Nissan will launch the world’s first production electric vehicle that can haul seven passengers this summer.

The new van is, as you might have guessed, based on the ubiquitous Nissan NV200 that we’ve already seen in panel van, taxi and Chevy form. More specifically, it’s based on the purely electric version called the e-NV200 that is already on sale in Europe and Japan, but remains in a testing phase here in the US.

The Tetris-like configurability of the cargo bay has now gained it a third row. The new 7-seater will be launched in the UK in July, due to what Nissan says is “huge interest” from private car service operators and large families.

Two foldable, stowable full-size rear seats now populate the back. As a result, the cargo area is, of course, reduced, to about 31 cubic feet. However, to free up more space the second row slides and folds forward while the two rearmost seats fold to the sides, Honda Element-like, to reveal 104 cubic feet. For reference, Nissan says it can swallow three bicycles upright with the wheels attached.

Along with the new layout, Nissan is also offering its Evalia trim level on both 5- and 7-passenger versions. The trim level includes creature comforts, rear privacy glass and body-colored bumpers to make what is essentially a commercial van feel more like a minivan. There is no word yet on whether a 7-seater NV200, electric or not, will make landfall stateside.

Porsche has won the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans, setting a new record for most wins at the famed day-long enduro. Porsche’s tally for checkered flags now stands at 17, smashing Audi’s hopes for their sixth win in a row.

You could say Stuttgart was full of confidence entering the race, having painted their lead car in the red and white livery of the first Porsche to win Le Mans, the 1970 917 KH. However, in the end it was the number 19 Porsche 919 Hybrid driven by Nico Hulkenberg, Earl Bamber and Eric Tandy that crossed the finish line first. Still, the throwback red and white car came in a respectable second, ahead of an Audi R18 e-tron quattro in third.

Other high-profile contenders included the Toyota TS040 Hybrid. However, the most promising entrant was involved in an collision early on, costing the team dearly with a lengthy repair. The duo managed to clinch sixth and eight place overall.

Lastly, Nissan’s trio of GT-R LM NISMO prototypes was perhaps the most talked about leading up to the main event, due to its novel front-engined, front-wheel-drive layout at odds with every other car. Two of the unconventional cars were forced to retire after due to mechanical woes, and the third was damaged due to debris on the Mulsanne straight. However, it did finish, albeit in 40th, and the team, which has treated Le Mans as a real-time test for their grand experiment, considers that a success for their first high profile outing.

Mercedes-Benz has published a teaser sketch that previews the upcoming GLC-Class. Designed to replace the eight-year old GLK, the GLC will be introduced online next Wednesday.
The GLC ditches the GLK’s boxy lines in favor of a much softer look that falls in line with Mercedes’ latest design language. The sketch doesn’t reveal a whole lot, but earlier spy shots tell us the GLC will get a GLE-inspired front end with a shield-shaped twin-slat grille, bullet-shaped headlights and a pair of power domes on the hood.

The GLC will use the same engines as the C-Class, meaning entry-level models will get a 241-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder while more expensive versions will benefit from a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 rated at 329 ponies. A seven-speed automatic transmission will come standard, and most – if not all – versions will ship with Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel drive system.

Unlike the GLK, the GLC will spawn a hot-rodded AMG-tuned model. Details are still a little vague, but rumors claim the GLC 63 will pack a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine rated at approximately 470 horsepower in its most basic state of tune.

Stay tuned, we’ll bring you all of the details about the new Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class on June 17th. Mercedes’ next crossover will greet the public for the first time next September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and it will land in showrooms before the end of the year.

BMW Motorrad – the automaker’s bike-building division – has introduced a new concept called Path 22. Named after one of Europe’s best-hidden surf spots, the Path 22 is BMW Motorrad’s first-ever scrambler, a type of bike designed to go off the beaten path.
The Path 22 is based on the R nineT, a highly-customizable roadster. It features a protective grille on the front light, a long-travel suspension, studded tires wrapped around machined alloy wheels and raised exhaust pipes. Scramblers have always stood out as function-oriented, minimalist bikes, and the Path 22 reflects that with turn signals neatly integrated into the handles.

Since the Path 22 was designed to go surfing, BMW has installed a custom-designed surfboard holder on the right side of the bike. Crafted out of machined aluminum and leather, it can adapted to hold two surfboards regardless of whether they’re short- or long-boards. Artwork by Ornamental Conifer adds a finishing touch to the concept.

BMW has not published technical details, but it’s safe to assume the Path 22 packs a R nineT-sourced 1.2-liter air-cooled flat-twin engine rated at 110 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and 88 lb-ft. of torque at 6,000 rpm. The twin is bolted to a six-speed transmission.

What the future holds for the BMW Path 22 is up in the air. It could be a simple design study, or it could accurately preview BMW’s first-ever regular-production scrambler.