Mercedes Previews Next-Generation Compact Models With New Concept

Mercedes-Benz says the all-new Concept A Sedan shows “that the time of creases is over.”

“With its perfect proportions and a sensual treatment of surfaces with reduced lines, it is the next milestone of ‘Sensual Purity’ and has the potential to introduce a new design era,” added Gorden Wagener, chief design officer Daimler AG. Although it’s called the Concept A Sedan, the model doesn’t preview the next-generation A-Class, but rather the styling of a possible new compact premium sedan with the proportions of a dynamic coupe. You could say it sounds a bit like the existing CLA.

Debuting at the 2017 Shanghai Motor Show, the Mercedes-Benz Concept A Sedan measures 179.9 inches long, 73.6 inches wide and 57.6 inches tall, compared to the CLA’s 182.3-inch long, 80-inch wide and 56.6-inch tall dimensions. So it is a bit smaller than the CLA and would easily slot under the existing C-Class. But more importantly, the concept previews the design direction Mercedes is considering for all its compact models.

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In a way, the concept is more like a smaller version of the AMG GT Concept that debuted earlier this year in Geneva. There’s a striking front end featuring the brand’s Panamericana grille with vertical chrome inserts. There’s also a stretched hood with Powerdomes and a muscular wheel arch design featuring a reduced arch dimension that emphasizes the exclusive 20-inch wheels.

The unique headlights up front are a unique feature of the brand, while the striking grid structure inside the headlight guarantees a confident, easy-to-recognize look. Mercedes says the grid structure has been coated with a UV paint that is also exposed to ultraviolet light, so as a result, the headlamps “glow” in different colors, depending on the light medium. For example, the daytime running lights are white.

The unique lighting technology is also found in the rear tail lights, while the rear bumper features a diffuser-look lower part that has been trimmed in black with a chrome strip to emphasize the car’s width.

Since 2012, more than two-million Mercedes compact vehicles have been sold worldwide and the Concept A Sedan could preview how the next-generation CLA might look.

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