Confirmed: the Next Mercedes-Benz A-Class is Coming to America
It’s long been thought the next-generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class will arrive in North America, but the German automaker has now confirmed the new compact will arrive on our shores.
Speaking to Automotive News, Mercedes global sales chief Britta Seeger said the new A-Class sedan will be arriving in North America and that the automaker believes the car is well-suited to American tastes. The previous-generation A-Class was offered in hatchback form only, although we did receive the closely related CLA sedan here.
“We truly believe that now with the body style we have the right answer for the market,” Seeger told Automotive News.
“It’s a very attractive car for younger people,” she added. “But not only for younger people — it can have a broad audience because it’s a nice entrance into the Mercedes-Benz family.”
SEE ALSO: Is the Mercedes-Benz A-Class Getting a Plug-in Hybrid Variant?
The A-Class will ride on a new Mercedes-Benz front wheel drive architecture called MFA2, which will also find its way into new versions of the B-Class, GLA and CLA. We’re expecting a range of four-cylinder engines to find their way under the hood – likely an updated version of the M274 2.0-liter found in the current CLA250. An AMG version may also eventually arrive with a bit more power on tap than the CLA AMG’s impressive 375 hp output. A hybrid variant has been rumored as well.
Mercedes-Benz has already shown the surprisingly upscale interior of the new A-Class, which is expected to be priced in the low $30,000 range. Those images revealed a widescreen display and turbine-style air vents, like those seen on just about every other new Mercedes vehicle, along with ambient lighting, a center-console touchpad, simple HVAC controls with metal switches and yellow seat stitching.
We should know more about the new A-Class following its debut sometime next year. The new four-door will go on sale in the US in the fall of 2018.
[Source: Automotive News]
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Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.
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it appears the A45 AMG will have more HP than the artificially limited M2
HP on both the CLA AMG and the GLA AMG 45's is 375, not 355....has been since the 2016 models.