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Mercedes-Benz courts Renault for new Smart model based on Twingo

Mercedes-Benz is set to join forces with Renault in a deal aimed at providing its underdeveloped Smart division with a contemporary-engineered front-engine/front-wheel-drive platform as the basis for a frugal new Forfour model. The new Smart, due out in 2013, is planned to sit on a lightly modified version of the Renault Twingo’s underpinnings, complete with a 93.3-inch wheelbase. Speaking about the new car over the weekend, a highly placed Mercedes-Benz official told AutoWeek: “It’s a key component in plans to grow the Smart brand.

Final second-generation Mini leaves production line

THE FINAL Mini hatchback of the current generation has left the production line in Oxford, after more than a million were made for customers around the world. There’s no time for production staff to rest, though, with assembly of the new Mini hatchback already under way alongside the many other Mini model derivatives. In total, more than 1.8 million hatchback Minis have been built at the factory since 2001, of which 1,041,412 were the currently outgoing model.

German enthusiasts name TechArt GrandGT the 'Sports Car of the Year'

For the fourth year in a row, readers of German car magazine Auto Bild have selected the TechArt GrandGT as "Sports Car of the Year" in the sedan-tuning category. The GrandGT, from TechArt Automobilidesign GmbH, is based on the Porsche Panamera Turbo and packs 630 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. The additional power comes from upgraded turbochargers, sport air filters and a tuned engine-management system.