We’re used to seeing automakers tease upcoming products on social media these days, but Mercedes-Benz went one step further by showing off the new-gen A-Class on Linkedin next to the brand’s CEO.
Dieter Zetsche was present at the internal test drive, which also included a few prototypes of the 2019 CLS.
“We’ve just been test driving our new 2018 A-Class. This Mercedes is special. And that’s not just because it stirs my childhood memories, but because it’s a symbol for the rejuvenation of our entire brand that began with the launch of the current A-Class back in 2012“, said Zetsche.
The company’s boss revealed that the upcoming compact hatch is being developed in “one of the world’s most capable climatic wind tunnels”, a facility located near Stuttgart, Germany. This can simulate temperatures ranging between minus 40 and plus 60 degrees Celsius (-40-140 degrees Fahrenheit), tropical rainfall, snowstorms, and winds of up to 265km/h (165mph).
Zetsche felt like “a little kid on Christmas Eve” during the test drive, and confirmed that the brand’s family of compact cars will grow with up to 8 models, all of which will be underpinned by the same platform as the 2019 A-Class, which debuts next year.
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