The first photos of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS show a strong resemblance to the automaker’s Shooting Break concept.

The four-door model will debut at the Paris motor show this fall. U.S. sales begin in mid-2011.

The new CLS is considerably more lined and creased, with contoured doors that echo the Shooting Break concept revealed earlier this year at the China motor show. The fenders are also more rounded and flared, and the front featuring a long hood and prominent grille Continue reading Paris auto show: 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS revealed

SHANGHAI (Bloomberg) – BMW AG, the world’s largest luxury carmaker, Volkswagen AG’s Audi unit and Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz brand are making up for faltering sales at home by selling more cars in China even as industrywide demand cools in the world’s largest auto market.

Audi sold 53 percent more cars in China in July compared with a year earlier, while Daimler, the world’s second-largest luxury-car maker, tripled sales of its Mercedes-Benz brand to 14,500 vehicles and BMW raised its deliveries 82 percent to 13,852, the companies said this month. Sales of Audi and Mercedes fell in Germany for the month, while BMW sales increased 4 percent. Continue reading Audi, Mercedes, BMW rely on China as Germany stalls

BMW AG and Saab are discussing sharing parts and technology for a new small car the Swedish automaker wants to build, two people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News.

A possible deal for BMW to provide Saab with engines, transmissions and allow Saab to use BMW’s platform is in the early stages and an announcement isn’t imminent, the people said, declining to be identified because the negotiations are private. An agreement will take at least two months, one of them said. Continue reading Saab, BMW in talks to develop new 9-2, paper says