The North American International Auto Show in Detroit is right around the corner, where Mercedes is anticipated to unveil the vehicle you see here: the Mercedes-Benz GLK Freeside concept. Official images and details are expected in a manner of days, but someone at Daimler headquarters has apparently let the proverbial cat out of the bag.

Like the "Vision" concepts that Mercedes used to give us in the '90s, the GLK Freeside "show-car" is more of a pre-production prototype than a design study, and is tipped to closely mirror what the production GLK will look like. We already got a preview of the production model when the GLK showed up undisguised on the set of Sex and the City, of all places. The "Freeside" moniker, which seems dangerously close to the "Freelander" named used by Land Rover, is not expected to carry over when the little truck goes into production.

This leaked photo comes at a busy time for Mercedes, which recently gave us the new SLK (and SLK 55 AMG), a teaser shot of the new SL roadster and leaked photos of the facelifted CLS-Class all in the past couple of weeks.

[Source: Carscoop]

Detroit '08 Preview: Mercedes GLK Freeside concept image leaked originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We've been seeing camouflaged test mules of an updated Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class sedans driving around for some time now, but the German automaker apparently can't keep it under wraps anymore. On Saturday the online motoring press worldwide lit up with two pictures of the facelifted "four-door coupe", reportedly leaked by someone inside Mercedes ahead of its intended debut.

The pictures show an updated top-of-the-line CLS 63 AMG. What we can tell from the images is that the newest AMG rocket gets a new grille split in three sections instead of four; upgraded wheels from 18 to 19 inches, with a style similar to those on the Porsche 911 Turbo; led tail-lights; a carbon fiber rear spoiler; a new rear diffuser; and updated exhaust outlets.

Whether any mechanical changes have been made has yet to be revealed, but we'll be sure to keep you posted. A shot of the rear is included after the jump.

[Sources: Carscoop and Motor Authority]

Continue reading Leaked: facelift for Mercedes CLS

Leaked: facelift for Mercedes CLS originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Dec 2007 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We brought you news a few days ago about Zagato's big plans to revive the long-dormant Diatto nameplate with an exclusive coachbuilt sportscar, and the Italian design house has now released an image of its creation. The Diatto Ottovu Zagato will be unveiled at the Geneva auto show in just a few weeks, powered by an anticipated supercharged V8 sourced from Maserati.

Diatto is one of those brands that history forgot, a century-old Italian carmaker that shut down in 1929. The company was founded in 1905, and on the occasion of its 100th anniversary, albeit two years late, two (evidently well-heeled) collectors commissioned Zagato to build them something special - an undertaking not unlike the Ferrari 575 GTZ, or the niche to which the overlords at Porsche would like to relegate Bugatti.

Like the previous 575 project, which recalled the iconic 250 GTZ, the Diatto Ottovu Zagato was realized to recall the coachbuilt motor-carriages Zagato re-bodied for Diatto some 85 years ago.

Related posts:

• Diatto Ottovu Zagato set for Geneva debut

Preliminary press release after the jump.

[Source: Zagato]

Continue reading Zagato reveals Diatto design

Zagato reveals Diatto design originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Feb 2007 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.