B-Class Benz busted!
Best look yet at Mercedes' new hatchback and what it means for the company's zero emission compact offeringsThis heavily clad hatch is the next-generation Mercedes-Benz B-Class due for launch in Europe late 2011. And as promised by company boss Dr Dieter Zetsche over a year ago, both the new A-Class and B-Class will be based on a conventional platform.
The decision to move away from the 'sandwich' platform of the current small cars is designed to give Mercedes more scope for a wider range with the new car. As these images from spy agency Carparazzi show, the new B-Class is a much longer and lower vehicle; looking more like a traditional hatchback.
According to our European sources Mercedes wants this new B-Class to appeal to younger buyers currently attracted to the Volkswagen Golf. With that in mind the company is also reportedly planning to expand the range to include a hatch, sedan, coupe/cabriolet and possibly a compact SUV; similar to the BMW 1 Series.
While the ungainly black camouflage is disguising the new styling of the car, expect the latest design to share plenty with the B-Class sized Blue Zero hybrid concept Mercedes unveiled at the recent Frankfurt motor show.
Speaking of which, all indications point to the current A/B-Class sandwich architecture being retain for the production version of the BlueZero. That's because, while the sandwich construction isn't ideal for a conventional hatch, it's perfectly suited to fuel cell and plug-in hybrid technology.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
