#a-class

Pictures of the  Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG hit the web today, showing off the German brand’s new hot hatch. 

The new Mercedes A-Class took a radical departure from the original model with its sleek and sporty looking lines, and will be on sale in the U.S. sometime in 2014.

Mercedes-Benz just confirmed that it will build a small crossover based on the A-Class (pictured above), to come from the same factory and compete with the Audi Q3 and BMW X1.

Revealed at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, the 2013 Mercedes A-Class has now been detailed by the company on camera, exposing all of the tech and interior features. 

The Mercedes A45 AMG is joining the ranks of Germans hot-hatches that will not make their way to our shores.

We knew that Nissan was working on an Infiniti compact, but we just didn’t know when it would reach production. It’s all cleared up today as the Japanese automaker has confirmed that its Infiniti Compact will enter production in 2014.

A hot batch of photos and a detailed video of the Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupe (CSC) didn’t take long to surface after the initial images leaked. 

Mercedes briefly flashed some of the car’s interior last week in a video talking about style and craftsmanship. Now we have a full video and a host of pictures to show you what the car looks like. More importantly, it gives us a strong indication of what the CLC or the CLA will look like at the 2013 debut.

Mercedes-Benz revealed its refreshed 2013 A Class lineup today at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show to an enthusiastic mob of gawkers and dignitaries.

While the smallest Mercedes-Benz badged vehicle on sale in America might be the C-class, elsewhere in the world, you can buy even smaller models.

Mercedes-Benz is going guerilla with its marketing tactics for the new A-Class by placing camouflaged cars around Germany stamped with QR (Quick Response) codes to give those lucky enough to scan them a chance at some prizes.

While that’s good news for a bunch of lucky Germans, the rest of us will have to settle for a new video showing the body shape, headlights and bits of bumper. The video is just a small teaser for the full reveal which will happen in Geneva this March.

If you’re in Germany and see one of the “specially marked” vehicles, whip out your smart phone and scan the code. It could lead to a visit to witness the A-Class debut in person.

Last month our spy photographers spotted a camo-wrapped A-Class being tested but we weren’t sure about the mechanical details. Since then we’ve learned that it will likely feature a 1.8-liter turbocharged four cylinder mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Most models will feature front-wheel drive, though the AMG variant will get 4Matic treatment.

Expect to hear about the A-Class hitting the road in Europe by the end of the year, but not in the U.S. until mid 2013. There will, however, be a four-door coupe hitting the American market based on the same drivetrain later this year.

We’ll be covering the A-Class reveal as well as other breaking news from Geneva starting on March 6.

Watch the promo video after the jump.

[Source: Motor Authority]

The past 20 years were pretty stable in the automotive industry. Mostly predictable releases with a steady rate for manufacturers to introduce new models that seemed like a consistant recipe for success.

A while back we revealed that Infiniti‘s working on a new entry-level, FWD compact that would be based on Mercedes-Benz‘s A-Class platform. We now have news that Canadian-Austrian auto supplier Magna Steyr will be in charge of developing the entry-level model for Infiniti.

Infiniti‘s Etherea Concept, shown off earlier this year at Geneva, may become a reality thanks to its partnership with Mercedes-Benz. Car and Driver has reports that Infiniti will be using Mercedes-Benz’s A-Class platform to build their own entry-level luxury hatchback, leading to speculation that a production model based on the Etherea Concept is on Infiniti’s to-do list.

Mercedes-Benz is celebrating after taking first place in three different categories in the Automotive Brand Contest 2011. The jury voted the Mercedes-Benz design team “Team of the year”. The automotive brand was also awarded the ultimate “Best of Best” plaudit to the Mercedes-Benz CLS in the Exterior category. The A-Class concept received “Best of Best” in the Interior area of the Concept & Study category.