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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A-Class
Mercedes-Benz A 200 AMG Line (W 176) – Frontansicht, 25. Mai 2013, Hilden.jpg
Overview
Manufacturer Daimler AG
Production 1997–present
Body and chassis
Class Subcompact car (1997–2012)
Compact car (2012–present)
Layout Front-engine, front-wheel drive
W168
Mercedes A 160 Elegance (W168) front 20090926.jpg
Overview
Production 1997–2004
1999–2005 (Brazil)
Assembly Germany: Rastatt
Brazil: Juiz de Fora
Thailand: Thonburi (TAAP)
Designer Steve Mattin (1994)
Body and chassis
Body style 5-door hatchback
Powertrain
Engine

Petrol
1.4 M166 (60 kW)
1.6 M166 (60 and 75 kW)
1.9 M166 (92 kW)
2.1 M166 (102 kW)
Diesel

1.7 OM668 (44, 55, 66 and 70 kW)
Transmission

5-speed manual
5-speed Automatic

5-speed Semi-automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2,423 mm (95.4 in)
2,593 mm (102.1 in) (LWB)
Length 3,606 mm (142.0 in)
3,780 mm (148.8 in) (LWB)
Width 1,719 mm (67.7 in)
Height 1,587 mm (62.5 in)
W169
Mercedes-Benz A 180 CDI Elegance (W 169) – Frontansicht (1), 30. März 2011, Wülfrath.jpg
Overview
Production 2004–2012
Assembly Germany: Rastatt
Thailand: Thonburi Automotive Assembly
Body and chassis
Body style 3-door hatchback
5-door hatchback
Powertrain
Transmission 5-speed manual
6-speed manual
CVT automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2,568 mm (101.1 in)
Length 3,838 mm (151.1 in) (2004)
3,883 mm (152.9 in) (2008)
Width 1,764 mm (69.4 in)
Height 1,593 mm (62.7 in)
W176
2014 Mercedes-Benz A 250 (W 176) Sport hatchback (2015-08-07) 01.jpg
Overview
Production 2012–present
Model years 2013–present
Assembly Rastatt, Germany
Kecskemét, Hungary
Uusikaupunki, Finland (Valmet)Aguascalientes, Mexico (Nissan)
Designer Mark Fetherston (2009)
Body and chassis
Body style 5-door hatchback
Platform Mercedes-Benz W176
Related Mercedes-Benz B-Class (W246)
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
Infiniti Q30
Infiniti QX30
Renault Mégane
Powertrain
Engine 1.6 L M270 I4 Turbocharged
2.0 L M270 I4 Turbocharged
1.5 L OM607 Diesel I4
1.8 L OM651 Diesel I4
2.2 L OM651 Diesel I4
Transmission 6-speed manual
7-speed automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2,699 mm (106.3 in)
Length 4,292 mm (169.0 in)
Width 1,780 mm (70.1 in)
Height 1,433 mm (56.4 in)

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a compact car (subcompact in its first two generations) produced by the German automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz. The first generation (W168) was introduced in 1997, the second generation model (W169) appeared in late 2004, and the third generation model (W176) was launched in 2012.

Originally launched only as a five-door hatchback in 1997, the second generation W169 introduced a three-door hatchback. In the markets that the A-Class is or has been sold in, it has represented the entry level model of Mercedes-Benz. Having grown by 68 cm (27 in) since the original model, the 2012 A-class is now longer than the first-generation B-class.

Petrol
1.4 M166 (60 kW)
1.6 M166 (60 and 75 kW)
1.9 M166 (92 kW)
2.1 M166 (102 kW)
Diesel

5-speed manual
5-speed Automatic

Launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in the autumn of 1997, the W168 A-Class was quite unusual for Mercedes-Benz featuring a front wheel drive layout and unusual tall yet short body. One innovation of the W168 was a frontal-impact absorption system called the "Sandwich" (see patents DE4326 9 and DE4400132 in the name of Mercedes-Benz). In the event of a violent frontal impact, the engine and transmission would slide underneath the floor below the pedals rather than entering the passenger compartment.

This was the first complete exterior designed by Coventry University trained Steve Mattin, for which he was named Autocar magazine's 'Designer of the Year'. Earlier, Mattin had mostly worked on design for the W210 E-Class in 1991. Concurrent to the W168, he designed the exterior of the W220 S-Class. The final design freeze occurred in January 1995, at 32 months before August 1997 start of production.

The W168 became infamous in 1997 after flipping over during the traditional "elk test" performed by the Swedish automobile publication Teknikens Värld. According to the report, the W168 overturned when manoeuvring to avoid the "elk". Mercedes initially denied the problem, but then took the surprising step of recalling all units sold to date (2,600) and suspending sales for three months until the problem was solved by adding electronic stability control and modifying the suspension. The company spent DM 2.5 billion in developing the car, with a further DM 300 million to fix it.


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