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Maybach crossover looking more likely, Smart crossover possible

Mercedes-Benz executives are still making positive noises about the chances of a Mercedes-Maybach SUV. Following Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche's answer of "most likely" at the Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes Cars head of sales and marketing Ola Kallenius told Autocar that a Maybach SUV based on the next-generation GLS is "the more likely scenario." That's the same Kallenius that told Automotive News just last November that "we have no plans for it [a Maybach SUV]." It's a subtle shift, to be sure, but it's still a shift. The GLS – introduced as the latest-generation GL in 2013 – is still undergoing testing for its its mid-cycle refresh, so a Maybach version is a few years off. That would, coincidentally, give Mercedes time to see how the other super-luxe entrants are faring, and prepare its charge accordingly. Autocar expects that should it be built, it will come when the GLS shifts to the S-Class platform and most likely get the twin-turbo V12 from the Mercdes-Maybach S600 sedan, although the company's 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 is possible if there are strong intentions for the Chinese market. Also on Stuttgart's agenda of dreams is a Smart crossover, according to the report. It could be Smart's best chance at profitably extending the range, based on the mania for tiny utes, and that would help both Daimler and the ForTwo's Renault Twingo sibling. It sounds like this is a ways off, though, due to coming up with an engineering solution for the Smart's engine packaging. Related Video:

Daimler chairman agrees with German Greens on reducing emissions

Daimler Chairman Dieter Zetsche spoke at a Green Party congress in Germany earlier this week and said he agreed with the party's urge to dramatically cut transportation-based greenhouse-gas emissions by expanding plug-in vehicle sales, Reuters says. Zetsche stopped short of backing the Greens' suggestion to ban gas- and diesel-powered vehicles by 2030, though. The man must keep his job, after all. Zetsche did say that reducing greenhouse-gas emissions from the transportation sector was "necessary," and his company has made plans to do just that. Daimler representatives said at the Paris Motor Show earlier this year that Smart and Mercedes-Benz both planned to debut more than 10 electric vehicles within the next decade, and that plug-ins may account for as much as 25 percent of Mercedes-Benz's sales by then. Moreover, Dr. Thomas Weber, Head of Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, said in June that Mercedes could be selling as many as 100,000 EVs a year by the end of the decade. Last month, Mercedes-Benz announced that its EQ electric-SUV concept would go on sale by 2020, and that the Bremen factory that's producing the model will broaden its plug-in vehicle production further. Zetsche's cautious support notwithstanding, the German government appears to be doing its own part to reduce emissions from the country's light-duty vehicles. Earlier this year, Germany enacted a plan that provides as much as 4,000 euros ($4,270) in perks for people who buy new electric vehicles, with German automakers agreeing to foot about half of the estimated $1.4 billion bill. German lawmakers had also floated the idea of a 10-year moratorium on electric-vehicle taxes for cars purchased before 2020. Related Video: News Source: Reuters via Automotive News Europe-sub.req.Image Credit: Ralph Orlowski / Reuters Government/Legal Green Mercedes-Benz smart Electric

Veneno Roadster, One:1, One-77, LaFerrari, P1, Veyron headline 25-car Bonham's auction

Bonhams is holding a no-reserve auction in fall 2019 that includes some of the most valuable and sought-after supercars of the past decade. The lot of 25 beautiful collector items includes a Lamborghini Veneno Roadster, a Koenigsegg One:1, an Aston Martin One-77, a Ferrari LaFerrari, a McLaren P1, and a Bugatti Veyron. The collection, which was seized from a corrupt politician from Equatorial Guinea, is valued at roughly $13 million. If selling off future classics that are still in their infancy as collector items seems strange, it's because this is not a straightforward situation. These cars will be sold off by the State of Geneva, not a person. The collection was previously owned by the vice president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang, but the cars were seized when he was placed under investigation for money laundering and unfair management of public interests. These 25 cars, which were located in Geneva, were first sequestered in fall 2016. A trial court ordered them sold off, and the money earned from the sales would be invested in social programs that benefit Equatorial Guinea. And so, Equatorial Guinea is about to see an influx of cash, as every vehicle is valued in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars. The rarest might be the Koenigsegg One:1. One of only six remaining, it has 371 miles on the dial, and is valued at roughly $1.8 million. The Lamborghini Veneno Roadster, one of nine in the world, is a close second. It has 202 miles logged, and is valued at about $5.1 million. The Aston Martin One-77 is another rare bird. It is example No. 35 of 77, holds a 7.3-liter V12 engine, and is valued at about $1.4 million. A McLaren P1, Ferrari LaFerrari, and Bugatti Veyron 16.4 round out the top of the list. The remaining cars are not fully detailed, but they include examples from Mercedes-Maybach, Bentley, Maserati and Porsche. The auction will take place on Sunday, Sept. 29, at the Bonmont Golf & Country Club near Lake Geneva. For more photos and information, visit Bonhams.