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In addition to the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive and smart BRABUS Electric Drive, visitors at the 2012 Paris Auto Show can see the premiere of the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive Concept, due for market launch in 2014.

The B-Class Natural Gas Drive and the new A-Class, which is already proving extremely popular across the pond, are on display as well.

“Electric cars are a significant component of our strategy for sustainable mobility,” says Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber, Daimler AG board member in charge of research and Mercedes-Benz Cars development.

The B-Class Electric Drive Concept uses a 100 kW electric motor and provides a range of 200 kilometres, while the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is equipped with four electric motors generating a total of 552 kW and delivering 0-100km/h sprints in just 3.9 seconds. That makes it the fastest electric-drive production vehicle in the world.

As for the tiny A-Class, Mercedes-Benz has taken around 70,000 pre-orders in Western Europe alone. More than 700,000 visitors took part in the market premiere - the most successful experienced by the German brand to date.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

As fuel prices and environmental concerns reach an all-time high, automakers are striving to launch more efficient vehicles and technologies, including hybrids and electric cars. Transit companies are no different, as evidenced by the plug-in electric bus prototype that Nova Bus unveiled yesterday.

More importantly, it was entirely designed and produced in Quebec!

''The government of Quebec is developing a strategy to drive the manufacturing industry and we believe that one of the ways to succeed is to bank on clean energies,'' said Élaine Zakaïb, Minister for Industrial Policy and the Economic Development Bank of Quebec, who attended the launch.

Photo: Nova Bus

The Nova Bus electric bus prototype offers a range of 120 kilometres with a full charge of four hours - numbers that could improve as the project evolves. And thanks to the flexibility of the electric drive system, passenger room is maximized.

The goal of Consortium Bus électrique - Projet 1, which involves Nova Bus along with several key partners such as TM4, Bathium, Précicad, René Matériaux composites, and Giro, is to put a demo vehicle on the streets as early as 2014.

Photo: Nova Bus

Structures CPI, Infodev, and Styl&Tech, which are part of Consortium Bus Électrique - Projet 2, are currently working on an electric microbus entirely made of aluminum for suburban transit and touring.

In order to carry out these two projects, hundreds of employees from more than 35 companies across the province will participate.

Nova Bus is confident of delivering a 100% domestic, 100% electric mobility solution for Quebec's transit agencies in the short term.

DesignLine, based in the U.S., launched its own electric bus in 2007; however, it has yet to be certified by Transport Canada. Still, vehicles like these are one more step in the right direction.

Sources: Nova Bus

The first two free practice sessions of the 6 Hours of Bahrain, round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, took place at the Bahrain International Circuit Thursday.

The first 90-minute session saw the sun setting on the 5.4km circuit and it was the Toyota Racing Toyota TS030-Hybrid that set the quickest time.

However in the second session, which was run in the dark, it was the Audis that regained the advantage, with the No. 1 Audi of Benoit Tréluyer posting a time that was 0.3 seconds faster with a lap of 1m47.403. The No. 21 Strakka Racing HPD-Honda was the faster of the four LMP1 Privateers, with Danny Watts setting the quickest time in the two sessions, just 1.3 seconds adrift of the lead Audi.

Photo: Toyota Racing

LMP1
1 1 Audi Sport Team Joest M. Fässler / A. Lotterer / B. Tréluyer Audi R18 e-tron quattro 1:47.403
2 2 Audi Sport Team Joest T. Kristensen / A. McNish Audi R18 e-tron quattro +0.381
3 7 Toyota Racing A. Wurz / N. Lapierre Toyota TS030 - Hybrid +0.947
4 21 Strakka Racing N. Leventis / D. Watts / J. Kane HPD ARX 03a - Honda +1.377
5 22 JRM D. Brabham / K. Chandhok / P. Dumbreck HPD ARX 03a - Honda +1.697
6 12 Rebellion Racing N. Prost / N. Jani Lola B12/60 Coupé - Toyota +2.055

The No. 35 Oak Racing Morgan-Nissan was the quickest LMP2 in both sessions with the second session being the quickest as Alex Brundle set a lap of 1:53.434, just 0.018 seconds ahead of the nr44 Starworks Motorsports HPD-Honda and 0.109 seconds ahead of the nr24 Oak Racing Morgan-Nissan.

LMP2
1 35 Oak Racing B. Baguette / D. Kraihamer / A. Brundle Morgan - Nissan 1:53.434
2 44 Starworks Motorsports V. Potolicchio / T. Kimber-Smith /S. Sarrazin HPD ARX 03b-Honda +0.018
3 24 Oak Racing J. Nicolet / M. Lahaye / O. Pla Morgan - +0.109
4 49 Pecom Racing L. Perez Companc / N. Minassian / P. Kaffer Oreca 03 - Nissan +0.307

LMGTE Pro
1 97 Aston Martin Racing S. Mücke / D. Turner Aston Martin Vantage V8 2:01.849
2 77 Team Felbermayr-Proton M. Lieb / R. Lietz Porsche 911 RSR (997) +0.452
3 51 AF Corse G. Fisichella / T. Vilander Ferrari F458 Italia +1.498
4 71 AF Corse A. Bertolini / O. Beretta Ferrari F458 Italia +1.622

LMGTEAm
1 88 Team Felbermayr-Proton C. Ried / G. Roda / P. Ruberti Porsche 911 RSR (997) 2:04.725
2 57 Krohn Racing T. Krohn / N. Jönsson / M. Rugolo Ferrari F458 Italia +0.097
3 61 AF Corse-Waltrip R. Kauffman / R. Aguas / B. Vickers Ferrari F458 Italia +0.314

The Auto123.com team is delighted to announce that it will once again be competing in the Rallye international vert de Montréal, from September 28th through September 30th behind the wheel of a 2012 Porsche Panamera S Hybrid.

Last year, Auto123.com teamed up with Porsche for the first time, piloting the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid and managed an 11th place finish after the weekend was up.

Photo: Philippe Champoux

The event, unique in North America, is part of the FIA's international Alternative Energies Cup, which has been held for the last six years in 10 countries on four continents.

Olivier Delorme and Emilie Asselin-Mercier (covering the event for Auto-Venus.com) will join forces and represent our team for the 600-km event where precision is key.

The Porsche Panamera S Hybrid will be up against some pretty stiff competition against the likes of the Toyota Prius Plug-in (as well as the Prius c), Lexus CT 200h -- both winners in the 2011 Rallye international vert de Montreal -- Mitsubishi i-MiEV and even propane-driven GMC Sierras and an F-150.

Registered vehicles will be split into several classes including hybrids, EVs, biofuel and diesel, as well as weight categories (car, SUV, truck, prototype, etc.).

Photo: Philippe Champoux

The event starts the evening of Friday, September 28th as companies like Add Energie, Hydro Quebec and Circuit Electrique host booths on McGill College in downtown Montreal. When the rally begins on September 29th, there will be three circuits per day, each approximately 60km in length, for the drivers to complete with strict restrictions and rules to follow. McGill College Avenue will serve as both the start and finish line throughout the weekend.

Throughout the weekend, Auto123.com will publish updates of the rally experience, and the results of the rally will be posted early next week. Stay tuned for the trials and tribulations of Olivier and Emelie as they embark on their Green Rally adventure, and follow them on Twitter throughout the weekend!

Émilie Asselin-Mercier: @autovenus

Olivier Delorme: @odelorme

From WRC

Sebastien Loeb's desire to keep driving meant he ruled out stopping altogether after he confirmed a reduced schedule of FIA World Rally Championship events in 2013.

Loeb, who can win a ninth WRC drivers' crown on Rallye de France Alsace next week, will only contest a partial WRC campaign with the factory Citroen team next year as it works towards a possible FIA World Touring Car Championship programme from 2014 with Loeb potentially at the wheel of one of its challengers.

Sebastien Loeb, Citroen. (Photo: WRC)

Speaking at the Paris Motor Show yesterday, Loeb said: “On the one hand I thought about calming things down and stopping, but on the other hand I didn't want to feel like I was retired. So now we have a new challenge and a different style of driving, about which myself and Citroen still have a lot to learn, and that is very exciting.”

Of his decision to reduce his WRC schedule, the 38-year-old added: “The driving bit is the strongest part of rallying: in terms of the sensations you feel and the way you have to improvise with the car. But then again I've been there for a number of years and won everything. Now there is the opportunity of a new project with Citroen, who I've won everything together with in rallying, and that is the ideal solution.”

Unionized workers at General Motors' Canadian operations voted in favor of a four-year labor agreement with the company, the Canadian Auto Workers union said. The union said 73 percent of the GM workers who voted backed the deal.

Unionized workers at General Motors' Canadian operations voted in favor of a four-year labor agreement with the company, the Canadian Auto Workers union said. The union said 73 percent of the GM workers who voted backed the deal.

Chrysler is pulling out all the stops for this year's SEMA show in Las Vegas.

General Motors CFO Daniel Ammann, who advised the automaker on the eve of its 2009 bankruptcy while working as a Morgan Stanley banker, said a lawsuit over some Canadian notes may harm the company by as much as $918 million, or 50 cents a share.

General Motors CFO Daniel Ammann, who advised the automaker on the eve of its 2009 bankruptcy while working as a Morgan Stanley banker, testified that he didn't know at the time that the bank sat on the other side of a deal he was negotiating.

Ferrari brought its entire model lineup to the Paris motor show, but the bare carbon-fiber chassis set to underpin the

Opel/Vauxhall expects to sell 200,000 fewer vehicles this year, ahead of an even tougher market in 2013, Opel sales chief Alfred Rieck said. Last year, the carmaker sold 1.21 million cars and light commercial vehicles.

Opel/Vauxhall expects to sell 200,000 fewer vehicles this year, ahead of an even tougher market in 2013, Opel's sales chief Alfred Rieck told Reuters on Thursday. Last year, the carmaker sold 1.

The Mexican unit of Nissan expects its 2012 vehicle production to rise by 20 percent to 25 percent. Nissan produced 607,087 units in Mexico last year, becoming the largest car maker in Latin America's second-biggest economy.

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Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, irritated by comments from Volkswagen executives, invited the German carmaker to a dawn showdown at the Paris auto show as tensions rise between the two European automakers. VW accepted his invitation.

Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne, irritated by comments from Volkswagen executives, invited the German carmaker to a dawn showdown at the Paris auto show as tensions rise between the two European automakers. VW accepted his invitation.