2018 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Convoy Spied, Shows Production Lights and Wide Stance

A five-vehicle convoy has been caught on camera and the most obvious change displayed by the test cars is the fact that the cladding preventing us from observing the silhouette of the compact is gone.

As such, we can talk about the next-gen A-Class' low, wide stance. This impression, which comes from the proportions of the vehicle, is amplified through the front and light clusters, which are now here in production form, albeit still heavily camouflaged.

Up front, the convoy sighting shows the various lighting options and we might just get a triple configuration layout involving halogen, Xenon and all-LED headlights. As for the taillights, these now stretch onto the tailgate.

The MFA2 evolutionary platform of the new Mercedes-Benz compact family, which will debut with the A-Class later this year, is set to bring plenty of benefits.

For instance, the wider tracks won't just deliver sharper handling, but also a roomier cabin. Speaking of which, we've recently taken you inside the 2018 A-Class. The hatchback receives a tech injection from the new E-Class, bringing elements such as massive, single-bezel digital instrument cluster (reserved for the higher trims) and a steering wheel that's overloaded with controls.

The new architecture alsmo means the A-Class will be friendlier to the scales. Coupled with the vehicle's downsized, turbocharged engines, the weight loss will deliver impressive fuel economy. And that conclusion stands even without taking the inevitable plug-in hybrid version.

Oh, and by the way, the future Mercedes-AMG A45, which we're expecting to land next year as a 2019 model, will feature a mild-hybrid setup in its quest to one-up the 400 hp Audi RS3.

Mercedes-Benz will introduce the next generation of the A-Class at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and you can probably already ask your dealer about it.