best intent for the future of the Sauber F1 Team in mind. We would like to thank Honda for their collaboration, and wish them all the best for their future in Formula One.” General Manager of the Motor Sports Division of Honda, Masashi Yamamoto, said the partnership was cancelled due to differing plans for the two parties. “We had built a good relationship with Sauber, and had been looking forward to entering the 2018 F1 ...

The rumors, it turns out, have not been exaggerated: Porsche is shutting down its LMP1 racing program, and charging head-first into Formula E instead. If the move sounds familiar, it should. Less than a year ago, Porsche's sister company Audi called it quits as well on its victorious LMP1 effort while gradually ramping up its involvement with Abt's Formula E team to the point that it's now a full factory effort. Earlier this month, BMW also announced its entry into the electric racing series, and Mercedes followed suit just days ago – ending its long involvement in Germany's popular DTM touring car series, where it has until now competed against BMW and Audi. Rival luxury automaker Jaguar also has a team in Formula E, as do Renault and PSA's premium DS brand. “Entering Formula E and achieving success in this category are the logical outcomes of our Mission E project. The growing freedom for in-house technology developments makes Formula E attractive to us,”...

BMW has released the first teaser image of a new roadster concept. Set to debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on August 17th, the model is expected to preview the upcoming Z4 / Z5. The picture doesn't reveal much but it shows the car will have a long hood, a rakish windscreen, and what appears to be two rollover hoops. We can also see prominent wheel arches, a rear spoiler, and slender taillights. The company is keeping details under wraps but the new Z-Series will ride on a unique platform that has been jointly-developed by BMW and Toyota. Previous spy photos have shown the model will follow in the footsteps of its predecessor and adopt a more stylish front fascia with a larger grille that is flanked by sweptback headlights. The car will also feature a curvaceous rear end with slender taillights and a dual exhaust system. We've only seen a few glimpses of the interior but drivers can expect to find a three-spoke steering wheel, a larger infotainment ...

Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen has confirmed plans to eliminate a number of sedans as the company tries to accommodate customers who can't get enough crossovers. Speaking with Reuters, de Nysschen confirmed "We have to rebalance our sedan portfolio" and this will spell the end for the ATS, CTS, and XTS. The models won't be phased out overnight but the company doesn't plan to replace them once their lifecycles end in 2019. Instead, the company will launch an all-new CT5 which is designed to appeal customers looking for a sedan that costs between $35,000 and $45,000. For comparison, the ATS starts $34,595 while the CTS and XTS both start around $45,500. The CT5 will eventually be joined by a new entry-level sedan that will compete with models such as the Audi A3 and Mercedes CLA. Despite previous reports, the CT6 will continue to be a mainstay of Cadillac's lineup and will serve as the brand's flagship sedan. Cadillac needs more crossovers...

The partnership between Mercedes-AMG and MV Augusta is over as the automaker has sold its 25% stake in the motorcycle manufacturer. The two companies joined forces back in 2014 when they signed an agreement which called for a "long-term partnership" that mainly focused on sales and marketing efforts. At the time, Mercedes-AMG Chief Executive Tobias Moers said “In MV Agusta, we have found the perfect two-wheel partner for Mercedes-AMG. This manufacturer with a long tradition and Mercedes-AMG are connected not only by a long and successful racing history, but also by shared values and goals for the future – allowing the experience of utmost perfection, optimal performance and motorsport technology for the road." The partnership spawned the F3 800 show bike and put motorcycles in AMG dealerships but that apparently wasn't enough to justify the continued existence of the partnership. Instead, Mercedes-AMG has sold its stake to ComSar Invest which is part of the ...

A single teaser image of the upcoming Volvo XC40 has emerged online, showing off the vehicle’s rear-end. This image, reportedly snatched from Volvo’s German website before being swiftly removed, shows that the rear of the small SUV will be very similar to last year’s 40.1 concept. Among the key features include a rooftop spoiler, LED brake lights flowing down the pillars and curving outward and an exhaust incorporated into the bumper. While recently discussing the vehicle, the Swedish manufacturer revealed it will be available in a broad and playful color palette and take design inspiration from city architecture, street fashion, popular culture and high-end designer goods. Underpinning the XC40 will be Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) and a 1.5-liter, three-cylinder T5 engine is expected to come standard. This powertrain uses hybrid technology from larger Volvo models and implements it into a much smaller package alongside a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. N...

Customers looking for a three-seat crossover can head to their nearest Mazda dealership and check out the CX-9. Right? In America, sure. And other markets, too. But not in Japan. That's where the forthcoming new CX-8 comes in. Previewed in this first exterior image, the CX-8 looks an awful lot like the CX-9. But it's actually one smaller. Though riding on the same 115.3-inch wheelbase as the CX-9, and boasting six- or seven-seat capacity (depending on setup), the CX-8 is slightly smaller in every exterior dimension: four and a half inches shorter from nose to tail, five inches narrower, and more than half an inch lower. It's wrapped in similar sheetmetal to the CX-9's as well, and is even shown with similar wheel design. But if you look closely, even just in profile, you may notice a few small stylistic differences: the window frame in the D-pillar kinks a bit higher, for example, and the front fender line drops off towards the front door handle more sharply. T...

BMW has released details of its future electrification strategy, including on the upcoming all-electric Mini. Slated for production in 2019, the all-electric Mini will not be a model of its own; instead it will be a variant of the three-door Hatchback. The electric powertrain will be built at BMW’s e-mobility center in Bavaria before getting installed into the new model at Mini’s plant in Oxford, with BMW deciding to keep the production in the UK and despite the risk associated with Brexit. BMW Group expects electrified vehicles to account for between 15 to 25% of sales by 2025. However and since there are many factors such as regulation, incentives and charging infrastructure that will play a major role in the success of electrified vehicles from market to market, BMW Group will develop modular platforms that will be capable of hosting all three forms of powertrains: combustion engine, plug-in hybrid and fully electric. BMW also repeated that they will launch the i8 Roadste...

Mercedes has joined its rivals Audi and BMW in announcing that it will field a factory-backed Formula E entry. It will also leave DTM. Unlike Audi which will debut in the 2017/2018 season and BMW which will enter the championship in 2018/2019, Mercedes will enter the open-wheeled electric series for Season 6 in 2019/2020. The marque’s DTM efforts will come to a close at the end of 2018. Speaking about the decision to enter Formula E, vice president of marketing at Mercedes-Benz, Dr Jens Thiemer, said it will act as the perfect step before launching its fleet of all-electric vehicles. “Mercedes-Benz will market future battery powered electric vehicles using the EQ label. Formula E is a significant step in order to demonstrate the performance of our attractive battery powered electric vehicles, as well as giving an emotional spin to our EQ technology brand through motorsport and marketing,” he said. Mercedes-Benz has competed in 26 seasons of DTM and in that time claimed 183 v...

Having shown off what the overhauled 2018 IndyCar racers would look like in rendered form two months ago, the sport has officially presented the new car in the flesh and it looks just as good as we hoped. Pictured here solely in its low downforce configuration for superspeedway races, the new aerodynamic kits will be used by Chevrolet and Honda and be fitted to the Dallara IR-12 chassis already in use. The design of the low downforce configuration is much simpler than the kits currently developed by Honda and Chevrolet and incorporates a smooth front wing, beautifully-shaped side pods, gills near the exhausts and a rear wing with two central uprights and curved endplates. Renderings have shown that the second aero kit will adopt more complex front and rear wings, similar to current Formula One cars and delivering downforce aplenty. Carscoops

Mercedes has officially revealed the AMG GT4, the latest member of its customer racing programme, at the 24-Hour race of Spa-Francorchamps. The new race car is based on the AMG GT-R road car and -as the name suggests- it aims to compete in the growing GT4 category, once Mercedes delivers the first examples to customer racing teams towards the end of the year. Power comes from the same twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 which in this case has been tuned to offer up to 510hp and over 442lb-ft (600Nm) of torque. Strapped to it is a transaxle six-speed sequential competition gearbox, with the differential being adjustable from the outside. The chassis and the bodywork are made out of a mix of aluminum and carbon fiber, with the structure being a lightweight and very rigid aluminum spaceframe straight from the AMG GT-R. The bonnet and the front splitter are made out of composite material. The racing aero agenda has been developed in the wind tunnel in order for the new Mercedes AMG GT4 to a...