Tuesday 18th April 2017

Mercedes Concept A revealed

Forgotten about the CLA in the Mercedes range expansion? Time for a facelift!

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Ever since Mercedes ditched the original (in every sense of the word) A-Class, its popularity has soared. The Mercedes compact car range - the A-Class, CLA, CLA Shooting Brake, GLA and B-Class - has now achieved more than two million sales since 2012.

This car, the Concept A Sedan, is described by Mercedes as "providing an outlook of the next generation of compact vehicles and a potential new body type." What exactly Mercedes means by a new body type is an odd one - given this appears very much like another small four-door saloon - but let's see if more details are forthcoming.

As for the outlook, it's clear to see where this car incorporates some new Mercedes styling updates in the familiar CLA silhouette. There's strong influence from the AMG GT Geneva concept in the front of this car, with the Panamericana grille that's being rolled out across the range and styling that "expresses self-confidence". The rear is recognisable from the current CLA, albeit enhanced with the "evolved design philosophy" and new lights. Being a concept car, it carries big - 20-inch - wheels, broad rear arches and some glitzy paint. Sadly it carries regular wing mirrors, rather than the rear-view cameras required of true concept cars.

The Concept A is being shown at the Shanghai motor show, because China still really, really loves a saloon. With the CLA first arriving in 2013, and the A-Class the year before that, expect a production version of this car - plus the rest of that compact car range - in due course.

[Mercutio]

I don't get it - it's a short stubby three box saloon car (ok albeit with lots of shiny surfaces) but where's the radical design here?

[RushDom]

It looks very nice - but then again, so did the CLA concept car, which was a real stunner. Instead, the production version we ended up with has to be one of the ugliest cars on the road today. What the hell went wrong?!

Don't Gordon Wagner's designs translate well enough into production cars or something?

Edited by RushDom on Tuesday 18th April 12:22

[Alex_225]

I guess this will fit in with the A3 saloon and 2 series. If it looks like that or at least very close to that, it'll be a nice looking thing.

RushDom said:

It looks very nice - but then again, so did the CLA concept car, which was a real stunner. Instead, the production version we ended up with has to be one of the ugliest cars on the road today. What the hell went wrong?!

Agreed. I love a Merc but the CLA is a minger. The front looks very much like most other modern Mercs but the overall shape looks like icing has been draped over a CLS shaped cake that's too small. It's like they've tried to make a mini CLS and it just didn't work. That said, even though it's an A Class with a boot, it seems to be very popular.

[Jonno02]

Will the exhausts be big empty chrome buckets, with the real exhaust 2 feet further up the car though?

[C7 JFW]

A grille which expresses 'self confidence'.

Ooh la la.

[ambuletz]

Looks bleedin' ugly. Why do they have to make mercs look so gash these days? Why do they have to have the merc badge so massive at the front? why not a sensible normal grille and the badge (that everyone tears off) ontop? I know its a concept but it looks too bulbous like it was a chinese-copy car.

[405dogvan]

I'm with the people who said "the last concept was pretty and the real thing is a massive minger"

The recent MB design-language has been awful - big snubby grilles and noses and unbalance lines...

There's a W215 CL in the workshop atm - lovely looking thing - compared to newer MBs it's a classic (and that's saying something!!)

[Oddball RS]

As badly proportioned as the current one.

[JohnoVR6]

As gopping as it is, particularly that rear end, at least they've tidied up the grille/ light/ front wing/ bonnet interaction;





The way that bonnet line sits makes my teeth itch every time I see a modern Merc...

[Dave Hedgehog]

looks stunning

[Swampy1982]

Personally I like it, wider rear arches, front looks aggressive, and looks different enough from the c class in a way the a3 doesn't from the a4.

Only concern is, as others have mentioned, how much of this will translate to the finished article. And assuming this is the AMG body kit diesel version, what will the standard trim one look like...

[IforB]

If this is design to "show confidence" then why have the boot and rear lights been lifted straight out of a Lexus?

I like the front end though.

[Nickbrapp]

Looks god awful, like the current CLA, looks ok from the front but the back is just crap. Compared to a s3 saloon it's a dogs dinner and will not age well

The A3 saloon is one of the best designs on the road, if Volvo did a saloon v40 it would be up there with it I reckon

[swisstoni]

You're in trouble when even the concept looks bad.

[CoolHands]

It's like a giant bubble. The old Ford Focus angular lines are finally out then.

[Zad]

Have they just recruited Vauxhall's chief designer or something? It looks especially mediocre and clumsy, like a Chinese copy of something.

[wab172uk]

Look great. The first Merc I'd consider buying.

Just a shame it'll never look like the concept.

[Vitorio]

The front reminds me of the AMG GT, which is a good thing.

The rest doesnt really impress, good or bad.

Im sure itll sell in massive numbers, and Audi will be forced to update their A3 saloon post-haste

[GrizzlyBear]

I am not really a fan of the new Mercs, but I am a fan of smaller cars, and I like this, although the front bumper looks like it is showing it's teeth to a dentist, not a good look.

Lets just see what it looks like when it goes into production; probably completely different...

[bluemason]

ambuletz said:

Looks bleedin' ugly. Why do they have to make mercs look so gash these days? Why do they have to have the merc badge so massive at the front? why not a sensible normal grille and the badge (that everyone tears off) ontop? I know its a concept but it looks too bulbous like it was a chinese-copy car.

because the urban clientele love bling ,innit.