Mercedes-Benz GLK350 launched

major Mercedes-Benz has launched its latest model GLK350 in the US market. The car was earlier showcased at Shanghai Motor Show.

Earlier the car was kept at Los Angeles Auto Show late last year. Besides it was showcased at other major auto shows in United States.

Mercedes-Benz GLK350 is an entry level SUV and will take on similar models from BMW and Audi. What sets the GLK apart from the X3, LR2 and upcoming Audi Q5 is that it will be available in both two-wheel- and four-wheel-drive models. The others come standard with all-wheel drive. For the buyer just interested in the luxury and utility of the GLK, the two-wheel drive should cost less than the competition.

19-inch wheels, Bluetooth, power seats and dual-zone climate control come standard but almost everything else is optional. There are five — count 'em, five — option packages and nine stand-alone options covering everything from a panoramic sunroof, power liftgate, navigation, leather seats, etc. We'll have to weigh in on the value of the GLK when pricing is announced, but with so many options and two-wheel drive, the starting MSRP could be significantly lower than its competition. More photos below. 

The beautiful car is priced around US$ 34,000. 

China's Chery mulls factory in Brazil

SAO PAULO (AFP) — Big Chinese automaker Chery is considering open a 700-million-dollar factor in Brazil to tap into the country's growing market, and to learn more about building biofuel-capable engines, Brazil's Gazeta Mercantil daily reported Friday.

Chery was China's biggest automobile exporter last year, accounting for more than a quarter of the country's car exports. Chery shipped 135,000 units abroad last year, up 12.6 percent from 2007, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.