Compact entry into the world of Mercedes-Benz premium sedans
The family of compact cars from Mercedes-Benz continues to grow: the all-new A-Class Sedan will launch at the end of the year. The four-door sedan has a wheelbase of 107.4 inches and the proportions of a dynamic and simultaneously compact sedan with short front and rear overhangs and boasts impressive space in the interior. In addition, the sedan model has A-Class virtues familiar to the rest of the world. These include a new and efficient engine and high levels of safety thanks to the available state-of-the-art driving assistance systems on par with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The new A-Class is also the first vehicle in the Mercedes-Benz lineup to introduce the intuitively operated MBUX – Mercedes-Benz User Experience multimedia system. The all-new 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan will celebrate its World Premiere in Brooklyn, NY in July 2018 and will go on sale in the U.S. in late 2018.
“Following the successful start of the A-Class, things at Mercedes-Benz are happening in quick succession with regard to the new family of compacts. In response to the wish of many customers, we now offer the A-Class for the first time as a sedan,” says Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing and Sales. “Anyone looking for a compact, sporty sedan with a separate trunk now has a new, attractive alternative. It will attract new customers for Mercedes-Benz.”
The new generation of compacts has made a key contribution to the rejuvenation and image-change of the Mercedes-Benz brand. The launch of the four-door CLA Coupe in 2013 was the first time a compact car from Mercedes-Benz was sold in the U.S. market. In 2017, nearly one in two buyers of a Mercedes-Benz compact car in the U.S. had previously driven a competitor vehicle, and more than 50-percent of the CLA custome rs were new to Mercedes-Benz (first-time buyers and conquests).
The 1997 A-Class originally established the compact car segment of Mercedes-Benz that exists today. Since then, more than six million models have been delivered worldwide. As the seventh model, the A-Class Sedan further expands the range of Mercedes-Benz compact cars. A logical addition, because with the C, E and S-Class, Mercedes-Benz continues to hold its position as a top-manufacturer of premium sedans.
The key dimensions of the new A-Class Sedan:
- Length: 179.1 in
- Width: 70.7 in
- Height: 56.9 in
- Wheelbase: 107.4 in
The A-Class Sedan offers great utility with roomy shoulder, elbow and headroom and easy access to the rear. The improvement to rear headroom space is particularly exceptional and the trunk was designed for practical usability with a large trunk opening that allows for comfortable loading and unloading of larger luggage items.
Engine & Performance
The A-Class Sedan will be available as an A 220 and as an A 220 4MATIC, both equipped with a 2.0L inline-4 turbocharged engine that produces 188 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, mated to a 7G-DCT dual-clutch transmission.
Equipment & Appointments: KEYLESS-GO® with HANDS-FREE ACCESS Available
The standard equipment for the A 220 and A 220 4MATIC is extensive and includes the revolutionary MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience multimedia system with touchscreen) with Voice Control. As with every Mercedes-Benz, safety is also a top priority, so sophisticated safety systems including Active Brake Assist and adaptive braking technology with Hill Start Assist and the HOLD function are standard. In addition, the A-Class Sedan can be customized with unique design and equipment lines including Progressive (standard) and the optional AMG Line. A Night Package is also available as an option.
KEYLESS-GO with HANDS-FREE ACCESS will also be one of the available options. The HANDS-FREE ACCESS function conveniently enables the hands-free and fully automatic opening of the trunk lid with a kicking motion of the foot under the rear bumper.
Design: Superior Sportiness and Modernity
The A-Class Sedan seamlessly embodies the design idiom of Sensual Purity with its purist design that emphasizes distinct yet harmonious surfaces. Clear, formal shapes emphasize surface areas with reduced lines and precise gaps. The new A-Class Sedan has the proportions of a dynamic and compact sedan with short front and rear overhangs.
The deep greenhouse and compact rear-end contribute to the vehicle’s dynamic boost. The 17 to 19-inch wheels and pronounced wheel arches give the A-Class Sedan a sporty stance on the road.
The design of the front-end looks very progressive. This impression is enhanced by the low, elongated hood, the chrome slim-line headlamps, the torch-like daytime driving lights, the optional single-louvre diamond radiator grille with chrome pins and, of course, the central star.
A precisely characterized line runs along the muscular and sensual shoulder to emphasize the perfectly contoured side volume, while the side mirrors sit on the beltline.
The two-part taillamps emphasize the width of the rear end. The rear reflectors were relocated to the modular two-part rear bumper. Depending on the selected equipment, the rear bumper is available with a black diffuser or with a chrome trim strip and chrome tailpipe tips.
Interior Design: Revolution from Within
The interior of the new A-Class is completely redefined with a modern, avant-garde look. Mercedes-Benz has taken a completely new approach, revolutionizing the compact class from the inside to create a new feeling of spaciousness. The unique interior architecture is predominantly reformed by the avant-garde design of the dashboard. The designers completely dispensed with the cowl above the cockpit. As a result, the wing-shaped main body of the dashboard extends from one front door to the other with no visual discontinuity–the widescreen display is completely free-standing. The sporty turbine look of the new air vents is another highlight.
Below the main body is a low-lying section with fenders that appear to float, as there are no connections or shape transitions to the surrounding area. The ambient lighting accentuates the free-floating impression of the substructure. The 64 colors of the optional ambient lighting make five times as many colors available than before. It is not just the variety that has increased, as the emotional presentation also sets new standards in this segment. The different colors are composed into ten color themes to create a lighting display with spectacular color changes.
The fully free-standing cockpit is available in two configurations:
- Two 7-inch displays (standard)
- Two 10.25-inch displays (optional)
MBUX – Mercedes-Benz User Experience: Unrivalled Experience
The new A-Class is the first Mercedes-Benz model to feature the completely new MBUX – Mercedes-Benz User Experience multimedia system — ushering in a new era for connectivity. A unique feature of this system is its ability to learn thanks to Artificial Intelligence. MBUX is customizable and adapts to the user, creating an emotional connection between the vehicle, driver and passengers.
Depending on the specification, further strengths include the high-resolution widescreen cockpit concept with a touchscreen media display with Augmented Reality capabilities, a digital instrument cluster display, Intelligent voice control with natural speech recognition – activated with the keyword “Hey Mercedes.” The touchscreen is part of the comprehensive MBUX touch-control concept – a triad consisting of the Touchscreen, Touchpad on the center console and Touch Control Buttons on the steering wheel. A head-up display is also optionally available.
MBUX revolutionizes the user experience in the car. Emotionally appealing features underline the comprehensibility of the control structure through brilliant 3D maximum-resolution graphics which are calculated and displayed in real time.
New and improved connected services are being launched with the new multimedia generation MBUX. These include the functions based on Car-to-X Communication (information from vehicle to vehicle on events recorded by sensors, e.g. emergency braking, ESP® intervention, or a manual system message from the driver, e.g. about an accident) and vehicle tracking, which makes it easier to find the parked car.
INTELLIGENT DRIVE: Functions from the S-Class
The A-Class is optionally available with the very latest driver assistance systems with functions adopted from the S-Class. For the first time, the A-Class is able to drive semi-autonomously in certain conditions. To do this, it keeps a close eye on the traffic situation with improved camera and radar systems that allow it to see more than 1,500 feet ahead (up to 500 meters). The A-Class also uses map and navigation data for certain assistance functions. For example, Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC® is able to provide route-based support to the driver in numerous situations and predictively adjust the speed when approaching bends, junctions or roundabouts. Active Emergency Stop Assist and the intuitive Active Lane Change Assist are also included as part of the Driver Assistance Package.
Active Brake Assist is standard for the new A-Class. Depending on the situation, it can help to effectively mitigate or avoid the consequences of rear-end collisions with slower-moving, stopping or stationary vehicles ahead. The system can even recognize crossing pedestrians and cyclists, and can intervene or support the driver in possible collision scenarios.
Active Lane Keeping Assist is able to warn the driver by means of pulsed vibrations in the steering wheel when the vehicle is unintentionally drifting out of its lane at speeds between approximately 37 and 125 mph. If the vehicle passes over a solid line, it can pull the vehicle back into the lane by applying the brakes on one side. In the case of a dotted line, such intervention takes place only when there is a danger of collision with a vehicle in the adjacent lane (including danger from oncoming traffic).
PRE-SAFE® PLUS can recognize an imminent rear-end collision. If the vehicle is stationary and the danger of a collision persists, the system can also firmly apply the brakes, thus minimizing the risk of a secondary collision and of injuries by reducing the forward jolt caused by an impact from the rear.
Passive Safety: Highly Stable Passenger Compartment and Modern Restraint Systems
The new A-Class is also the first Mercedes-Benz model to be developed at the new Technology Centre for Vehicle Safety (TFS). The design of the vehicle structures incorporates findings from research into real accidents. Every single body shell component was developed according to loads and stresses encountered, with respect to geometry, material thickness, joining technology and material quality (increased proportion of high-strength and ultra-high-strength sheet steel).
The centerpiece of the body’s safety concept is the highly rigid passenger compartment. A greater use of high-strength, ultra-high-strength and press-hardened sheet steel results in an impressive rigidity when subjected to accident-induced stress – for example, in frontal, lateral or rear-end collisions and roll-overs.
The driver and front passenger seats each have a three-point seat belt with a belt force limiter and belt tensioner. As standard, the new A-Class is equipped with driver and front passenger airbags, a driver’s knee airbag and window airbags. Unlike in many competing models, the window airbags cover the A-pillar for more complete passenger protection. Thorax-pelvis side airbags are also standard in the front and available as an optional addition for the rear.
LED Intelligent Light System: Optimum Visibility in All Conditions
The optional LED Intelligent Light System is another example of the technology transfer from the luxury to the compact class. It allows for the extremely quick, precise and electronically controlled adjustment of the headlamps to suit the given traffic situation. Each headlamp features multiple individually actuated LEDs. The daylight-color of the LEDs is easy on the eyes and positively effects concentration. The road ahead is precisely and brightly illuminated. As standard, the new A-Class is equipped with LED Headlamps with integrated LED Daytime Running Lamps.
Suspension: Agile and Comfortable
There is a choice of suspension systems for the A-Class depending on driver preference. The line-up of wheels ranges from 17 to 19 inches.
The front axle of the new A‑Class features a McPherson design. For models with 4MATIC, adaptive damping or larger wheels are fitted with a complex four-link rear axle. All other models have a weight-optimized torsion-beam rear axle.
Production: Aguascalientes, Mexico and Rastatt, Germany
Production of the new A-Class Sedan will begin this year in Aguascalientes. The COMPAS (Cooperation Manufacturing Plant Aguascalientes) joint-venture production plant in Central Mexico will expand the Mercedes-Benz Cars compact-car production network to five locations on three continents. COMPAS is a cooperative project with the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Daimler and Nissan each hold 50% of the shares in COMPAS.
Production of the new A-Class Sedan at the Mercedes-Benz Rastatt Plant in Germany will start in 2019. Rastatt is the leading plant for compact cars in the global production network. The plant is responsible for the global production control as well as quality and supplier management. In addition, it supports smooth start-ups at the other plants by training their employees and offering other services. In April, the new generation of A-Class compacts already began coming off the line in Rastatt.
The all-new 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan will celebrate its World Premiere in Brooklyn, NY in July 2018 and will go on sale in the U.S. in late 2018.