The A-Class, one of five planned models based on Mercedes’ New Generation Compact Car platform, bridges the gap between connectivity and motoring safety, Daimler’s CEO says.

Rather than cut capacity, OEMs are offering big discounts on their popular small cars, resulting in “horror stories about the pricing in the B-segment,” the CEO says. “We are not even recovering the variable costs.”

WardsAuto writers pass along the buzz at this week’s Geneva auto show.

The Nissan luxury brand is growing in Europe, albeit from a small base. Last year, Western European sales reached 4,600 vehicles, up 44% from 2010.

The GTi Concept is a reminder of the 205 Gate, a hot hatch that caught the imagination of young people and was a smash success in the early 1990s. The XY Concept is aimed at buyers who want small but luxurious cars.

Compared with the previous C-Crosser, which was a rebadged Mitsubishi, the latest model has considerably more Citroen content, although it shares a platform with the Mitsubishi Outlander.