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Aston Martin tipped for F1 return with Red Bull, Mercedes

Aston Martin could be plotting a return to Formula One for the first time in over half a century. And not as a backmarker, either. That is, at least, if the latest rumors materialize. While most automakers that participate in F1 do so as either a team owner (like Ferrari and Mercedes) or as an engine supplier (think Renault or Honda), the rumored Aston Martin deal would take a different approach. According to Autosport, the proposal would have the Red Bull Racing team run Aston Martin branding – but not its engines. Those would be provided by Mercedes, just like the engines in the British marque's upcoming slate of road cars. In that regard, the deal would not be unlike the one which Red Bull currently has with the Renault-Nissan Alliance, which sees the team running Renault engines and Infiniti branding. Andy Palmer was a pivotal figure in brokering that unusual arrangement when he was working for Carlos Ghosn, and is now tipped to be brokering a similar deal in his new capacity as Aston Martin's CEO. Though Aston has found glory in sports car racing (including Le Mans and its various associated series), it was never much of a contender in grand prix racing. It competed in a handful of races in 1959 and 1960, but never achieved results worth bragging about. Aston was rumored to be plotting a return when David Richards sat as chairman of the company, having run Aston's racing program as well as Honda's F1 team previously. Those rumors, however, never materialized. Whether this time 'round gains any traction remains to be seen - Aston Martin declined to either confirm or deny the reports when reached for comment by Autoblog. Red Bull has been growing increasingly dissatisfied (and increasingly vocal about its dissatisfaction) with Renault engines over the past couple of seasons. Though the two parties won four back-to-back world titles together, things took a noticeable step backward after the new turbo engine regulations took hold for the 2014 season. Nissan/Infiniti and Red Bull are contracted to continue collaborating until the end of next season. After that is when the new Aston deal could take hold, and Mercedes is reportedly keen on the idea so that it could add another customer to its F1 engine supply business and offset the costs of development. That could effectively prove the end of Renault in F1 (at least for the time being). Aside from Red Bull, the French automaker currently supplies only that outfit's sister team Toro Rosso.

Mercedes A-Class next up for facelift

This is the coming Mercedes-Benz A-Class, and in case the paucity of camouflage didn't make it clear, it won't look much different the one that's been on sale for all of two years. Caught in Sweden braving the temperatures, its exterior updates aren't expected to go much further than a reworked face that brings it in line with the recently updated B-Class, including a new grille, headlights and taillights, and bumpers. The cabin is where most of the work is being done, to give it a better punch against the BMW 1 Series. A tweaked dash cluster, better fabrics and materials, the eight-inch tablet-style nav/multimedia screen, and ambient lighting should join the party. The updated range of B-Class engines should also make the jump into the A. A photo caught at a dealer meeting in Barcelona last year makes us pretty sure it will be introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September this year. Until then, there are spy shots to peruse.

Mercedes confirms first AMG Sport models for Detroit

If you're looking for a sportier Mercedes-Benz but can't quite make the leap to a full-on AMG model, we've got some good news for you: the German automaker is about to expand its performance portfolio with a more accessible AMG Sport range. Set to bridge the gap between a standard Mercedes fitted with an AMG Sports package and a complete AMG performance variant, models in the the new AMG Sport line will feature upgraded engines, suspensions and brakes. They'll even have "all-wheel drive as standard in selected markets" (almost certain to include ours). Affalterbach has confirmed that the first two AMG Sport models will debut at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show in January. Though it's not saying which models will hit the stage, the teaser image above suggests that one of them will be the new MLC crossover coupe (or whatever it'll be called under the new nomenclature), while the other is almost certain to be the new C450 AMG Sport sedan. The launch of the AMG Sport line is part of the brand's effort to double its 2013 sales figures by 2017 to top over 40,000 units per year globally. With the AMG Sport line joining the standard AMG and AMG S models, the sub-brand is considerably expanding its product portfolio to cater to more customers and budgets, and will give Mercedes a vehicle range to challenge Audi S models and the BMW M Performance range. MERCEDES-AMG UPS THE ANTE - Growth strategy aimed at new market segments - Doubling of global sales targeted by 2017 - Premiere of the new AMG Sport models at the North American International Motor Show in Detroit Affalterbach - The sports car and high-performance brand Mercedes-AMG will achieve a new sales record of well over 40,000 units globally this year. Its entry into the compact segment and the broadening of its product range have provided the Affalterbach-based company with access to new customer groups and secured success in established and new markets. New models developed entirely in-house, such as the SLS AMG and, more recently, the Mercedes-AMG GT, consolidate the brand's success story and place it firmly on course for sustained growth. "We are proud of these successes, as they provide the basis for the next stage of our growth strategy, which we are now launching," explains Tobias Moers, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.