Mercedes-Benz鈥?New A-Class Sedan Confirmed For Canada

Mercedes-Benz鈥?New A-Class Sedan Confirmed For Canada

We already knew Mercedes-Benz had plans to market its new A-Class hatchback here; now we get confirmation that the sedan version of the small car will be right on its heels in Canada. The four-door version of the A-Class will get its official unveiling this fall during the Paris auto show. The contours of the A-Class sedan stay true to the Mercedes-Benz tradition and to other models currently produced by the German manufacturer. In fact when looking at it from a distance you could be forgiven for mistaking it for a C-Class. It takes getting up close or analyzing the photos to realize that it is in fact a fair amount smaller. Not that the model doesn鈥檛 have it particularities. The headlights, for instance, are quite different, as they are fully integrated into the chassis, and the front and rear spoilers provide the car with outstanding aerodynamics. We reported earlier this week, in fact, on its super-low coefficient of drag, leading Mercedes-Benz to proclaim it the most aerodynamic production car ever produced. The A-Class offered in Canada will carry the designation A220 and come fitted with a 2.0L 4-cylinder turbo engine. The 188 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque at its disposal place the sedan slightly behind the hatchback in terms of output. A 7-speed automatic transmission will be included as standard equipment, while all-wheel drive will be available as an option. The base model A-Class sedan will come with some pretty impressive standard equipment. Of particular note are the LED headlights, panoramic roof and an automatic braking system, to name just those two. It will be fitted with standard 17-inch wheels but the manufacturer is offering the option to move to 18-inch wheels. There are several available options packages, each of which will serve to boost the asking price substantially, by the automaker鈥檚 own admission.

So, what does any of this tell us about the production model? Let鈥檚 start with the headlights. The last prototype we saw didn鈥檛 give us a very good look, but this time around we can make out just about everything. For starters, the 1 Series will ditch the headlight style of the newer BMW鈥檚 and go with a single LED projection unit that is mounted pretty much in the center of the lens. We can鈥檛 make out the LED strips that will be in the lights, but based on the camo, they will be along the top and lower edges. The side/corner markers will also feature a clear lens with amber reflectors and bulbs, so that will be a nice, Euro-like touch. Of course, BMW could have just made these decoys look really nice to throw us off, so try not to take that too much to heart quite yet. Next up, we鈥檝e got those kidney grilles that look like they were 3D-printed in a rush.

They are larger than those of the current model and feature wider but fewer louvers. The outer, lower corners are also more rounded and longer than those of the current model too. It鈥檚 a nice look and seems to be a trend, as all recently revamped models from Bimmer seem to have larger grilles up front. As you can see from the close-up shot of the front, the grilles are almost entirely blocked off, allowing very little air through so this isn鈥檛 a hint toward extra performance or a need for increased cooling either. Further down, we can back out part of the air dam which is also largely blocked off. It features a louver in the center that connects to the lower lip. There also appears to be a sensor or camera of some sort that hints toward some kind of semi-autonomous features - most likely things like active cruise control and automatic emergency braking.

Finally, in the corners of the fascia, or more specifically on the front driver鈥檚 side, we can spot out the shape of the corner vents and the overall design. From the look of things, it will rock vents that are similar to those found on the BMW M2 with a small inlet at the bottom and a vertically oriented inlet on the side. There鈥檚 an overhang or insert in the middle with a smaller overhang just above. The chances are that there will be LED fog lamps found on the center inserts as the circular units from the current gen have obviously be nixed. Around back, there鈥檚 nothing new to really speak of, but this model happens to be sporting a single exhaust outlet on the driver鈥檚 side. This could mean that this prototype is rocking a smaller engine. What do you guys think so far? Is the new 1 Series something you might be interested in?