Mercedes-Benz polling customers on bringing B-Class to the States

Almost since the day that Mercedes-Benz introduced the A-Class and then B-Blass models over a decade ago, the company has been hemming and hawing about whether to offer the cars in the U.S. market. A combination of factors, including unfavorable exchange rates and limited American demand for hatchbacks, conspired to keep both models out of this market – although they have been available in Canada.

With a new generation B-Blass set to debut in 2011, Mercedes-Benz has been taking another look at offering the car here and has been holding consumer clinics to determine whether to sell the car and with what body style. A crossover, sedan and a sporty coupe are being shown, but the hatchback apparently is not. If a B-Class variant does arrive we probably won't see it until at least 2012.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req'd]