Trio of 2018 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Prototypes Goes Convoy Testing

For some weird reason, the A-Class seems to be testing in a convoy nearly all the time. Does a pack bring added protection from the paparazzi or do the engineers like to go out for bagels burgers together? We wish we knew. But it's not likely this information will become available in the official press release this fall.

That's when we think the A-Class will debut, at the Frankfurt Motor Show. All the major design guidelines have been drawn up by the A Sedan Concept revealed at the Shanghai motor show. The same kind of angular headlights and low hood can easily be seen, despite the camouflage.

Everything else follows the guidelines set by the E-Class. We see E-Class door mirrors and an E-Class interior with dual monitors. A while back, we called this setup a game-changer for the compact luxury class. But everybody else seems to be thinking along similar lines.

For example, the long-standing bastion of RWD shenanigans, BMW, is also going to be using a FWD platform for its next 1 Series. But Mercedes has been doing this kind of stuff for much longer, since 2011, to be precise.

That's when the MFA platform made its debut, and it's still around. The 2018 A-Class will use something called MFA2, an evolutionary architecture with much more flexibility in its wheelbase and reduced weight. As many as eight different models might eventually be underpinned.

We think that at least one of the prototypes in this video has a regenerative braking system. This kind of setup has already been announced for the next generation of Golf BlueMotion model, which will use a gasoline engine and smart coasting. Considering the Europe crackdown on diesel engines, Mercedes would be wise to stop further development of cheaper turbodiesel setups.

Even if the Renault-sourced 1.5-liter unit in the A180 d might not survive, it doesn't mean the next-gen A-Class won't burn oil. In fact, we predict an all-new 2.0-liter setup for the A200 d and A220 d.