More technical details are starting to emerge on the next generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class, prior to its public premiere scheduled for the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.
By catching a shotgun ride in a prototype in northern Sweden, and chatting with the brand’s chief of compact vehicle testing, Jochen Eck, Autocar has learned that the upcoming hatchback will be offered with a choice of 9 powertrains in total.
These include the newly developed 1.3-liter gasoline unit that can already be found on the Renault Scenic and Grand Scenic, and another lump that’s commonly present on various cars made by the French company: the 1.5-liter dCi diesel, in the A160d model.
The list also counts two performance versions of the 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, dubbed AMG A35 and AMG A45, with the former believed to use a 2.0-liter turbo’d mill rated at some 340hp, whereas the latter will allegedly churn out in excess of 400hp. Additionally, plug-in hybrid and electric versions of the car are also expected to arrive.
Beyond the new powertrains, the next generation models also benefit from additional sound deadening foam in the body structure to help reduce the noise and vibration levels, and it will also get two suspension sets, depending on the chosen variant. Lesser models will come with a new torsion beam setup, while more powerful ones will feature an updated multi-link that debuted on the current A-Class.
Elsewhere, engineers and designers have improved visibility by making the pillars thinner and rear side windows larger, and the car also gets an additional 30mm (1.18in) added to the wheelbase length.
Mercedes-Benz could actually unveil the next-gen A-Class earlier than the Geneva Show next March, but nevertheless, the event is where the new compact model will celebrate its public debut.
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