Not too long ago, there was a time when all of the vehicles in an automaker's portfolio weren't required to wear the same uniform. Each model could be its own unique expression of the brand's strengths without being forced to schedule an appointment with the corporate plastic surgeon. Granted, some marques lost a bit of identity with scads of mismatched children running around the lot, but the world's automotive variety pack was considerably more interesting. If you didn't like the face on one product, but wanted to stick with the brand, there were a plethora of options to choose from. ... Read More

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Spy Shots: R-Class facelift 1225117740

The R-Class won a design award, went on tour with the Rolling Stones, was dropped in price, and still sold so poorly that Mercedes admitted the car was a failure. Yet M-B head man Dieter Zetsche said the car isn't going away, so as one does with continuing product, the R-Class is getting some face and tail work done. Those who whisper about such things ...
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Spy shots: BMW V-series mule 1184533740

With Audi and Mercedes rampantly trying to fill every conceivable segment, BMW has been stepping up development of its own niche vehicles, including the X6 CUV and now, a contender in the it's-not-a-minivan crowd, the V-Series.The 3-Series wagon-bodied prototype supposedly foretells what BMW plans to pit against the Mercedes R-Class, sporting third-row ...
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BMW's people mover comes into focus 1163022720

Leave it to BMW to, OMG, make getting groceries and hauling toddlers very, very sexy. Car magazine reveals an exclusive look at what should be part of the BMW 3-Series line up in the coming years.The renderings of this new people-hauler resembles Mercedes' R-Class, although BMW's four- or five-seater is reported to be much smaller. According to Car, the ...
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BMW RFK to take on MB R-Class 1146844440

Mercedes-Benz appears to be achieving a modicum of success with its R-Class uber-wagon, and you just know BMW isn’t going to let its arch rival get away with it. Hence the RFK, which stands for Room Function Concept. We bring you this news from the German site AutoBild, but Road & Track’s June 2006 issue reveals the RFK will slot in between ...