Mercedes Viano Vision Diamond – the Maybach of vans

Mercedes Viano Vision Diamond Mercedes-Benz has revealed the Viano Vision Diamond at Beijing, a utilitarian Mercedes van with the interior of a Maybach. The Maybach brand didn’t do Mercedes any favours, with German glitterballs proving no match for British (oh, alright, German-ish) understated elegance in the Rolls Royce Phantom. Maybach has now been re-consigned to the dustbin of history and likely only ever to be seen as a badge to denote the glitziest model in the next S Class range.

Opel Ampera: the full, official technical story

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 25 March 2009 10:05 Opel/Vauxhall predict that the new Ampera production car will sell more in Britain than anywhere else in Europe. The extended range electric vehicle, unveiled at the recent 2009 Geneva motor show, will go on sale here in late 2011 and marketing bosses say the UK is more accepting of hybrids and alternative vehicles than other markets. It’s not clear at this stage how much the Ampera will cost in the UK, but we’re looking at a likely cost around £20,000.

Elon Musk talks sense on Tesla Model S Fire

Elon Musk talks sense on Tesla Model S Fire We’ve never pretended we’re fans of the electric car as a replacement for mainstream ICE cars; the technology is just too expensive to be viable. But we do see a good case for electric city cars, electric delivery vehicles that work in a confined area and electric taxis in cities. But you can add to that list luxury cars fitted with an electric powertrain where the cost of the technology can be absorbed more easily by a much higher list price.