In Mario Kart 8 you can drive a Mercedes Benz

Italian plumber looks to Germany for latest kart

Vehicle choice is much theorised over in the Mario Kart world. Do you go for a standard kart? A nanobike? A Dolphin Dasher? Well in Wii U's Mario Kart 8 things should be a lot easier – you can download a flipping Mercedes.

Nintendo has announced a co-promotion with the car manufacturer that will see a Mercedes GLA as a DLC kart.

No word yet on whether it will be impervious to blue spiny shells, or how its hubcaps will fair on Rainbow Road.

The silver convertible will be available for free in Japan this summer, and it sounds as though it will follow in Europe at a later date.

"For the information relating to the distribution of the GLA kart for MK8 outside Japan, we will be able to announce in the near future," Nintendo UK said.

It's a pretty bizarre vehicle to introduce among all the usual karts, bikes and drag racer style machines, but forms part of a whopping deal Mario has done with Mercedes.

It released a rather excellent advert for the GLA this week (above) blending live action and gaming, with the car being worked into a classic level of Super Mario Bros before the real thing is driven around a desert by an actor dressed as the Italian plumber.