Nissan expects 20,000 initial orders for Leaf EV

Nissan North America will begin taking sales orders for its new Nissan Leaf electric vehicle next spring and expects to have 20,000 of them pre-sold by the time the model reaches U.S. showrooms in the third quarter. “We are confident we will have 20,000 reservations for the Leaf by the time it goes on sale,” Carlos Tavares, Nissan's chairman for the Americas, said Tuesday.

Mercedes Concept Coupe SUV is the new Mercedes ML Coupe (MLC)

The Mercedes Coupe Concept SUV (pictured) will debut in Beijing Cars UK reported back in 2011 that a Mercedes ML Coupe (perhaps the Mercedes MLC) was in the planning to take on the BMW X6, and Mercedes confirmed as much when they revealed will build a fifth model at its US plant in Alabama. Mercedes plan to start building their fifth model in Alabama in 2015, and today’s reveal of the Mercedes Concept Coupe SUV – which will debut at the Beijing Motor Show – is the first public step on the way to a coupe version of the M-Class – and the battle to steal sales from the BMW X6. Mercedes aren’t saying much about the Concept Coupe SUV, but they do say it’s a sportily-styled coupe SUV and provide a first look at a series production car expected next year.

Call for complete smoking ban in cars

A COMPLETE BAN on smoking in cars should be introduced by law. That is the finding of a study of driver attitudes, where 71% said the Government should go further than it presently does to people smoking in cars. Of 7500 people polled, the study found 71% also believe smoking in cars should be made a criminal offence if children are in the car at the same time.