4x Mugen Center Wheel Cap Silver/ Black 2.36" 60mm Hub Cap on 2040-parts.com

Mercedes A45 AMG (2013) first pictures of new hot hatch

This is the Mercedes A45 AMG: the first time Merc’s in-house tuning arm has tried its hand at building a hot hatch. Packing 355bhp, all-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch paddleshift transmission, the A45 AMG will outpace a Porsche 911, but cost less than £40,000. It’s on UK sale from July 2013, but if you can’t wait that long, Merc’s baby barnstormer is appearing at the Geneva motor show from 5 March 2013.

Jaguar EATS Mercedes ‘Magic Body Control’ Chicken (video)

Jaguar EATS Mercedes ‘Magic Body Control’ Chicken Mercedes-Benz recently produced a fun video to demonstrate their Magic Body Control using a bunch of chickens to show how, despite undulations, bumps and potholes, MBC would keep everything in shape. The video of the ‘Magic Body Control Chickens’ was a rare glimpse at German humour (although the humour may well have been an accident) and a great way to demonstrate MBC. But we wonder if Mercedes sense of humour will stay intact with Jaguar’s latest video?

Future products: Acura will push for luxury credentials without V8, RWD

The dreams of getting a V8 engine, rear-wheel-drive platforms and a sports car to replace the NSX have died for Acura dealers. Now the question is whether Acura can follow Audi's lead and elevate its brand from premium to luxury with front- and all-wheel-drive platforms. Meanwhile, Acura may return to two segments that it had abandoned by adding a compact car and a coupe.