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Mercedes-Benz Tests W177 A-Class In Sub-Zero Weather

The three-pointed star won’t say it right now, but it’s highly likely for the fourth-generation A-Class to be coming to the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. In anticipation of the world premiere, Mercedes-Benz ends the current year with a teaser of the W177 doing what you should be doing right now: playing in the snow.
Mercedes-Benz W177 A-Class 17 photos
Photo: screenshot from YouTube
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From the description of the teaser, we learn that the W177 has been in development for “more than four years.” The 35-second video focuses on “the last extensive test drives in wintry Sweden,” where you can tell the pre-production prototypes are fitted with the body and interior panels you will see on the real deal. And indeed, the changes are easily noticeable.

Longer, wider, and more hunkered down than its predecessor, the W177 borrows some of the styling details introduced to the Mercedes-Benz family by the all-new CLS. The influence of the C257 is crystal clear as far as the full-LED headlights and taillights are concerned. "Dynamic" is the right word here.

The interior, which has been made official by the Stuttgart-based automaker in a previous teaser, draws inspiration from the E- and S-Class, sporting a big digital instrument cluster and new infotainment system. The design of the air vents and of the steering wheel are further nods to Mercedes’ larger models.

Underpinned by the second generation of the MFA platform (as in Modular Front-wheel-drive Architecture), the W177 is confirmed to get a plug-in hybrid powertrain that’s expected to be good for 50 kilometers (31 miles) of all-electric range. More impressively, a Mercedes-Benz A-Class-sized electric vehicle will also be added to the lineup in the form of the EQ A.

While on the subject of means of propulsion, the teaser’s description further mentions “new engines” without going into detail. However, it’s not that hard to guess what the three-pointed star is referring to, as in the 1.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder co-developed with Renault. In the first instance, the 1.3 TCe will be offered in three flavors: 115, 140, and 160 ponies.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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