Autoblog

2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Matt Davis — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Europe, Hatchback, Mercedes-Benz, First Drives, Luxury

Third Time Is Absolutely A Charm For Entry-Level Merc

You are looking at what is likely the most important Mercedes-Benz passenger car since the old 190 turned into the C-Class "Baby Benz" back in 1993. And the United States and Canada won't get it, at least not in this hatchback configuration we have just tested extensively in Slovenia.

The big message coming from Mercedes, however, is that the new A-Class is categorically not to be referred to as a baby anything. (We wish them good luck in enforcing this mandate.) The attitude is aggressive and "Attack Mode" in nature, clearly showing how tired Mercedes is of being known as the less exciting, more mild mannered German brand.

The thing is, that reputation is well earned and the brand has embraced it for quite some time with real success. But now it's time to bust out of the current normal and cater to the kids with expendable cash in pocket.

Since 1997, the world has lived through two generations of A-Class, one of the most utterly bland four-wheeled semi-premium small cars ever formulated. And since the 190/C-Class went all upmarket in the early '00s, Mercedes has had no true competitor - at least not a very cool one - in a premium small car segment anywhere on Earth where it sells cars. And, boy, have they needed it.

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2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes A-Class enters production, utility variant confirmed

Jeff Sabatini — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Hatchback, Mercedes-Benz

Remember the dowdy original Mercedes-Benz A-Class? It's hard to believe that this sporty new five-door hatch evolved from that frumpy thing. But it has, and the new A-Class is officially rolling off the Daimler assembly line in Rastatt, Germany, as of now.

The A-Class will join its platform-mate B-Class and a forthcoming crossover model at Rastatt. While we've heard plenty of rumors about this crossover, we hope that Daimler's announcement today that it will be the next product sharing the Rastatt line should lead to some more official information about the new model allegedly dubbed "GLA." Daimler sunk some €1.2 billion (nearly $1.5 billion) into the plant to produce the trio of compact vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz says its already had 40,000 orders for the new A-Class since it went on sale in mid-June, with some 70,000 B-Class people movers sold since that model hit showrooms late last year.

Scroll down to read the full press release.

Continue reading Mercedes A-Class enters production, utility variant confirmed

Mercedes A-Class enters production, utility variant confirmed originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupe images spill onto Internet

Chris Paukert — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, Mercedes-Benz, Beijing Motor Show, Design/Style, Luxury

Well lookie what we have here. We've been waiting for Mercedes-Benz to pull the silk off its long-awaited compact sedan, and a brace of new concept car images have started leaking onto the Internet this morning as further proof that a production model is almost here. Dubbed Concept Style Coupe, or CSC, the showcar seen here is expected to debut at the Beijing Motor Show next week. Earlier reports had this hot bit of hardware dubbed CLA, though that nomenclature could still be reserved for a production model.

Looking more than a bit like a CLS that's been run through a dryer after mating with the Geneva 2010 F800 Style Concept and last year's Concept A, the rakish four door is expected to spawn a production model that will be available in North America.

According to reports, the CSC will roll onto the stage in China powered by a 208-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder that also sees duty in the new A-Class hatchback. Like the A-Class five-door that debuted in Geneva, the CSC is expected to ride atop Mercedes' new MFA platform, scaled to take on models like the Audi A3 (which is also pegged to get a sedan variant) and Volvo's new V40.

We're also expecting Mercedes to unveil a related concept in North America very shortly at the Transmission LA: AV Club music and media festival that begins in LA on April 20, so keep your eyes peeled for that vehicle as well.

Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupe images spill onto Internet originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class comes to Hollywood, but not to stay

Dan Roth — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class wowed us at the Geneva Motor Show with its handsome styling and luxe interior fitment, so much so that we wondered aloud if this is the new family of small cars that Daimler has promised the U.S. market for 2013. According to a firsthand tip, the A-Class has already made a trip to Hollywood for a close-up. Taking advantage of the well-established motion picture industry, Mercedes-Benz sent its small wonder to Los Angeles for a 5-day working vacation to shoot a commercial.

Camera department pro Nic Restrepo tells Autoblog:

"This is such an awesome car! WAY nicer and better looking than its competition (A3...). This AMG-badged model had all the big Benz amenities; Self Park assist, lane departure, blind spot warning, Alcantara covered racing seats, dual clutch trans etc. The interior on this thing is head and shoulders above ANY compact I've ever worked with. The dash has this beautiful carbon fiber cloth that's soft to the touch like suede, and it's layed on like a fabric, feels like a pillow...a carbon fiber pillow."

It looked great while being chased around by the Pursuit Systems ML63, and the A-Class made a good impression with the driver hired to fling the car around for the shoot. All who laid eyes upon the car seem to agree with our impression from the show floor, that there's a lot of big-Benz nice packed into an exciting small package. Disappointingly, though, the little Benz's corporate minders told the crew that the car is not headed to the U.S. Whether that's a ruse or the truth, we'll soon find out as Mercedes still has a couple tricks up its sleeve as the auto show season winds down.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class comes to Hollywood, but not to stay originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Mar 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Expect Daimler's new plant to be right next to Nissan's in Mexico

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:02:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchback, Mercedes-Benz, Rumormill, Luxury

It was only a few weeks ago that Mercedes-Benz CEO Dieter Zetsche laid out his global sales vision for the brand, aiming to be the world's Number One luxury automaker by 2020 with 2.7 million annual sales. One component of that plan is building another plant in North America, and a report by the TheDetroitBureau.com indicates that the plant will be built in Aguascalientes, Mexico - right next to a Nissan assembly plant that's already there.

Nissan recently announced a two billion dollar expansion of its Aguascalientes facility to produce up to 175,000 units annually. According to the Bureau report, "the sprawling Aguascalientes complex has been laid out with the idea that the German maker will eventually participate." Daimler hasn't commented officially, but if it does happen, then that would give Daimler and Renault-Nissan two tie-up locations, the other being in Tennessee where Nissan will be making engines for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class (a prototype for which is shown above).

One of the factors at the heart of the Mexico decision would be Mercedes' MFA platform, which supports the A- and B-Class vehicles soon headed here: that platform is also expected to underpin the production Infiniti Etherea. And if Renault-Nissan CEO can be believed, then a great deal more sharing between the two firms is an eventuality, and further up the food chain at that. Ghosn is reported to have said last year, "You'd be very surprised if in five or six years that Mercedes and Renault-Nissan had only cooperated on small cars."

Expect Daimler's new plant to be right next to Nissan's in Mexico originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes A-Class caught out in the cold

Zach Bowman — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:59:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Europe, Hatchback, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

Mercedes-Benz is busily pushing development of the company's new A-Class hatchback, and our spy photographers have managed to click a few photos of two vehicles out for a little winter testing. The small five-door is reportedly headed to the U.S. market once it receives an official unveil, though there's no telling whether or not the AMG version we spied back in August will make the journey across The Pond as well. These new shots show off a vehicle that's ditched much of is camo cladding. As a result, we now see the five-door will look very similar to the renderings that surfaced earlier this year.

The corporate Mercedes-Benz grille and pronounced nose will tag along on the A-Class, as will a high beltline and some rather funky side mirrors. It's unclear exactly which drivetrain options will show up once the vehicle lands Stateside, however. Were we to guess, we'd say a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine isn't a bad bet.

Mercedes A-Class caught out in the cold originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz A and B class considered for 2011 launch in U.S.

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 08:32:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Hatchback, Mercedes-Benz

Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 A class.

Like almost every automaker, Mercedes-Benz is feeling the pinch of high gas prices and an economic slow-down in the States. Daimler AG expects M-B's sales in the U.S. to fall in the second half of the year and in order to keep things in the black, vehicle prices in the U.S. are going to rise.

To counter the shift in demand from larger, thirstier vehicles to smaller, thriftier rides, Mercedes is reconsidering its previous decision not to offer its next generation compact and sub-compact vehicles in the U.S. Mercedes originally planned to bring the B class over, but the weak dollar caused the automaker to hold off. With the entrance of the 1-series, the forthcoming X1 and small crossovers from Audi on the way, Mercedes is looking to bring it front-wheel-drive A and B class vehicles to U.S. consumers that might be open to a compact vehicle from a luxury automaker.

The A class hatch was recently revealed and the B class got a facelift earlier this year, however, both models will have to undergo some revisions to be ready for sales in the U.S. With more derivatives on the way, including 230 hp, turbo'd two-liters and a B class possibly sharing the C's underpinnings (similar to the 1 series using the 3 series' platform), don't expect either model to hit U.S. shores before 2011.

Gallery: 2009 Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Gallery: 2009 Mercedes-Benz B-Class

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Mercedes-Benz A and B class considered for 2011 launch in U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jul 2008 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes planning 1-series rival in 2011

Damon Lavrinc — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:22:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Europe, Crossover, Hatchback, Mercedes-Benz

It's no secret that the Mercedes-Benz A-class hasn't been a resounding success and that the automaker is looking to revamp its entry-level line-up to better compete with rivals. According to Autocar, M-B boss Dieter "Dr. Z" Zetsche has green-lighted a new model that's taking aim at the BMW 1-series and Audi A3, and will accompany the rest of the revised A-class models when it debuts in 2011.

The new model will replace the aging, if just recently facelifted, CLC and will initially come to market sporting a coupe body style instead of a three-door hatch. Mercedes plans to expand the rest of the A-classes to include at least three different body styles of each model, coinciding with the launch of the new B-class, which will be designed to compete with the upcoming BMW X1.

Power will supposedly come from a combination of direct-injection gasoline and diesel powerplants, with output ranging from 120 to 200 hp. Pricing should be competitive with BMW's 1-series models, with the new A-class falling right around the £19,000 mark.

[Source: Autocar]

Mercedes planning 1-series rival in 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW and Mercedes may hook up for subcompact

Dan Roth — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 11:34:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, BMW, Mercedes-Benz

Auto Bild is reporting that Mercedes and BMW may consider collaborating on subcompacts in the coming years. BMW's keeping an eye on the MINI plant in Oxford, England. If the factory doesn't run at full-tilt, BMW takes a monetary hit. Shacking up with Mercedes to build the next generation A-Class at MINI's facility and on the MINI platform would keep production humming right along. Other potential partners have been mentioned as well, such as Honda and PSA. Mercedes and BMW are working on hybrid technology together already, but Mercedes will only say that while it remains open to collaboration where sensible, there are no current plans to partner further with BMW.

[Source: Reuters]

BMW and Mercedes may hook up for subcompact originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Jul 2007 11:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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