These are the first...
These are the first shots of the newcomer, which will debut at next week"s Frankfurt Motor Show. Consigning straight lines and boxy design to the past, Mazda bosses say the Sassou is inspired by thin Japanese sliding screens - Shoji.
Bosses at Mercedes are...
Bosses at Mercedes are committing the brand to a fuel cell future. Alongҭside a raft of other eco-friendly plans revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, they claimed that a hydrogen-powered model would be in dealerships within the next seven years.
Dr Dieter Zetsche, chairman of parҭent company Daimler, told us: We will have a production vehicle with a fuel cell by 2015. This car will probably be a compact hatch, and I think 100,000 sales per year is achievable.
The new model should be able to cover 250 miles on a single tankful, and the firm is currently producing one prototype vehicle per day.
Meanwhile, plans are already well advanced for a diesel-electric model. Mercedes showcased the Vision GLK Bluetec Hybrid at Geneva this is claimed to be the worlds cleanest SUV, emitting 157g/km of CO2 and returning 47.9mpg fuel economy.
Whether it will reach production has yet to be confirmed, but Zetsche added a diesel hybrid model is likely to arrive in around two years. He also said the innovative DiesOtto engine a super-efficient variable compression petrol unit, revealed last year was running behind schedule due to mechanical issues, and wont appear for another three years. The 1.8-litre direct-injection twin-turbo produces 238bhp, yet has returned more than 40mpg during trials in an S-Class.
Much of the German companys latest eco technology will be available in the next-generation E-Class. And this week, our spies snapped the executive saloon, which is scheduled to go on sale in 2009. Behind the disguise you can see a rising waistline and a new front end that mimics the luxury S-Class.