Mercedes' new A-Class

By Sam Hardy

April 2011

It's the hatchback that's gunning for an 'A' in the compact premium class! This is Mercedes' much-anticpated new small car, which will reinvent the A-Class and target Audi's A3 and BMW's 1-Series.

Making its North American debut at the New York Motor Show, it's known as Concept A, and is a sporty, three-door hatch. Boasting a wide grille, flowing lines and a VW Scirocco-esque stance, it was a real hit with show goers, and is designed to widen the appeal of the A-Class to younger customers.

Under the skin, it features an all-new front-wheel drive platform with McPherson struts at the front and a multi-link rear axle.

Inside there's a high quality cabin inspired by aircraft with jet engine-style air vents. Quality is very high and all the car's controls are operated by an intergrated smart phone, while there's ample seating for four.

Power for the new A-class range will come from the latest C-Class with a line-up of four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. There will also be a new 2.0-litre turbo petrol unit, which the Concept A previews in 204bhp hot hatch form, hooked up to a dual-clutch gearbox.

The production car will arrive in showrooms next year. Compared to this concept, expect a slightly taller roofline and deeper glass areas. A five-door model is also expected while there will be a new B-Class MPV too, designed to cater for current A-Class customers.

Mercedes also revealed its C63 AMG Coupe, which gets a 451bhp 6.2-litre V8.