A-Class Set to Hit Showrooms Late 2018 in North America
U.S. version of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class will be the first Benz to use the all-new MBUX multimedia system.
When Mercedes-Benz first dropped the Mercedes-Benz A-Class in its home market over two decades ago, it was a row of firsts for Stuttgart: the first Benz to tackle the compact car market, the first Benz to be strictly front-wheel drive, and the first Benz to be designed by Coventry University graduate Steve Mattin (who would also go on to design the ML and GL).
Two decades later, the A-Class is in for another set of firsts. The fourth generation of the “Baby Benz” will be the first time the U.S. market experiences the Mercedes version of compact luxury, while the A-Class will be the first to be sold with the all-new Mercedes-Benz User Experience multimedia infotainment system, or MBUX.
Debuting in Brooklyn, New York this week, the new A-Class will go on sale as a 2019 model in late 2018, though only the sedan will be available in the U.S. market. Based on MB’s “Sensual Purity” design language, the A-Class Sedan “as the proportions of a dynamic and compact sedan with short front and rear overhangs,” with a “deep greenhouse” and compact backside combined with 17- to 19-inch wheels and pronounced wheel arches for a sporty, muscular appearance and stance.
The centerpiece of the new A-Class Sedan is, of course, the MBUX multimedia infotainment system. The system uses artificial intelligence to learn and adapt with each user, “creating an emotional connection between the vehicle, driver and passengers.” The system is accessed via the standard pair of seven-inch touchscreens, or the optional pair of 10.25-inch displays. MBUX includes new and improved services, including those related to “Car-to-X Communication” and vehicle tracking.
The A-Class Sedan will come in two versions: the A 220 and the A 220 4MATIC. Both are equipped with a two-liter turbocharged I4 good for 188 horses and 221 lb-ft of torque, and whose power is sent to the front or all corners via the 7G-DCT dual-clutch transmission. No word on pricing at this time.
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