We’ve already seen and heard plenty about the concept version of the car, but as the road-ready incarnation gets closer and closer to its big unveiling, we have to take every opportunity to check for changes.
The most recent spyshots from our dedicated team of trigger-happy car chasers reveal that the car has basically nothing in common with the old generation, which will soon be nothing more than a bad dream. Gone are those smart-like proportions, small wheels and cartoonish looks. Instead, just like the new BMW 1-Series, the A-Klasse is becoming wider, longer and more planted on the road.
The A-Class prototype you see here has a fairly conventional five-door hatchback design but with a sloping front-end and Mercedes’ stretched arch design for the cabin. While it is “just” a hatchback, these are some of the most interesting lines we’ve seen in this class, and the new front end inspired by its big brothers, such as the CLS and SLS, should help it stand out. In addition, a sportier three-door version is expected to arrive, bringing with it the AMG version with a 320 hp turbocharged four-pot.
Under all that camo lies a new front-wheel drive platform, know as the MFA (Mercedes Frontwheel Architecture), which replaces the old-generation’s sandwich construction for regular sheeting.
The European market will welcome the new A-Klasse some time next year, while America will have to wait until early 2013.
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