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Infiniti went out of its way to make the QX30 not a Mercedes

You can complain all you want about perceived badge engineering when a company (like Mercedes-Benz) sells a platform to another brand (such as Infiniti). The reality is that most buyers won't know the difference, and they won't even realize their Infiniti is really a Mercedes underneath or that their neighbor's GLA has the same basic parts as the QX30 they just bought. What's weird to me isn't that sameness, but the places where the two cute little utes differ. These two vehicles, which are more like tall hatchbacks, use the same Mercedes 2.0-liter turbo four and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Infiniti adds its own throttle and transmission calibrations. The suspension design is the same, although there are tuning differences. Both come standard with front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive an option. Fuel economy matches for the FWD models, while the AWD Infiniti lags behind the Mercedes for some reason. So they're very similar despite their different looks. And design makes sense as a point of differentiation. Frankly, they go further than a lot of vehicles on shared platforms do – further, in fact, than the upcoming Nissan Navara-based Mercedes X-Class pickup does. The QX30 has its own sheetmetal and glass to separate it from the GLA-class. You probably think one looks better than the other. If you know where to look, the signs of sameness are obvious. Most major systems and pieces are shared, like the steering wheels (with different center covers), most switchgear, and things like interior and exterior door handles. Shared parts are fine as long as the parts are good ones. On that note, how many Tesla buyers realize their steering column and stalks, plus the window switches, come from Mercedes? And does that actually matter? We'd argue no. About those differences. Many are functional, like the fact the Infiniti does not carry over the Benz's Brake Hold feature – when you roll to a stop in the GLA (or any other Benz), pressing the brake pedal firmly applies the electric parking brake until you hit the gas to move again. The QX30 has an electric parking brake, but no Brake Hold feature. Someone used to driving Mercedes models will look a bit silly standing on the brake pedal to no effect. Ask us how we know. The Mercedes gauge package is carried over, but with the Infiniti font. Makes sense, although it's off-putting at first if you've seen the original, prompting a weird deja vu. Circular dash vents are replaced by rhomboid ones.

Mercedes, Renault-Nissan to work together on truck project

Just a few weeks ago, Mercedes-Benz barged into the automotive world with news of a pickup as a mysterious but enticing future model from the German brand. Rumors of a possible collaboration with Nissan followed, but Renault-Nissan Alliance CEO Carlos Ghosn refused to give any clear details. That speculation is now over, because the automakers made their truck partnership official. This new information reveals that the Mercedes truck won't be a full in-house creation from Daimler. For example, the pickup will share some of its underpinnings with the latest Nissan NP300 Navara. The German company's engineers, however, will work to change the design to their liking. Also, as in the rendering, Mercedes will use a double-cab body for the model. "Thanks to our well-established partnership with the Renault-Nissan Alliance, we are able to drastically reduce the time and cost to enter this key segment." Daimler Chairman Dr. Dieter Zetsche said in the company's release. Nissan will play a further major role in the project by helping Renault develop a pickup based on the Navara as well. By 2020, all three trucks will be built together in Cordoba, Argentina, for Latin American markets and in Barcelona, Spain, for other parts of the world. Mercedes will target both regular customers and commercial buyers with its truck. While still not officially slated for North America, there's a chance that the Mercedes truck might be sold here. The US arm of the company reportedly has until the end of the year to decide to offer it with some added luxury-oriented upgrades compared to the rest of the world. Daimler & Renault-Nissan Alliance expand cooperation to 1-ton pickup trucks April 07, 2015 Daimler & Renault-Nissan Alliance expand cooperation to 1-ton pickup trucks Nissan and Daimler to jointly develop midsize pickup truck Mercedes-Benz pickup to share some of the architecture with the all-new Nissan NP300 Mercedes-Benz vehicle to be engineered and designed by Daimler to meet specific needs of its customers Mercedes-Benz pickup will target Europe, Australia, South Africa and Latin America Pickup trucks to be built in Barcelona, Spain, and Cordoba, Argentina Latest milestone in the five-year strategic cooperation between Daimler and the Renault-Nissan Alliance STUTTGART/PARIS/YOKOHAMA –The Renault-Nissan Alliance and Daimler AG will expand their five-year strategic cooperation into the pickup truck segment.

Mercedes-AMG celebrates F1 dominance with special A45

Mercedes-AMG is celebrating its second straight Formula One World Championship with a special edition hot hatch based on the A45 AMG. The Mercedes-AMG Petronas 2015 World Champion Edition is available in three shades of gray or silver offset by teal and black accents inspired by the Silver Arrows livery. The aero kit is also upgraded with a new front splitter and rear roof spoiler. Inside, it comes standard with sports seats in leather and microfiber, and both Mercedes' Night and Dynamic Plus packages are standard. There's also special trim and and badging, and it all runs on unique 19-inch wheels. The 2.0-liter turbo four carries over with 381 horsepower, as introduced in the recently upgraded A45. That's more muscle than even the Focus RS, but unlike the Ford, this Mercedes isn't offered stateside. Here we have to suffice with the GLA45 crossover and CLA45 sedan, which pack the same engine, but different body styles. The 65,402.40-euro ($69,216.34) asking price may seem like a lot for an A-Class, but it's considerably more accessible than the special-edition SL63 roadsters with which the German team celebrated last year. This is the second year running that Mercedes took both the drivers' and constructors' championships in F1, with Lewis Hamilton re-crowned champion and Nico Rosberg coming in second. Out of 18 rounds already held, Mercedes won 15, with one race still to go. If it wins this weekend in Abu Dhabi, it will match its run from last year, when it took 16 out of 19 grand prix victories. Exclusive A-Class marks victory in the constructors' and drivers' world championship: Mercedes-AMG celebrates Formula 1 world championship title with special edition of the Mercedes-AMG A 45 4MATIC Affalterbach, Nov 26, 2015 Affalterbach. It doesn't get any better: with victory in the constructors' world championship as well as the drivers' championship plus runner-up titles clocked up by Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team has achieved the ultimate in motorsport's champion's league in 2015. To mark the end of the season Mercedes-AMG is celebrating this outstanding team achievement with an exclusive special model: the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS 2015 World Champion Edition of the A 45 4MATIC blends the expressive Formula 1 look of the victorious Silver Arrows with particularly extensive and unique equipment.