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Mercedes-Benz GLA concept puts laser projectors in headlights, redefines SUV
All pretty young things eventually require face-lifts to stay fresh. And the same goes for car models too, which in the SUV's case means a total body lift. Mercedes-Benz is planning to do just that to the category, with an official unveiling of its Concept GLA premium compact SUV planned for the Shanghai Auto Show next week. The sportier, "more coupe-like" vehicle has a 208-horsepower four-cylinder turbocharged gas engine, 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, 4Matic all wheel drive and -- wait for it -- headlamps with laser projectors. Oh yes, really. Despite what you may think, the laser light show isn't all just for neat tricks, though you can display any photos or video compatible (shared via phone, hard drive or the wild interwebs) with the car's in-dash COMAND system. No, there's a practical purpose that prompted Mercedes-Benz' German engineers to include the feature: a real-time navigation overlay. And lest we forget, there's one last scintillating tidbit of this concept car's posh perspective. It also features 65-feet of hand-stitched interior leather. We believe the correct response you're searching for is: !#$&%. And we'd agree.
Geely McCar comes with an electric scooter or wheelchair in the back
This is the Geely McCar: an ultra compact, two-door car that still manages to tuck an electric scooter in the back. Geely, the Chinese company that now owns Volvo, is hoping you'll use it for everything from golfing to navigating urban sprawl to traversing the Mall of America parking lot. The car itself comes in two versions: an all-electric one with a 12kWh battery that claims up to 93 miles on a charge, and a hybrid iteration that promises up to 31 miles on just electric power and 373 on a mix of gas and electricity. The scooter, meanwhile, can last up to 18 miles -- and be swapped out for a wheelchair for people with disabilities. Since debuting at the Shanghai Auto Show, there's been no word on whether the McCar will ship stateside -- or how much McDonald's loathes that name. Update: The headline and body of this story have been updated to better reflect the car and scooter's potential to serve people with disabilities.
