Plans for a hot new Mercedes are hatching out! This is the German firm’s stunning replacement for the A-Class – and it’s taking a big swing at Volkswagen’s Golf.
Auto Express has learned that the three-pointed star is readying a new small car to tackle the Golf, Audi A3 and BMW 1-Series. The vehicle is part of the luxury brand’s bid to steal younger customers from its arch rivals.
Based on a new front-wheeldrive platform, the compact hatchback will take its design cues from the F800 concept, which was revealed at this year’s Geneva Motor Show.
Our exclusive illustrations give you the best idea of how the Golf-sized machine will look. And with a prominent grille, neat LED headlights, plus bold creases in its flanks and pert tail, it’s every inch the desirable, upmarket small car. Expect both three and five-door models to be available, along with a range of super-efficient petrol and diesel engines with stop-start.
As well as its stylish shape, the newcomer will boast a better-quality cabin than the Golf, plus increased comfort and safety. Prices will be higher, too, with sales beginning in 2012. The model is likely to wear the A-Class badge, and will be one of four key vehicles to come from Mercedes’ new front-wheel-drive architecture.
“In the next couple of years, we will launch additional cars where we don’t currently have predecessors,” global sales and marketing boss Dr Joachim Schmidt told Auto Express. “Our current A-Class and B-Class will be replaced by a new platform for four totally different cars defining new segments for Mercedes.”
Schmidt confirmed these models would not resemble the current A-Class and B-Class. Their MPV practicality has appealed more to older drivers. The new Golf-rivalling A-Class is due in two years’ time, while a compact high-roofed five-door B-Class with hybrid and electric options is slated for late 2011.
In 2013, the quartet will be completed by a small 4x4 or 2x4 ‘crossover’ to take on BMW’s X1. Following the Geneva unveiling of the F800 (see panel, opposite), there are also plans for a small four-door coupé, possibly badged BLS, which will aim to replicate the success of the larger CLS.
“If you want young customers, you need to have a brand that is sexy and sporty,” explained Schmidt. “The reason we didn’t get this customer before was, in my opinion, not a brand issue, but a product issue.”
And it doesn’t stop there. Mercedes is planning a further youth-focused model to rival the forthcoming Audi A1 and BMW supermini. But this car is more likely to be badged as a Smart to replace the critically panned and unsuccessful four-door, four-seater ForFour.
It will be built on the same rear-wheel-drive platform as Renault’s groundbreaking Twizy electric model, as part of the recent small vehicle tie-up announced between the two car giants. The new range aims to lower the average age of Mercedes’ customer profile – 45 years old in the US and 55 in Germany – without alienating older customers.
Disqus - noscript
Looks like a Mazda3 with an SEC grill, but this is just an AutoExpress made up picture not the real car. Still, must be better than the A-class I drove last year, which was a dog.
Volvo nose, Mazda 2 from the side, and there is something familiar about the back that I cant place, but overall I actually like it, a car I would be interested in for my wife without a doubt.
I don't know where you guys get Mazda 2 and 3 from, or Volvo for that matter. To me it kind of looks like the next Mercedes A-Class (insert sarcastic tone here).
However the final design looks, this is what the A or B-class should always have been.Why Mercedes-Benz decided on two compact MVP model lines has always baffled me.
What a dog. The original W168 and especially V168 was engineered based on the assumption that people would want lots of space in a small package that could tackle the traffic of congested cities. Not to everyone's taste but for me it was bang on the money, best car I have ever owned. The current W169 and W245 have gained quality, panache, handling and ride but lost much of the packaging and practicality magic. The next models are set to go even further in that direction. Touran it is, then, in 3 years' time when I have to change my current B-class
Shaun34, the familiar thing about the rear is definatley traced directly from the back of a Proton Satria.
Mercedes will always pull customers with that three pointed star, but they will have trouble shaking that old A Class image. Its not a progressional change like VW Golfs but massive, like that of Mazdas 2, from dowdy high riding compact car to athletic supermini. It just seems that Mercedes has finally realised that they cant stand out from the crowd if they want to get ahead, the current A Class looks odd line up with an A3, Golf or 1 Series. One problem they will face is brand loyalty, they dont have a huge existing A Class customer base, so will rely on new punters, as they rightly say they want. On this grounds it must be excellent in orer to buy it over the competition. That nose is striking but quite Geely Volvo in direction, the rear very new generation Porsche Cayenne? I just hope that Mercedes Benz arent finally conforming to what a family model should look like, but resting on the draw of the badge to make sales like the CLC, seriously outdated, but still sells to those wanting to have a 'premium' car.
Take a walk in Rome, plenty of A-class and Smart. Not everyone everywhere has access to 5-metre parking spaces.
Ok, I know this is only an illustration which probably bears little resemblance to the final product, but I'm not at all convinced about it. I wonder if I'm the only one to notice Lexus 450h with the profile, albeit somewhat squished. If the finished product winds up looking like this, I won't be hurrying to the dealers to place an order.
Your're right, that C- pillar is pure Lexus RX! They say Lexus is Japan's Mercedes-Benz, now it seems the Germans are keen to have a little Japanese influence?
This is complete rubbish - its a photo of an ALFA Guillietta, that has had a few things stuck on in Photoshop courtesy of trying-to-fool-us Auto Express. What a waste time!!
Who cares what it resembles, the good news is that it beats the old A-class hands down in the looks stakes...
Many of the above comments highlight what I think has been a growing problem in motoring reportage for the last few years; namely the over-visualisation of forth-coming new cars. Twenty years ago we had simple drawings based on speculation and in-industry rumours and judged these purely on face value - a possible design outcome of a future model. Now we have photoshop literate wannabe car designers with CS5's latest 'magic new car filter' brush. I'd be happier if they got the scissors out and just did a David Hockney photomontage of current cars to create a new one. This is exactly as stated, a Mercedes grill comped onto a Alfa Giulietta body. Car porn for idiots.
guilietta meets ibiza side panels meets mazda6 mps grille meets kia pro_ceed rear.... what a reveal! :D
I reckon they based it on the new Ibiza, those lines down the side are an exact copy. The creases on the flanks on the Guillietta are different to these.
If its close to how it will look though, it will be a much better looking car than either the BMW or the Golf, which imo are the 2 most boring cars in the class.
It will all depend on the price. the Golf is expensive for what it is and I would expect the Merc to be even higher but to target the Golf buyers they will need to reduce their price (obviously) but knowing Mercedes they probably won't. Its like buying a Sony television and paying the little bit extra for the badge whereas the reliability is just as good as a none badged Sony.
Looks like a seat ibiza to me with mercedes lights & badges probably is underneath knowing volswagens & mercedes partnership with there commercial vans being the same just different badges, we all know THE MIGHTY VW owns everthing, From Lamborghni, Bugatti, Bentley, Porsche, Audi, Vw, Seat & Skoda etc etc, plus car makers are trying there best to save money from all angles & the best way to do that is to make less chassis's less engine's & just put different body's, dashboards & badges on them to maximise profits.
This is what Mercedes should have done with the A Class to begin with rather than a funny looking MPV type hatch. I am really excited if Mercedes enter this competitive hatch Market and offer the quality and experience that is offered in their larger cars. Question is what will happen to this industry when it is getting so congested within each of the segments? I reckon their will be casualties or tie-ups to over come the loss of Market share. We now have more choices than ever before within every sector.