Image: Mercedes-Benz
Just a few years back, Mercedes wouldn’t have considered showing the sub-compact A-Class in the United States. We Americans like trucks, not cars small enough to park in the bed of a full-size pickup. That was conventional wisdom for years, at least until gas prices began their current rise into the stratosphere. There aren’t any encouraging signs that they’ll be dropping any time soon, so Mercedes is seizing the opportunity to show off a performance version of their revised A-Class at the upcoming New York Auto Show. Proving how important this car is to Mercedes-Benz in world markets, the Concept A-Class will also be launched concurrently at the Shanghai Auto Show.
Image: Mercedes-Benz
The front-wheel-drive Concept A-Class is a stunner in the looks department, and the Mercedes press release uses more than a few references towards “aircraft inspired styling”. The subcompact hatchback gets a turbocharged, 2.0 liter, direct injection engine good for some 210 horsepower, which is plenty to move a car smaller than a Fiat 500. Inside, there’s room for four adults (really, because I’ve driven in the previous generation) plus a moderate amount of luggage space. Hauling three colleagues to a cross-town business meeting is no problem in the A-Class, but hauling three friends plus gear to a ski weekend isn’t going to work out well. As long as your expectations are reasonable, the A-Class is a sensible urban commuter car.
Image: Mercedes-Benz
Image: Mercedes-Benz
Whether or not we’ll get it on this side of the Atlantic remains to be seen. Mercedes is using the New York Auto Show to judge customer interest, and I suspect there will be lots of customer interest. If I were a betting man, I’d say we can expect to see the new A-Class in U.S. showrooms by early 2012, although Mercedes isn’t admitting that just yet.
Source: Mercedes-Benz
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.
