The one-off Mercedes B55.
The Mercedes Benz B Class isn’t a notable car to the automotive enthusiast. Designed for the EU as a “family size” version of their diminutive A Class commuter, the B Series (and it A Series sibling) are the only Mercedes-Benz vehicles built in a front wheel drive configuration. Mercedes describes the car as a “Compact Sports Tourer”, but even the fastest version tops out at 193 horsepower, which isn’t exactly “Sports Tourer” territory in my opinion. The car has been launched in Canada, but it’s yet to trickle down into the United States; officially, the reason is the strong Euro, but I suspect Mercedes sees the B Class as a hard sell in this country.
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What if you could shoehorn in a 388 horsepower, 5.5 liter Mercedes-Benz M273 V8, and turn the car into a rear driver? What if you used a Mercedes rear end that was more than capable of handling the engine’s torque, and what if you fitted brakes scrounged from a C32 AMG on all four corners? Now THAT would make my Teutonic hormones sit up and beg, and that’s exactly what some bratwurst-and-beer-fueled employees of Mercedes’ Rastatt assembly plant did in their spare time. While the project isn’t likely to see production, Mercedes isn’t exactly shying away from the publicity it’s created, either. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the B55 at select events throughout the EU, and if there’s enough interest, who knows what’s possible?
Source: Autoblog and Autoevolution
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
