The information comes via Mercedes-Benz sales and marketing head Joachim Schmidt, who said they've "got some more ideas, for example a three-door version of the A class, a convertible or a shooting brake.”
The next B-Klasse will be built on a new front-wheel drive platform, dubbed MFA internally, and will be made using a more conventional unibody frame, making production less expensive than the current model's sandwich structure. For the MFA platform, Mercedes-Benz will source its engine from Renault. The platform will not only spawn the next generation A-Klasse, but also other derivatives, including a compact SUV and a small sedan model.
The smaller models are necessary, as the German carmaker wants to meet tighter EU emissions standards, while also keeping up with BMW and Audi in sales.
The B-Klasse will be the first to arrive on the market, but the MFA could also be used by future models from Nissan’s luxury brand Infiniti. This will be the main fruit of the nearly 1-year-old alliance between Daimler, Nissan and Renault.
"Yes, discussions (with Renault-Nissan) about basing an entry-level Infiniti on our compact car platform are still proceeding. But we have not made a decision yet," Schmidt said.
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