We already have a pretty good indication as to what the third-generation 2013 Mercedes-Benz A-Class will look like following the unveiling of the Concept A-Class back at the 2011 New York Auto Show, but now we have a new round of spy shots revealing just how much of the stylish concept will actually make it to production.
Looking very much like the leaked patent drawings revealed earlier this year, the A-Class prototype you see here has a fairly conventional five-door hatchback design but with a sloping front-end and Mercedes’ stretched arch design for the cabin.
Under the heavy camouflage gear and sheet metal is a new front-wheel drive platform codenamed MFA (Mercedes Frontwheel Architecture), which drops the former sandwich construction for a more conventional car-like design.
Note, a sportier three-door version with similar proportions to the Concept A-Class is expected, as is a high-performance AMG version with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine spitting out close to 320 horsepower.
As for the standard lineup, expect a selection of turbocharged engines, both gasoline and diesel, as well as the choice of either conventional manual transmissions or a dual clutch automatic. The base engine should be a turbocharged and direct injected 2.0-liter unit with about 210 horsepower on tap.
While Europe will get to see the new A-Class in showrooms by the end of next year, Americans will have to wait until early 2013. Another important issue is that the A-Class will have to be priced below the starting price of the C-Class, which currently lists from $33,990.
By the time the car arrives in the U.S., Mercedes-Benz will have launched several other compact models including the next-generation B-Class, which will retain the tallish van like body of the current model, as well as a new BLS four-door coupe designed to take on the upcoming 2013 Audi A3 Sedan and a possible BLK compact crossover.
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