Photo: SB-Medien
Our spy photographers have caught up to a very interesting Mercedes B-Class testing with light camouflage for the front and back of the car. It's suggested that this is a facelift for the small MPV which will go on sale in 2015, but we have other ideas.
Even though the B-Class was the first car to be built on their MFA platform, the B-Class isn't really that old to require a facelift. And even if were in line for a makeover, what would they change it to?
Instead, we think this is some sort of sport model. Round the back, the prototype has a completely new bumper with two separate exhaust cutouts, like the current B 250 Sport only with a different look. The lowered ride height and front diffuser make it quite easy to suggest this is the AMG version of the B-Class, but that isn't necessarily the case.
Instead, I personally think this could be a gap-filler model, in between the current B 250 Sport and the full AMG model, which doesn't really belong in an MPV range.
Reporting this theory is the fact that Mercedes is working on a more powerful 2-liter turbo engine. The one in the 250 models makes only 211 PS, but the next generation C-Class will have a 300 model powered by a 4-banger making about 250 hp. This is Merc's answer to the BMW N20 engine and should also replaced the detuned V6 in the E300.
But what do we call this strange car? One idea comes from Mercedes' past and was pointed out to me by my colleague from the Silver Arrows blog. The W168 A-Class had a hot model called the A210 Evolution, which was the fastest in its model range. If that creates too much confusion (think Mitsubishi Evo), Mercedes could just call it the B 300 Sport!
Instead, we think this is some sort of sport model. Round the back, the prototype has a completely new bumper with two separate exhaust cutouts, like the current B 250 Sport only with a different look. The lowered ride height and front diffuser make it quite easy to suggest this is the AMG version of the B-Class, but that isn't necessarily the case.
Instead, I personally think this could be a gap-filler model, in between the current B 250 Sport and the full AMG model, which doesn't really belong in an MPV range.
Reporting this theory is the fact that Mercedes is working on a more powerful 2-liter turbo engine. The one in the 250 models makes only 211 PS, but the next generation C-Class will have a 300 model powered by a 4-banger making about 250 hp. This is Merc's answer to the BMW N20 engine and should also replaced the detuned V6 in the E300.
But what do we call this strange car? One idea comes from Mercedes' past and was pointed out to me by my colleague from the Silver Arrows blog. The W168 A-Class had a hot model called the A210 Evolution, which was the fastest in its model range. If that creates too much confusion (think Mitsubishi Evo), Mercedes could just call it the B 300 Sport!
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