Auto Meter 7153 C2; Electric Oil Pressure Gauge on 2040-parts.com

New Mercedes S-Class Plug-in Hybrid to debut at Frankfurt Motor Show

The new Mercedes S-Class (pictured) will arrive with a plug-in hybrid version in September We’ve known Mercedes were planning a plug-in hybrid version of the new S-Class as far back as 2009, and it now appears it will debut – as a 2014 model – at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. When Mercedes revealed the Vision S500 Plug-in Hybrid Concept at Frankfurt in 2009, they had fitted it with a V6 petrol engine mated to a 44kw motor and a bank of lithium-ion batteries, and promised the hybrid S-Class would do 90mpg, have emissions of under 75g/km and manage 18 miles in EV mode. That means the hybrid S-Class would have performance comparable to the V8 petrol-engined S500 but attract no BIK or VED in the UK.

2013 Toyota RAV4: Price from £22,595

Toyota has announced that the new Toyota RAV4 will cost from £22,595 for the RAV4 Active 2WD 2.0 Diesel to £29,295 for the Invincible AWD 2.2 Diesel. The new RAV4 is better looking, bigger, promises better driving dynamics and more equipment than the current RAV4, but Toyota has still conspired to bring in the RAV4 entry point at a lower price than currently, albeit with a new, smaller engine. Trim levels on the new RAV4 are now Active, Icon and Invincible with 4WD available on all trim levels except Active.

Volkswagen aims for lofty Beetle sales

The attractive new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle is expected to sell as many as 50,000 to 60,000 units a year in the United States. The car launches this fall. That level will be a big improvement over the latter years of the outgoing model, in which sales dwindled to just 15,000 a year, but it remains lower than the record figure of 83,000 achieved 18 months after the launch of the revised model.