BEIJING MOTOR SHOW: Mercedes concept Coupe captures look of CLA

Pictures of the Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupe to be revealed to the public at the Beijing Motor Show next week have already been leaked on the Internet, a day ahead of the embargo. The stunning concept car, now pictured here, marks the second phase of the diversification plans Mercedes-Benz has in store for the new generation A-Class.

"The Concept Style Coupé is expressive and powerful in its design", says Dr Dieter Zetsche, Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, as quoted in a press release. "This is the model against which sporty vehicles in the executive segment will have to measure themselves in future."

Dr Zetsche has previously hinted that a new variation on the basic A-Class platform would be sedan-like, unlike the Concept A, which was the five-door hatch design study that forecast the look of the production A-Class hatch. It's known that the new concept car would be a foretaste of a swoopy, low-roof sedan built on a smaller scale than the CLS per se, but in the same style. Spy photographers at Carparazzi have already snapped the pre-production models undergoing testing in the field, confirming earlier suspicions.

The info from Carparazzi wasn't too far off the mark, as applied to the show car, which will be powered by a turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0-litre petrol engine developing 155kW. Benz has revealed that the design study will feature a 7G-DCT dual-clutch transmission driving through to the 4MATIC all-wheel drive mechanicals. The car will measure 4637mm (length) and 1891mm (width).

Naturally the concept car features ultra-modern design inside and out. The turbine-style wheels measure 21 inches in diameter and the car is finished in a colour named Alubeam. One particular element of the Concept Style Coupe likely to earn praise from the computer-savvy members of the public is the COMAND Online software, which communicates remotely via mobile phone technology. Since it's not actually installed in the car, the car (assuming this holds true for the production model too), need never visit a workshop for software updates, which instead take place "over the air" by the medium of "cloud computing".

Prior to its official world premiere in Beijing, the Concept Style Coupe will also be shown to visitors at a special event in Los Angeles.

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