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Smart brand might be doomed

Reports are painting a less than rosy picture of the Smart brand's future. The Daimler-owned carmaker is going fully electric in 2020, but that might not be enough to keep it alive for long. Inside sources, quoted by Automobile Magazine, are saying Renault is likely to pull out of the partnership that created the current Smart ForTwo/Renault Twingo pairing introduced in 2014. The two rear-engined cars share a platform, and when the current Twingo is done for, Renault might want to part ways. In addition, Mercedes isn't willing to prop up Smart on its own, and there is a possibility that the entire Smart brand could be shuttered by 2026. A previous joint venture was the ForFour hatch co-developed with Mitsubishi, and despite the ForFour name living on in the current generation rear-engined car, the earlier FWD hatchback has quickly been forgotten. Not long ago, Smart presented its Forease open-top concept to give customers a glimpse of what future Smart cars would look like, but at its heart the Forease was still a current Smart dressed up with concept car details. The next-generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class is to be signed off in 2021 for a 2025 introduction, and it can be underpinned by a more flexible, fully scalable platform that could also serve to support a new entry-level Mercedes-Benz vehicle that could render the separate Smart brand pointless. Then there's Geely, who now owns nearly 10 percent of Daimler, and who is partnering with Daimler to launch a new "premium" ride-hailing venture in China. As Geely develops its mobility solutions, it is likely to keep an eye on Smart: Smart cars have been car-sharing staples around the world for quite a while, from users such as Car2Go. Automobile Magazine says that if a Smart is co-developed with Geely, it might suit the Chinese market well, but a global business case might be challenging. In any case, if Smart wants to survive beyond the current Renault partnership, the new model should be agreed upon quickly, and it must be based on a platform flexible enough to support full electric drive. Reportedly, there are now ongoing feasibility studies for a fully electric Daimler "U-Class," which would include a Smart-like three or five-door hatch with two wheelbase options, a ride-sharing shuttle with autonomous capabilities, and an urban delivery panel van. But Smart must justify itself for the upcoming decades, or the future Daimler products that occupy its niche will be wearing a three-pointed star instead.

YouTube viewers prefer BMW

BMW owners sometimes get a bad rap as being snobbish, rude drivers, but according to a new study by the online marketing company ZEFR, Bimmer aficionados also have a close relationship with the brand's vehicles. With well over 4 billion YouTube views, the German automaker is the industry's king of the road online. Making the popularity even sweeter for marketers, 95 percent of those clicks are for fan videos, which represents loads of free advertising. BMW isn't the only automaker with such an extensive following. Honda comes in a close second with around 4 billion views, and Mercedes-Benz is just a little behind it. Among all brands, it's the norm for fan-made videos rather than the official ones to get the lion's share of the clicks, generally 95 percent or more. "YouTube has become a treasure trove for connecting with the right people for automakers," Dave Rosner, ZEFR marketing boss, said to Automotive News. Beyond just a popularity contest among brands, automotive videos are big business on YouTube, according to ZEFR's research. Enthusiasts are leading the way, too. Racing is by far the most-watched category with 895,000 clips generating a staggering 8.2 billion views. Classic cars are also a very hot topic with 305,000 videos getting 1.6 billion clicks. Surprisingly, when it comes to watching auto videos, sedans are most popular on YouTube with over 9 billion views, according to Automotive News. Meanwhile, SUVs, performance vehicles, and pickups were each around 3 billion or less. You can check out the full study for yourself, as a PDF, here. Related Video:

2016 Mercedes GLE Coupe priced from $66,025

The folks at Mercedes-Benz are really keeping busy this year with the launch of a host of new products. Among them are a slate of crossovers, including the GLC and GLE-Class. While pricing for those two have already been revealed, the company has finally decided to spill the beans about the cost for the more rakish GLE Coupe. The 362-horepower, 2016 GLE450 AMG Coupe runs $66,025 after the obligatory $925 destination charge on all of MB's vehicles for the model year. That model comes with all-wheel drive, a nine-speed automatic, plus a heap of luxurious standard features. If you want more power, the 577-hp Mercedes-AMG GLE63 S costs $110,225 and includes a more aggressive exterior and Nappa leather interior. Both versions of the German brand's fastback, four-door CUVs arrive at dealers in August. If you're interested, Autoblog has already published full driving impressions for the whole GLE-Class family. While the GLE Coupe is among the newest members of the Mercedes lineup, the G-Class, one of the company's oldest, is seeing some improvements, too. The G550 for $120,825 now benefits from the C63 AMG-derived 4.0-liter V8 making 416 hp and 450 lb-ft, which are gains of 34 hp and 59 lb-ft over the outgoing V8. The SUV also gets styling tweaks, like revised bumpers and larger fender flares. Meanwhile, the G63 AMG offers 563 hp and 560 lb-ft of torque (an extra 27 hp but the same torque as before) for $140,825. The 621-hp G65 AMG tops the range for $218,825. MERCEDES-BENZ ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL 2016 MODEL YEAR PRICING AND PRODUCT UPDATES The unprecedented product offensive continues with a host of exciting new models August 04, 2015 - ATLANTA, Ga. -- Mercedes-Benz USA today announced pricing and product information for the GLC, G-Class, GLE (ML facelift), C450 AMG 4MATIC sedan, and GLE Coupe. This follows the 2016 Mercedes-Benz pricing and model year changes already announced in mid-June 2015. Arriving in dealerships in November 2015, the all-new GLC300 and GLC300 4MATIC represent a compelling new entry in a thriving SUV segment. With a starting MSRP of $38,950*(2WD) and $40,950* (4MATIC) respectively, the all-new GLC features a powerful 2.0 liter turbocharged inline 4 cylinder engine that generates 241hp and 273lb-ft of torque and a new 9-speed automatic transmission.