Mercedes Benz A Class Out On the Roads

Mercedes Benz A Class is out on the roads. The new A-Class it looks far more enticing than the pre launch reports and is too good to believe. This new baby Merc is certainly attractive, especially at the front, where a wide grille feeds into the clamshell bonnet and into heavily scalloped sides. "A is for Attack." So said Daimler AG chairman Dieter Zetsche as he introduced the new A Class, a car that Mercedes Benz has designed from the ground. The A Class will give sneak shot of Mercedes brand for entry level consumers.

All the models come with turbocharged four-cylinder units. The A180 CDI features a 1461cc unit with 109bhp and 260Nm of torque. This comes mated to a brand new 6-speed manual. The A180 CDI comes with a 1796cc engine. The engine develops 109bhp and 250Nm of torque. The A200 CDI with the 1796cc unit develops 136 horses and whips out 300Nm of torque.

The A180 employs the 1595cc unit (122bhp and 200Nm) mated to the 6-speed manual. Next in line is the A250 with the 1991cc unit mated to the 7-speed dual clutch gearbox with 211bhp on tap and 350Nm of torque. Finally the A250 Sport is identical with a few graphics to make it look faster.

The seats are pretty good and supportive. The steering wheel is a neat new design. The cabin has more leg room than its predecessor. There is sufficient head room despite the sloping roofline and the 341-litre boot volume can be enhanced to 1157 litres of luggage carrying capacity by folding the rear seat back flat.

The A200 CDI with the new 6-speed manual gearbox gives figures of 0-100km/h in 9.3 seconds and a 210km/h top speed. Ride quality was firm with just the right amount of pliancy without upsetting the handling. Overall the dynamics are pretty nifty though typically Mercedes-Benz and even for the young brigade there is something. Given that the B-Class will start around Rs 24-25 lakh, the A-Class could prove a nightmare for Mercedes-Benz India to configure and sell at sensible money. The overall set-up delivers absolute stability at high speeds without compromising on the fun to drive agility factor. You can also check out the likes of the Mercedes E Class and the Mercedes Benz ML 350 CDI and Audi Q7.