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Mercedes releases first shot of AMG GT3

A week ago we got a rendering of the upcoming race-only Mercedes-AMG GT3, to be shown to the public for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show. Now, Mercedes has let loose a photo of the front of the car and it looks very serious, a trait undoubtedly helped by its link to the past: that grille motif goes straight back to the W154 Silver Arrows pre-war racer driven to the 1938 European Championship by Rudolf Caracciola. Those angry, angled and sunken headlights don't hurt, either. It will be ready in time for the 2016 GT3 season and come loaded with expectations, since the SLS AMG GT3 it replaces has been a victory machine around the world. Unlike that SLS, though, this car will spawn a hardcore road-going version - not to be called GT3 - with less weight and more power, armed to do battle with the coupe that comes first to mind when that alphanumeric is mentioned. With the way the AMG GT S already gobbles up circuits, we're prepared to be impressed by what comes next. Related Video: Featured Gallery Mercedes-AMG GT3: teasers News Source: Mercedes-AMG Motorsports Geneva Motor Show Mercedes-Benz Coupe Racing Vehicles mercedes-amg 2015 Geneva Motor Show gt3 fia gt3 mercedes-amg gt3

Mercedes considering convertible SUV

Mercedes has been focusing a lot of attention lately on revitalizing and expanding its crossover and SUV lineup. So what's next for high-riding Benzes? It could be a convertible. According to Daimler's sport-ute and sports car chief Wolf-Dieter Kurz, the company is closely considering a drop-top SUV of some sort. "We will find a market," Kurz told the Australian website CarAdvice. The trouble is that "the convertible is a very slim niche in terms of the SUV portfolio." The biggest problem could be China, where luxury SUVs remain hugely popular – but where convertibles, by and large, are not. "There are lots of discussions," said Kurz, "but we didn't have any decision yet." The last time Mercedes offered a convertible SUV was with the short-wheelbase version of the Gelandewagen, pictured above. It was available (in some markets anyway) for 34 long years as part of the G-Class lineup, but was discontinued in 2013. That left the Jeep Wrangler and Land Rover Discovery as the only convertible SUVs to speak of currently available. Nissan tried its hand with the Murano CrossCabriolet, but that was phased out as well, while Land Rover prepares to take another stab at it with the upcoming Evoque convertible. It'd be interesting to see what approach Mercedes might take, and where it would position the model. Related Video:

Race Recap: 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix is Magyar for 'What a race!'

Every driver on the Formula 1 grid dreams of taking home the silverware, but only one driver each year can do it. Barring disaster in 2015 it looks like it's going to be Lewis Hamilton. The Brit has been so dominating at the front of the grid on Saturday, we can't see how he'll miss out on winning the second annual FIA Pole Position Trophy. That's the accolade introduced last season in another manufactured attempt to give drivers something to work for on Saturday, since the FIA felt leading into the first corner didn't have the pull it used to. Hamilton took his ninth pole of the season in Hungary for Mercedes-AMG Petronas with a crushing lap that put him almost six tenths ahead of his teammate Nico Rosberg in second. All Hamilton needs is one more spot at the top of the grid this season, and he's the Pole Position trophy winner. Thrilling stuff. Behind Rosberg the gaps stayed smaller, Sebastian Vettel in the Ferrari a little more than a tenth behind Rosberg, Daniel Ricciardo in the Infiniti Red Bull Racing less than four one-hundredths behind Vettel. We feel almost as vexed watching Kimi Raikkonen as he feels driving – he's finally got a good Ferrari, now he can't get a good weekend. The front wing broke on his car in Free Practice 1, then a water leak in Free Practice 3 robbed him of setup time on the soft tire. He lines up in fifth about two tenths behind Ricciardo. The slow, tight Hungaroring didn't agree with the Williams chassis, Valtteri Bottas the first of the Grove team drivers in sixth, his teammate Felipe Massa two places back. Between them is Daniil Kvyat in the second Red Bull in seventh. Teenager Max Verstappen put in a good showing in the Toro Rosso to grab ninth, while Romain Grosjean in a wriggling, squishy, sliding Lotus classified his appearance in Q3 at all as "a miracle." As for the race that followed, we don't expect to see another like it for a long time – it was the real thrilling stuff, one shock after another. The drama began after the first parade lap, when Felipe Massa lined up out of position and the start was aborted. The drivers did another parade lap, then lined up with everyone in place. Mercedes got swamped as soon as the lights went out. Vettel ran around both of them and led the race into the first turn, Raikkonen had come from fifth to third by Turn 1, then got the inside line on Rosberg through Turn 2 to take second place.