The next generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class According to reports, it is not a traditionally shaped front-wheel drive hatchback.
Jörg Burzer, head of technology at the automobile manufacturer and also responsible for development and purchasing, commented Automobile Week made some cryptic references to the design of the fifth-generation A-Class and told the trade publication that the new car will be a “very attractive model” and “a model that does not currently exist in this form.”
Sources went further and reported Automobile Week The fifth generation model combines SUV and people mover elements in a compact space.
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As part of a company plan for 2023 to reduce the number of entry-level models in order to focus on larger and higher-margin vehicles, the current A-Class slant should initially be retired in 2026 without a replacement.
Mercedes-Benz reversed course last year and extended the lifespan of the existing hatch until 2028, when the fifth-generation model is due to be ready.
The new car will be based on the MMA platform that underpins the latest CLA sedan and wagon, as well as the GLA and GLB SUVs. The latest version of MMA supports both combustion engines and purely electric drives.
As part of its strategy change, Mercedes-Benz has decided to tailor the bodies offered on the MMA platform to different regions. The CLA suits American tastes as it is a sedan, long wheelbase variants were developed specifically for China and the next A-Class will be something compact and spacious for the European market.
If the report is true, the new SUV/people mover-style body will not only serve as a replacement for the canceled B-Class, but will also see the A-Class return to its roots in some ways.
When Mercedes-Benz decided to move into the space below the C-Class, the company decided to do something radical to really stand out from the crowd.
The original A-Class was launched in 1996, when Europe was in the midst of the small transport vehicle craze. It was tall, short and roomy. Although it was only 3.7 m long, Mercedes-Benz claimed it had as much interior space as the modern 4.5 m long C-Class.
This was largely thanks to its unique sandwich floor design and the specially designed four-cylinder engine, which was mounted at a 59-degree angle to allow it to fit into the stubby nose and slide under the floor in the event of an accident.
The unique sandwich floor platform was abandoned in favor of a traditional front and all-wheel drive arrangement for the third-generation model introduced in 2012 and has been used ever since.
MORE: Discover the Mercedes-Benz A-Class showroom
