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Mercedes bringing A-Class to US; heads further down market

By Drew Dowdell (edited)

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  • Mercedes will add another sedan below the CLA.

Mercedes has informed dealers that there will be another sedan heading their way for 2018.  Mercedes-Benz has decided the US is finally ready for the A-Class. Mercedes has previously shown the 2011 A-class concept in the U.S., but did not send that model over. 

Currently, the smallest and least expensive Mercedes sold in the U.S. is the Mercedes-Benz CLA, a 4-door fastback sedan that Benz calls a 4-door coupe.  When the CLA originally debuted in the U.S. in 2013, it started at $29,900 before delivery charge.  It has since crept up to $32,700. This new A-Class is expected to start below the $30k mark.2017 Mercedes A-Class - European Spec

Previously, the A-Class was only sold as a hatchback (2017 A-Class in European Spec shown right), a bodystyle not particularly popular in the U.S. The 2018 A-Class will be the first time the model is offered as a sedan. The A-Class will use the same front-wheel-drive platform as the current CLA and GLA and is expected to utilize similar powertrain arrangements. 

The 2018 Mercedes Benz A-Class sedan is expected to go on sales in the U.S. in September of 2018 with sales in other markets (read: Europe) next spring and China to follow.

Look for the A-Class reveal at one of the auto shows during Fall 2017.

Source: Automotive news (Subscription Required)

 

Edited by Drew Dowdell

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    Robert Hall

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    (edited)
    18 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

     

    Somehow it lacks the early 70's vibe of the van on Scoby Doo though...

    Or that late '70s Dodge Street Van look... doesn't work.  Thought those were cool as a kid.

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    Edited by Cubical-aka-Moltar

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    A Horse With No Name

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    Just now, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

    Or that late '70s Dodge Street Van look... doesn't work. 

    Agreed....and late 70's dodge had the little red wagon truck and the Dodge power wagon and several other cars for someone who was an enthusiast on a budget...something that Benz does not have.

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    • Grand Master

    G. David Felt

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    1 hour ago, smk4565 said:

    The Metris is pretty sweet.  You can get power heated seats, blind spot monitoring, active lane keep assist, radar cruise control, rain sense wipers, Sat-Nav turbo, 7-speed, alloy wheels for like $33k.

    Seems to be in direct conflict with MB being the Luxury auto company of the world. Guess they better either turn it into another $100K van with luxury or kill it.

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    • Grand Master

    G. David Felt

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    1 hour ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

    Metris seems pretty reasonable...get the cargo van version for under 30k, add shag carpeting and a sofa bed, custom paint....

    2016-mercedes-benz-metris-cargo-van-inline1-photo-670080-s-original.jpg

    So many better Vans out of our past compared to this 3 pointed Turd of a Van!

    A-Team-GMC-Van.jpg

    cool-vans-s-custom-vans.jpg

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    TransAmVan.jpg

    Gotta love the 70's and 80's custom van scene. We really need to get people back to building cool auto's! :metal: 

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    A Horse With No Name

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    53 minutes ago, dfelt said:

    Seems to be in direct conflict with MB being the Luxury auto company of the world. Guess they better either turn it into another $100K van with luxury or kill it.

    Doesn't matter because Mercedes sells more S class than any other premier luxury car...

    Ohhh...and love the Mystery machine!

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    A Horse With No Name

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    When i am talking fun....I love this commercial...

     

    Mercedes doesn't build anything fun....they build stuff that is fast....but nothing I am drawn to...

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    A Horse With No Name

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    zxbgl49.jpg

     

    Mercedes van with Patina maybe....something like this VW....?

     

    1949-Mercury-M68-630x394.jpg

     

    Looks much better on proper American iron...

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    Although i guess if you were desperate enough you could ahve fun with a Smart car...

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    Would honestly rather ahve something fun and unique like this vintage Studebaker than an S class...

    image.png

    And since Dodge and patina were both brought up earlier...

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    A Horse With No Name

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    And if you want to look at shiny new stuff, here is the ZL1 Camaro running 7:16 on the Nuremberg ring...

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    A Horse With No Name

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    And for reference, it is not a Benz that has the fastest production time at the ring, look at this...McLaren hits 202 where the Camaro was at 168..

     

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    smk4565

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    5 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

    Yeah, pretty sweet. You get a Pacifica Touring L without an interior and with a 7-speed instead of a 9-speed. 

    The Pacifica doesn't have rear wheel drive for racing pedigree.

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    smk4565

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    1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

    And for reference, it is not a Benz that has the fastest production time at the ring, look at this...McLaren hits 202 where the Camaro was at 168..

     

    The fastest Benz time at the Nurburgring is 7:10 for the AMG GT R.  But I suspect the Project One car will beat the P1, and even the P1 LM which they only made 6 of. 

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    • balthazar

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    6 hours ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

    Metris seems pretty reasonable...get the cargo van version for under 30k, add shag carpeting and a sofa bed, custom paint....

    It's a minivan.

    Need I say anything more?

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    Robert Hall

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    23 minutes ago, balthazar said:

    It's a minivan.

    Need I say anything more?

    It's the Mercedes of minivans, though. 

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    balthazar

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    it could be the Rolls of minivans; that's still superseded by 'minivan'.

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    A Horse With No Name

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    56 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

    The Pacifica doesn't have rear wheel drive for racing pedigree.

    Just what every Pacifica buyer is looking for...a racing pedigree!

    15 minutes ago, balthazar said:

    it could be the Rolls of minivans; that's still superseded by 'minivan'.

    Absurdity is lost on you, probably because you are a rational person.

    25 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

    It's the Mercedes of minivans, though. 

    That is not always a good thing...the Hyundai crossover products are actually more athletic looking than the Benz crossovers.

    51 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

    The fastest Benz time at the Nurburgring is 7:10 for the AMG GT R.  But I suspect the Project One car will beat the P1, and even the P1 LM which they only made 6 of. 

    And the cost of the AMG GT R is how much more than the Camaro?

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    Robert Hall

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    41 minutes ago, balthazar said:

    it could be the Rolls of minivans; that's still superseded by 'minivan'.

    Rolls is doing an SUV, so who knows...it could happen. 

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    Cmicasa the Great

    In Hibernation

    Jeeeezus Christ.. Are U telling me that @smk4565 is boasting a 6 sec advantage on the ring by a car costing almost $100k more than the ZL1? :mellow:

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    surreal1272

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    7 minutes ago, Cmicasa the Great said:

    Jeeeezus Christ.. Are U telling me that @smk4565 is boasting a 6 sec advantage on the ring by a car costing almost $100k more than the ZL1? :mellow:

    Would expect anything less? You have to go that high (or be that high) in price to get a Benz to beat a "lowly" Chevy. 

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    A Horse With No Name

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    1 minute ago, surreal1272 said:

    Would expect anything less? You have to go that high (or be that high) in price to get a Benz to beat a "lowly" Chevy. 

    How many more Chevrolet Camaros and Mazda Miatas are driven in sanctioned competition every weekend than Benz?

    12 minutes ago, Cmicasa the Great said:

    Jeeeezus Christ.. Are U telling me that @smk4565 is boasting a 6 sec advantage on the ring by a car costing almost $100k more than the ZL1? :mellow:

    And is less attractive and less reliable...

    23 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

    Rolls is doing an SUV, so who knows...it could happen. 

    And Rolls existence is a problem for Benz...that is the problem in a nutshell...or nut House as it were..

     

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    A Horse With No Name

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    When I was a twelve year old boy, I bragged to a gas station attendant in Georgia that I was almost a teen...he said I was a taint...taint a child, taint a man....

    Mercedes Benz is also a taint....it ain't Lamborghini, Ferrari, Rolls, Bentley, McLaren, Lotus, or the like...a real premium luxury brand...and it ain't a fun funky brand that offers good value for the dollar in something interesting.

    It also taint visually interesting like Cadillac or Jaguar. Or Land Rover for that matter...

    What it is...a brand very good at existing by manipulation of it's image and manufacturing consent among non car people as to it's perceived value.

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    smk4565

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    34 minutes ago, Cmicasa the Great said:

    Jeeeezus Christ.. Are U telling me that @smk4565 is boasting a 6 sec advantage on the ring by a car costing almost $100k more than the ZL1? :mellow:

    The ZL1 has a really good time, anything under 7:30 is really fast, under 7 minutes is insane fast.  It was mentioned that Mercedes doesn't have the record, I just said what their fastest time is.   And they are going to beat the P1, it is as good as done.

    @A Horse With No Name  good thing Mercedes isn't Ferrari or McLaren or they'd be losing

    1567419d1476753528-formula-1-2016-united

    CRDGehPUwAAgrCA.jpg

     

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    A Horse With No Name

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    1 minute ago, smk4565 said:

    The ZL1 has a really good time, anything under 7:30 is really fast, under 7 minutes is insane fast.  It was mentioned that Mercedes doesn't have the record, I just said what their fastest time is.   And they are going to beat the P1, it is as good as done.

    @A Horse With No Name  good thing Mercedes isn't Ferrari or McLaren or they'd be losing

    1567419d1476753528-formula-1-2016-united

    CRDGehPUwAAgrCA.jpg

     

    I was referring to road going automobiles sold to the general public.

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    Grand Master

    Drew Dowdell

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    2 hours ago, smk4565 said:

    The Pacifica doesn't have rear wheel drive for racing pedigree.

    But it probably still has better handling.

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    A Horse With No Name

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    Also... Ferrari has not won at LeMans since 1965 either...

    2 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

    But it probably still has better handling.

    I need to drive a Pacifica...I hear lots of good things about it.

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    • Grand Master

    Drew Dowdell

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    It's a great minivan, but it's still a minivan. Im not making any lofty claims about it's Nurbürgring prowess... Only that it will handle better than a plumber van... RWD or not.

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    A Horse With No Name

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    3 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

    It's a great minivan, but it's still a minivan. Im not making any lofty claims about it's Nurbürgring prowess... Only that it will handle better than a plumber van... RWD or not.

    Fair enough!

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    • Grand Master

    Drew Dowdell

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    2 hours ago, smk4565 said:

    The Pacifica doesn't have rear wheel drive for racing pedigree.

    In other news, Pennsylvania approved the first pot growing and distribution license today. I take it you were waiting in line like it was a new iPhone?

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    A Horse With No Name

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    3 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

    In other news, Pennsylvania approved the first pot growing and distribution license today. I take it you were waiting in line like it was a new iPhone?

    The entire world has lost its mind...as a status conscious person SMK has decided to politely follow suit.

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    surreal1272

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    1 hour ago, smk4565 said:

    The ZL1 has a really good time, anything under 7:30 is really fast, under 7 minutes is insane fast.  It was mentioned that Mercedes doesn't have the record, I just said what their fastest time is.   And they are going to beat the P1, it is as good as done.

    @A Horse With No Name  good thing Mercedes isn't Ferrari or McLaren or they'd be losing

    1567419d1476753528-formula-1-2016-united

    CRDGehPUwAAgrCA.jpg

     

    Yes because all of those are the exact same cars as what's on our roads (please note heavy use of sarcasm). 

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