Besides the Hungarian plant in Kecskemet, the German facility in Rastatt, and the Chinese production site in Beijing, Mercedes-Benz will also produce the next generation compact cars in Finland.
Responsible for putting them together in Uusikaupunki will be the local contract manufacturer Valmet Automotive, which has been collaborating with the German automaker since 2013, and is already assembling the current A-Class.
“With the follow-up order for Valmet Automotive, we utilize additional production volumes for our new compact vehicles. Working with professional cooperation partners is an important strategic pillar in our flexible and efficient production network“, said Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Car, Production and Supply Management, Markus Schafer.
Mercedes-Benz already provided a first look into their next generation compact cars, which will include not only redesigned versions of the A-Class, CLA, B-Class and GLA, but also a four-door sedan based on the hatch, which will go up against the BMW 1-Series and Audi A3 sedans, in markets like China.
Additionally, there’s also a new SUV in the pipeline, which could be named the GLB. It will build on the looks of the G-Class, but on a smaller scale, and it’s believed to slot between the GLA and GLC, in terms of size.
The brand’s compact family is also tipped to gain two new electric vehicles – a hatch and a crossover, based on the EQA architecture and inspired by the Generation EQ Concept that debuted at the 2016 Paris Auto Show.
VALMET AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTION SITE
MERCEDES-BENZ AESTHETICS A
