New Genuine Valance Panel - Below Bumper, 164 885 69 25 7c45 on 2040-parts.com

McLaren managing director on leave, not expected in Geneva

McLaren Automotive's U.S.-born managing director, Antony Sheriff, is expected to be absent from the launch of the P1 hypercar at Geneva next week because he is on extended leave from the company. No reason for Sheriff's absence has been given, although McLaren is at pains to point out that he is “still employed as McLaren Automotive's managing director.” Rumors were circulating about Sheriff's absence from Woking in January, but company spokesmen back then stressed that he was still employed by McLaren and would unveil the P1 at Geneva. Despite those assurances, sources had reported earlier in the year that Sheriff “hadn't been seen in his office” for some days.

Mercedes AMG changes leaders

There’s a changing of the guard at Mercedes AMG. Volker Morninweg is leaving to become head of the company’s van division on April 1. He’ll be replaced by Ola Kaellenius, who was most recently in charge of the Mercedes plant in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

BMW i3 revealed: The BMW Megacity lives

BMW i3 Revealed - on sale in 2013 The BMW i8 – also revealed today –  may be BMW’s answer to a supercar with a conscience for the 21st century, but the other end of the scale is the BMW solution to city mobility – the BMW i3. Known as the Megacity Vehicle – at least until BMW gave us all the detail of the i3 and i8 a few months ago – the BMW i3 is an upright box with a choice of pure electric or range-extender powertrains and is – in size – somewhere between the MINI and the current 1-Series. Just like the i8, the BMW i3 has a predominantly aluminium chassis and a body made of CFRP so it’s reasonably light for an EV (1270kg) and should be nimble thanks to its low centre of gravity which, just like the i8, is due to its batteries and the other heavy stuff sitting low down.