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2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Pack

Despite developing the new GLA and GLB models, Mercedes-Benz hasn't given up on the B-Class. A second generation of the compact car (we're not counting the smaller ones that came before) is currently in the last stages of development and has been seen undergoing winter testing in Scandinavia.
2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Pack 22 photos
Photo: SB-Medien
2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package2019 Mercedes B-Class Spied While Winter Testing, Appears to Have AMG Line Package
Unlike the A-Class, which went through about two years of road testing, the B-Class was first spotted towards the end of 2017. So why are we saying it's almost ready to debut? Because unlike the A-Class, which has entirely new proportions, this car is built around the old one's architecture.

We honestly don't see that as a problem. When we tested the B-Class a couple of years ago, it surprised us with its road-holding capabilities and refinement. Neither interior nor cargo space seemed to be a problem. But the dashboard looked a little dated even by the standards of the time.

This 2019 model will be stuffed full of all the lovely buttons, switches and screens being developed for the A-Class. It's stuff that Mercedes has already shown on numerous occasions, most recently at the Consumer Electronics Show. The downside is that if you can't afford the optional double screen, it will look cheap.

While the architecture is the older MFA, the shell on top will undeniably look new. Even with the massive camouflage at the front, we can easily make out the oversized grille of an AMG Line model. The headlights are also quite sporty looking, but less angular than the ones used by the 2019 A-Class.

New engines are also on the horizon, ones that will be shared with all the Hungarian-built front-wheel-drive Mercedes models. The base unit is likely to be the 1.3-liter turbo developed by Renault and capable of delivering between 115 and 160 HP.

However, the real game changer is the 2-liter diesel, which most German customers desire. It will deliver more power from a smaller displacement than the old 2.1-liter. This combined with a potential new 8-speed gearbox should make the B-Class a good autobahn cruiser.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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