#geneva

Teaser photos and a rough release date for Mercedes‘ new hot hatch, the A45 AMG, are bringing the car ticklishly close to reality.

Ever wondered what a Cruze would look like if it had some more trunk space? Today, Chevrolet has revealed its Cruze station wagon before its official appearance next month at the 2012 Geneva Auto Show.

Opel and Vauxhall have announced the lineup of debuts for the upcoming 2012 Geneva Motor Show, with the highly-anticipated Astra OPC/VXR headlining the booth.

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]

Remember the Tata Pixel concept at Geneva? If not, this link should help refresh your memory…or, you can wait until your next European vacation, where you’ll be seeing the tiny little Pixel on the streets.

Drumroll, please…the three finalists for the overall 2011 World Car of the Year are the 2011 Audi A8, the BMW 5 Series and the Nissan Leaf.