Photo: CarPix
The Audi A3 is in big, big trouble once the all-new Mercedes A-Class comes out. We expected some minor improvements to happen because the platform is derived from the old one. But the luxury hatchback might completely revolutionize the segment.
The best way to sum up what's happening is to say that the 2018 A-Class will offer nearly everything that the E-Class does. Let's start with the interior, where we have the first complete digital solution in the segment. About two feet of screen stretches out in front of the driver. And unlike in the S-Class, we can't see any ugly bezels here.
Obviously, the digital cluster is fully configurable, and it seems to be in a sort of comfort setting here, where the speedometer is replaced by simple numerical information.
The driver's weird choice of a Microsoft smartphone couldn't distract us away from seeing that the steering wheel controls are just as elaborate as those on the E-Class. You've got two capacitive "joysticks," one for each side of the screen, plus a myriad of buttons.
A few lessons have apparently been learned from the outgoing A-Class. For example, while curvaceous, the frames of the side windows are wider to let more light into the cabin. And it's for the same reason that Mercedes used removable headrests, not a clamshell backrest. Is that a full-length moonroof we see?
Some of the camouflage has been stripped off the front end, revealing new design elements. The front end is tapered and futuristic, without overly aggressive side air intakes. Around the back, they've stretched out the taillights and chopped them down the middle to create a wider trunk opening.
The Mercedes emblem looks even bigger than before. But that's because they are hiding a radar system under there. Speaking of sensors, binocular cameras can be seen at the top of the windshield. We think the 2018 A-Class will be able to do everything from detecting elk to steering itself down the autobahn at 200 km/h (124 mph), if not more. So yeah, the A3 is screwed for a couple of years until the next generation arrives.
Obviously, the digital cluster is fully configurable, and it seems to be in a sort of comfort setting here, where the speedometer is replaced by simple numerical information.
The driver's weird choice of a Microsoft smartphone couldn't distract us away from seeing that the steering wheel controls are just as elaborate as those on the E-Class. You've got two capacitive "joysticks," one for each side of the screen, plus a myriad of buttons.
A few lessons have apparently been learned from the outgoing A-Class. For example, while curvaceous, the frames of the side windows are wider to let more light into the cabin. And it's for the same reason that Mercedes used removable headrests, not a clamshell backrest. Is that a full-length moonroof we see?
Some of the camouflage has been stripped off the front end, revealing new design elements. The front end is tapered and futuristic, without overly aggressive side air intakes. Around the back, they've stretched out the taillights and chopped them down the middle to create a wider trunk opening.
The Mercedes emblem looks even bigger than before. But that's because they are hiding a radar system under there. Speaking of sensors, binocular cameras can be seen at the top of the windshield. We think the 2018 A-Class will be able to do everything from detecting elk to steering itself down the autobahn at 200 km/h (124 mph), if not more. So yeah, the A3 is screwed for a couple of years until the next generation arrives.
Google News