Mercedes-Benz may have overestimated its latest commercial shoot’s seclusion and the public’s pension for sharing videos online.

A cyclist sporting a GoPro camera stumbled across a Mercedes-Benz video shoot and started recording right away. The shooter hit the jackpot by spying the all new Mercedes A-class without camouflage.

We saw the A-class concept at last year’s New York Auto Show, and the production version will bow this year at the Geneva Auto Show in early March.

It looks as though the production A-class shed a few of the sporty features we saw on the concept in favor of a boxier more consumer friendly design. The car we see in the video has a body kit and large alloy wheels which would lead us to believe that it’s probably the AMG sports package.

Watch the video after the jump and tell us what you think of the new A-class in the comments section below.

GALLERY: Mercedes A-Class Concept

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This is a fun advertising campaign, courtesy of Mercedes-Benz – and one that’s just for truck drivers.

To promote its new Actros truck model, Mercedes-Benz created ad stickers in the shape of a roof window showing the enthusiastic response of passengers (if the truck driver had been driving an Actros, of course). The unique part is that only truck drivers in raised cabs could see them. How’s that for target marketing?

A video shot in the Netherlands that features point-of-view of the ads through a truck driver’s eyes is available to watch after the jump. What do you think of this ad campaign? Let us know in the comments section below.

[Source: PSFK]

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The Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG is due to hit North American shores by March, and the luxury German automaker has announced that the performance-minded luxury SUV will start at a significant $95,865.

The listed MSRP includes a $875 destination charge and will net you a 5.5L V8 AMG biturbo engine with 518-hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. The down side? Fuel economy of just 16-mpg.

AMG will also offer a Performance Package that will increase power to 550-hp and torque to 560 lb-ft. The standard ML63 AMG jets to 60-mph in 4.7-seconds, while the Performance Package will knock a tick off to 4.6-seconds.

The Performance Package also comes with an AMG Performance steering wheel, red brake calipers and a carbon fiber engine cover. The top speed of the vehicle is also raised to 174-mph versus the standard 155-mph.

The 5.5L is mated to a seven-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT Plus automatic transmission with several different modes of driving available to the owner. The ML63 AMG also features an air suspension system that is speed-sensitive, lowering the body at higher speeds to minimize drag while increasing stability.

Unfortunately no pricing was announced for the AMG Performance Package, but it’s a safe bet that it’ll push the ML63 AMG over the six-digit mark. Cha-ching!

GALLERY: 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG

Back in September, we heard news that John Travolta’s 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280-SL was stolen from the street out in Santa Monica, California near a Jaguar dealership. And now the unfortunate news has come that the vintage Benz was recovered in pieces, but two men were also taken into custody as part of a car-theft ring.

Michael Green, 58 and D.L. Rayford, 52, were both taken into custody back in December when a law enforcement task force was investigating a sophisticated car-theft ring. Both these individuals were suspects relating to the theft of Travolta’s Mercedes and through leads developed after Travolta’s theft, a chop shop was found with plenty of other stolen vehicles and parts. That is where the police located the parts to Travolta’s 280-SL.

The arrests weren’t mentioned earlier in order to not compromise a larger investigation into the theft ring. It’s unfortunate that Travolta will no longer have his vintage Mercedes back in one piece, but at least another car-theft ring was managed to be shut down.

GALLERY: John Travolta Vintage Mercedes-Benz Recovered

[Source: Reuters]

Mercedes-Benz is going guerilla with its marketing tactics for the new A-Class by placing camouflaged cars around Germany stamped with QR (Quick Response) codes to give those lucky enough to scan them a chance at some prizes.

While that’s good news for a bunch of lucky Germans, the rest of us will have to settle for a new video showing the body shape, headlights and bits of bumper. The video is just a small teaser for the full reveal which will happen in Geneva this March.

If you’re in Germany and see one of the “specially marked” vehicles, whip out your smart phone and scan the code. It could lead to a visit to witness the A-Class debut in person.

Last month our spy photographers spotted a camo-wrapped A-Class being tested but we weren’t sure about the mechanical details. Since then we’ve learned that it will likely feature a 1.8-liter turbocharged four cylinder mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Most models will feature front-wheel drive, though the AMG variant will get 4Matic treatment.

Expect to hear about the A-Class hitting the road in Europe by the end of the year, but not in the U.S. until mid 2013. There will, however, be a four-door coupe hitting the American market based on the same drivetrain later this year.

We’ll be covering the A-Class reveal as well as other breaking news from Geneva starting on March 6.

Watch the promo video after the jump.

[Source: Motor Authority]

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At least that’s the findings from Evalueserve’s White Paper, entitled “Platform Strategy Will Shape  the Future of OEMs.” Like many facets of  the auto industry, the concept of platform sharing is nothing new, automakers have been doing it for decades.

Yet, the realities of doing business in the 21st century mean that not only is it no longer acceptable for automakers to offer a range of badge engineered models (think back to GM’s J-cars of the 1980s), it simply isn’t financially feasible to have a range of unique, dedicated platforms either.

According to Evalueserve’s own analysis, last year, the top 20 global passenger car platforms accounted for some 40 percent of global sales, with realistic projections set to see these top 20 account for almost 50 percent of all global vehicle sales by 2015.

Yet as we move forward and automakers seek to maintain economies of scale, the number of vehicle architectures is expected to shrink still further, even as many brands aim to proliferate their model offerings as well as adding localized production, all in an effort to make their products appeal to a wider range of consumers in different global markets, while minimizing supply and tariff issues.

Evalueserve estimates that by 2020, the  major vehicle manufacturers; Daimler AG, Fiat/Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, PSA Peugeot/Citroen, Renault/Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen Group will have reduced the total number of vehicle architectures they use by a third.

In fact, not too long ago, GM declared that by 2018, it will have reduced its number of global vehicle architectures to just 14, down from 30 in 2010. The company also said this strategy should help it save some $1 billion each year, money that’s primarily contributed by product development programs.

Mercedes-Benz made waves for the wrong reason at this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

It didn’t have anything to do with their cloud-based Mbrace2 system that brings everything from Yelp! to Facebook right into the latest Mercedes models, or anything related to the cars, for that matter. In fact, what’s really making a stir is how the company chose to use the iconic image of Ernesto “Che” Guevara as a backdrop with their emblem stamped on his beret.

Mercedes told msnbc.com that it was one of many images used during their presentation and that they only meant to evoke the idea that their cars are revolutionary, but that they do not condone Guevara’s actions. Trouble bubbled up, however, after the Heritage Foundation, a conservative political group in Washington published a blog with the headline ”Mercedes-Benz Uses Communist Madman Che Guevara to Sell Luxury Cars.”

Regardless of what the company actually meant by putting the image up, it created a notion that Mercedes might, on some level, condone the communist revolutionary’s actions in Cuba, which isn’t an easy message for everyone to swallow, regardless of its validity.

[Source: MSNBC]

Mercedes-Benz is moving even more into the U.S. consumer diesel market by offering a diesel GLK later this year.

The CUV will sell under the 2013 model year, probably with a 2.1-liter diesel engine making 204 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. The engine, which is already approved under U.S. emissions standards, is almost a third smaller than what the company offers in the rest of its diesel lineup: the E, S, M, R and GL Class  models. The news about Mercedes’ latest diesel decision was confirmed to Automotive News at the recent Detroit Auto Show. The new GLK will come with a host of new features and smoother lines than the previous model (pictured above).

Diesel engines are proving to be a popular choice for German auto manufacturers. Volkswagen has long been known for offering a diesel variant on many of their cars. Porsche, which they own, will also be sending a diesel Cayenne stateside. BMW also already sells a diesel 3-Series and X5.

Thanks to higher compression ratios, cars burning diesel can offer significantly better mileage, and have especially noticeable torque. That means they pull hard from a stop sign or traffic light. The downside is that they have a relatively low top speed and comparatively weak horsepower, though neither of those things are particularly relevant to most daily drivers. The only other problem is that diesel is more expensive than gasoline, lightly offsetting the cost-to-benefit ratio.

Nonetheless, Mercedes is proving that they have faith in the technology and so far that faith seems well founded. They are expecting sales figures for the GLK to reach the “high 30′s” compared to last year’s 24,310 units, according to Mercedes’ U.S. chief Steve Cannon.

[Source: Automotive News]

Mercedes-Benz debuted the B Class E-cell extended range electric concept car at last year’s Geneva Auto Show, and it looks like it will now be pushed into production for the U.S. market. The German luxury automaker has decided against the sale of the B-class in the U.S. for now, but Joachim Schmidt, Mercedes global sales boss said that a B-class outfitted with the electric drivetrain would be offered exclusively in the States.

Mercedes is adamant about increasing its compact car sales in the U.S. and will introduce four new models into the market in the coming years. One of these vehicles will be the B-class outfitted with the electric drivetrain. There are no details as to which gasoline motor will be paired with the electric system, or when the car will hit the U.S. market, but it is probably safe to assume that the motor will be an existing offering from the company, and that the date of first sale will be sometime within the next year or two.

Mercedes has set a goal of 300,000 units sold in the U.S., which they hope they can reach soon with the introduction of these new compact car offerings. In 2011, the German luxury brand sold 245,192 units in the U.S.

[Source: Automotive News]

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is considering at length the changes that could be made to its 5-star crash-assessment testing. Rather than concentrate only on crash-worthiness, the NHTSA is looking into new technologies that put an emphasis on accident-avoidance.

NHTSA Administrator David Strickland says, “Crash-worthiness has been the guiding star for NHTSA. But if there’s an opportunity to prevent a crash– that is the goal.” Holding a speech for the Society of Automotive Analysts the day before the North American International Auto Show, Strickland wants to raise consumer awareness towards these new technologies.

On top of accident-avoidance devices like lane departure warning sensors, Strickland says NHTSA is also working on a framework for in-vehicle electronics in order to minimize driver distraction. Strickland explains, “We don’t want to stifle innovation, but we recognize technology (can impact) safety, so we will be setting in-vehicle guidelines so auto makers can innovate within a zone of safety.”

In order to collect data on driver distraction, NHTSA’s research program will be conducted on 2,000 vehicles with cameras to monitor driver behavior over a 2 year period. “The goal is to make sure we have an accurate picture of what is happening in the vehicles so that we’re not creating something that is a risk for every driver.”

The holy grail for automotive safety would be through the development of vehicle-to-vehicle communications, which NHTSA is committed to turning to reality. Studies have proved that the V2V system could eliminate 80% of crashes involving non-impaired drivers. This effectively lowers the number of traffic fatalities by almost 33,000 a year.

While it is unknown exactly when the V2V systems will be ready for mass use, a 3-year test program is currently being conducted, with automakers GM, Ford, Honda, Hyundai-Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota, and Volkswagen all taking part.

[Source: WardsAuto]