Mercedes A-Class Concept – the dynamics of the future
Mercedes A failed as the company wanted. True, there was a fairly large group of people who opted for the small, bulging car, but the moose test failure scandal that preceded its market launch tarnished Mercedes' image. In preparation for the next generation, the Stuttgart-based company wants to bury the small van and show a completely different type of vehicle.
The prototype Mercedes Concept A-Class, which will debut at the Shanghai Motor Show (April 21-28), is a low-profile sports car with a long bonnet and an aggressive front end design. The smooth lines of the car were, according to Mercedes, inspired by wind and sea waves, as well as aviation technology. However, first of all, the solutions proposed in the Mercedes F 800 prototype were used. Visually, both generations of Mercedes A do not intersect in anything, with the possible exception of the company badge on the hood, because the one on the radiator grille is a completely different story. Metal dots on the grille and bumper air intake give the impression that the Mercedes star is in the center of the starry sky. The same effect was applied to the wheel rims and even to the inside of the headlights. Car lamps are largely made of LEDs, but not only. Optical fibers were also used - daylight from 90 fibers in aluminum mounts. Instead of bulbs in the rear lights, "star clouds" also glow.
The interior also includes references to aircraft. According to Mercedes, the dashboard resembles an airplane wing. I don't see it in the photos published so far, but the hint certainly resembles air intakes, reminiscent of aircraft jet engines in shape and the way they "hang" them from the dashboard, as well as purple lighting. The round instruments on the dashboard also resemble the inside of jet engine nozzles, also thanks to the purple backlight. The shift lever on the tunnel is also styled after reverse thrust levers on aircraft.
The car has four highly sophisticated seats that perfectly combine elegance and comfort with the dynamic look of sports seats. However, there is no traditional center console. Its functions were taken over by a touch screen in the center of the center console. The car's multimedia system can be easily connected to a smartphone, and COMAND Online allows you to manage all its applications.
Under the hood of the car is a four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with direct fuel injection, which, with a volume of 2 liters, produces 210 hp. It is paired with a dual clutch transmission and features BlueEFFICIENCY technologies.
The car is equipped with the best driver assistance technologies. The car has, among other things, a radar-based collision warning system, an adaptive emergency braking assistance system that reduces the risk of a rear collision during hard braking, and a collision avoidance assistance system that monitors the driver and warns him when he is distracted or inattentive. In the case of this car, it is better to be careful when looking for its production version.
