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Daimler buying 12% stake in Beijing Auto

Daimler and Beijing Automotive are officially going steady, with the German company set to take a 12-percent stake in the Chinese brand tomorrow. The two are already tied up in a Mercedes engine plant in Beijing, of which BAIC will increase its stake in, from 50 to 51 percent. Daimler will also get two seats on the Chinese company's board. BAIC may also gain the ability to produce cars on Mercedes-Benz platforms, according to Automotive News Europe.
The investment in BAIC comes ahead of that company's initial public offering, according to a report form Bloomberg, which indicates the deal will be inked tomorrow in the Chinese capital. According to the report, if the circumstances are right, BAIC may turn around and invest in the Germany company "soon."
It's not entirely clear just how much the 12-percent cut is costing Daimler, although it seems reasonable to assume that, as it's ahead of the IPO, the parent company of Mercedes is getting a bit of a bargain.

Mercedes-Benz GLA Concept crossover leaked ahead of Shanghai debut

With just a few days left before the start of the Shanghai Motor Show, images of the Mercedes-Benz GLA Concept compact crossover have emerged online. The little 'ute is based on the small A-Class hatchback, and though it shares an identical wheelbase, is larger in every other dimension.
Looking like a rough-and-tumble five-door hatchback on the tippy toes of its 20-inch wheels, the GLA is most certainly destined for production in a toned down form that will borrow many bits and pieces from other cars based on this platform like the aforementioned A-Class and the CLA-Class sedan. Carscoop reports that the production version of the GLA will be revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September of this year, with sales to the public starting in 2014.
Since it's based on the A-Class, we expect that the production GLA-Class will be powered by your choice of Mercedes' 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine and a diesel or two, and will offer transmissions that include the company's seven-speed DCT and perhaps a six-speed manual (at least in Europe). If the GLA follows the same path as the two cars before it, expect a GLA45 AMG producing over 300 horsepower, as well. As for what powers the GLA Concept, that just might remain a mystery until the vehicle is officially revealed in China.

2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class interior caught in spy shots

With the redesigned 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class getting closer to production, the camera-wielding crew over at Autospies somehow managed to get inside of the car to snap some detailed spy shots. As the prototypes continue to shed camouflage, it would appear that Mercedes-Benz is getting closer to unveiling the car, and with the Geneva and New York auto shows coming up, it could be sooner rather than later.
From what we can see of this car's interior, the overall look of the S-Class' cabin isn't a ground-breaking departure from the current car, but it has been completely redesigned with more advanced technology. The styling is now even more upscale with larger swaths of wood, more shapely door panels (without the built-in armrest cubbies) and the concept-like two-spoke steering wheel. The highlight of this car though is probably the two massive digital screens with one being used for driver information and the other used for navigation, audio and infotainment systems. One other detail we noticed about this car is that it was equipped with the new 360-degree camera that debuted on the new GL-Class and will also be used on the 2014 E-Class. We also know that the next-gen S-Class will be getting the new cloud-based MBrace2 infotainment system.
As for the exterior design, it looks like the next S-Class will carry a similar profile as the current car, but we can see through the camouflage that the new styling will fit in better with current Mercedes-Benz products. Up front, the grille is much larger is flanked by aggressive LED-trimmed headlights, while the rear view of the car shows us the LED brake light now at the top of the rear window, a more pointed trunk opening and a more squared-off rear fascia with exhaust outlets pushed to the corners.