B Buzzes In For Merc

By Craig Cheetham

15th February 2005

It uses the 'sandwich floor' arrangement of the baby A-Class to deliver maximum safety and space, thanks to a low centre of gravity and an interior free from intrusion of mechanical parts.

This means the five-seat B-Class offers unrivalled rear legroom, with only marginally less space in the back than the giant S-Class. It has excellent load carrying ability, too, with a 544-litre boot capacity with the seats in place, and a whopping 2,245 with the rear bench or front passenger chair removed.

The B-Class's arrival also sees the introduction of a new 2.0-litre, 193bhp four-cylinder petrol engine to the Mercedes line-up. Debuting in the B200 Turbo, it takes the new car from 0-60mph in 7.6 seconds and on to a 140mph top speed. Naturally aspirated 1.5, 1.7 and 2.0-litre units are also available. Diesel fans have a choice of two 2.0-litre motors, producing 109bhp and 140bhp respectively. The oil-burners and flagship B200 Turbo come with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, while Mercedes' new Autotronic self-shifter will be offered as an option across the range. Another new development to debut is Thermotronic, an advanced digital climate control system. The B-Class will hit UK showrooms late this year, priced from ΂£16,000.