The current Mercedes-Benz A-Class, not sold in the U.S., is an upright five-door hatchback that's now long in the tooth.
My, how things change. After its debut at Auto Shanghai 2011, Mercedes-Benz unveiled its Concept A-Class last night at the brand-new Mercedes-Benz Manhattan showroom on the west side of Manhattan.
The A-Class concept car is now highly stylized, with accent lines on the side and more traditional proportions for a compact hatchback.
While the show car is a three-door hatch, the company will build several different body styles on a new compact platform, all in service of broadening its model portfolio to sell more highly fuel-efficient vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz Concept A-Class, at new Mercedes-Benz Manhattan showroom, April 2011
That's the only way it can meet looming limits on carbon emissions (in Europe and Asia) and fuel consumption (in the States).
The production version of the concept will likely be launched as the 2013 Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
As for the concept, it's received a second unveiling at a press event at the 2011 New York Auto Show.
Stay tuned for all the latest launches, new models, photo galleries, and other news from our team at the 2011 New York Auto Show by clicking here.
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