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Mercedes S-Class production increased to meet demand

Mercedes S-Class production increased We’ve reported recently on the strong sales Mercedes is enjoying with the new A-Class (and its swoopy-coupe sibling CLA), but it’s not just Mercedes compact cars that are flying out of showrooms. Mercedes has revealed it’s having to increase production at its plant in Sindelfingen by prolonging shifts by 74 minutes (after increasing them by 30 minutes earlier this year) in order to churn out enough S-Class cars to meet strong demand. But it’s not just the S-Class (as well as the A-Class cars) that are selling strongly, Mercedes are also upping production at Bremen to build more GLK and C-Class models.

New BMW X4 price and specs for the UK – costs from £36,590

The new BMW X4 is now on sale in the UK The new BMW X4 – BMW’s baby X6 and a ‘coupe’ version of the very able X3 – arrived at the Geneva Motor SHow in March, and it’s now on sale in the UK priced from £36,590 for the BMW X4 xDrive20d SE, a chunky £3.5k more than the equivalent X3. But what you’re buying in the new X4 is a lifestyle statement rather than a family SAV like the X3, so the premium is so others know you’re prepared to pay more for a less practical urban SUV. Still, a similar scenario with the X5 and X6 hasn’t stopped buyers opting for the X6 instead and it seems likely the X4 will take an even bigger split of the X3/X4 sales than the X6 does from the X5.

Honda looks ahead with new SUV

HONDA has unveiled a brand-new crossover SUV at the Tokyo Motor Show, scheduled to reach the UK in 2015. The compact-sized Vezel offers four-wheel drive and in Japan will come in petrol and hybrid models, although the 1.6-litre diesel is likely to feature in European specification. Combining the stance and driving position of an SUV but the design features of a coupe, the Vezel aims to compete with the increasing number of crossover vehicles that are winning sales from conventional hatchbacks.