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World’s Most Aerodynamic Production Car Teased, V177 A-Class Sedan Incoming

Even though the Volkswagen XL1 has a drag coefficient of 0.19, it isn’t considered the most aerodynamic production car in the world because only 250 examples were ever made. Series production is on a different level altogether, and in regard to that, Mercedes-Benz did it again with the A-Class Sedan. Codenamed V177, the newcomer has been leaked ahead of the debut of the China-only A-Class L Sedan.
2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan (V177) 16 photos
Photo: Mercedes-Benz
2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan (V177)2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan (V177)2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan (V177)Mercedes-Benz A-Class L SedanMercedes-Benz A-Class L SedanMercedes-Benz A-Class L SedanMercedes-Benz A-Class L SedanMercedes-Benz A-Class L SedanMercedes-Benz A-Class L SedanMercedes-Benz A-Class L SedanMercedes-Benz A-Class L SedanMercedes-Benz A-Class L SedanMercedes-Benz A-Class L SedanMercedes-Benz A-Class L SedanMercedes-Benz A-Class L Sedan
The long-wheelbase model (codenamed Z177) was revealed at Auto China 2018 not that long ago, and the biggest difference other than the length between the front and rear axles is the longer rear door. The A-Class Sedan measures 2,729 millimeters in terms of wheelbase compared to the 2,789 millimeters of the Chinese interloper.

With a drag coefficient of 0.22 and frontal area of 2.19 square meters, the newcomer defends the aerodynamic record of the CLA Coupe. There’s an all-new CLA-Class (C118) in the pipeline as well, and you would expect, there are a number of contrasts between it and the A-Class Sedan concerning their rear-end designs.

Scheduled to “launch at the end of 2018” according to Mercedes-Benz, the V177 is a four-door notchback with short overhands at the front and rear. “At the top of its segment with regard to rear headroom,” the A-Class Sedan is confirmed to borrow most of the onboard technology and drivetrain options from the hatchback (W177).

Developed in Sindelfingen and to be produced in Germany (Rastatt) and Mexico (Aguascalientes), the V177 has been aerodynamically optimized with the help of computation loops, computer-aided simulations, and measurements in the wind tunnel that Mercedes-Benz operates in Sindelfingen. The drag coefficient was also made possible by the extensive panelling of the underbody, covering up the underside of the engine bay, floorpan, rear axle, and rear aerodynamic diffuser.

Over in Germany, the A-Class hatchback starts at €26,090 euro for the A 160. The 1.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is available in more powerful tunes (A 180 and A 200), and customers can level up to a 2.0-liter engine as well (A 220 4Matic). On the turbo diesel front, the A 180 d will have to make do. Being so similar to the W177, the A-Class Sedan should be available with most of these powerplants, if not all of them.
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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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