By: Guilherme Marques
It was 15 years ago that Mercedes launched the original front-wheel drive A-Class, a car that was intended to appeal to modern and educated women living in congested cities.
The A-Class was easy to like: it was practical, had an elevated driving position, space in the back for the kids, in the boot for the shopping bags and, of course, it was a Mercedes-Benz. It was also a technically advanced car.
In 2004 came a profound restyling but since then the world has changed so much for car makers that it was clear the new A-Class would have to be a hatchback – BMW had since come up with the 1-Series and the Audi A3 has been a huge success for more than a decade.
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And so Mercedes decided on a more traditional layout for the new model, aiming at a new target: youngsters that see the car as a statement of style and families who, having to downsize their D-segment cars, could not do without a premium vehicle.
This means, first and foremost, that the design had to be the best in its class and, to these eyes at least, it is. Its strongest selling point is a definite standout factor when compared to the dubious lines of the new 1-Series and the conservative shape of the recent A3.
Mercedes let us drive the A200 CDI for four days and I cannot say I was surprised with the amount of attention it drew. I even lied to my friends and told them this one was actually mine. They called me a few names I should not repeat here, but which showed just how jealous they were.
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The AMG Pack looked great and although the 18-inch wheels sacrificed ride comfort, I am certain most clients will not care – they looked absolutely spot on. The engine, a 1.8 litres packing 136 horse power, is not prodigiously fast but then it doesn’t have to be.
I was happy with the low-end torque it provided and even happier with the 6 litres I averaged on normal driving conditions and the incredible 5.2 litres the BC showed when I put on my eco-conscious hat.
The interior is a nice place to be and I especially enjoyed the excellent seats and the SLS style air vents. The six-speed manual gearbox suits the car well but I would take the 7-G tronic auto instead, although it adds €2,100 to the asking price, which then begins at €35,507 (the manual 1.5 A 180 CDI with 109 hp is €27,894).
The new A-Class is the biggest success ever in the history of Mercedes so far (!), with the factory in Rastatt having to increase production to meet demand.
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CEO Dieter Zetsche told reporters there have been over 90,000 orders since the introduction of the model in the summer – an outstanding number that will make 2012 a year for the books.
In Portugal, the A-Class alone has accounted for a rise of 10% in sales when compared to 2011.
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end, and sad though I am to see the original A-Class disappear, I have to concede the new car is the right Mercedes, in the right place, at exactly the right time.
