Test drive Mercedes Benz A-class W176 since 2012 Hatchback

In a-tak

The smallest Mercedes has always been a stranger among their own. Front-wheel drive, with a high sandwich field, a tight salon and tiny engines. As a result, he lost the market struggle of the BMW 1st series and Audi A3 to rectify the situation, in Stuttgart they decided on the revolution and went on the attack. More precisely, on revolutionary and in a-tak.

I never understood why people are buying premium golf-class cars. They are expensive, small and still not too prestigious. And there are not always enough premium sensations. And even more so I did not understand the people who bought Mercedes-Benz A-class. A front-wheel drive CD with a tight salon and boring handling. A car like a hat. And why does he need a powerful engine with a compressor? This is not a Hot-shakh, but some Hot-Shat! Is it Mercedes? It seems that buyers thought the same way, because Baby-Benz was always inferior in popularity by both the Audi A3 and the BMW of the 1st series. And in Stuttgart they recognized the fallacy of the selected path. The new A-class is the most ordinary hatchback with a low roof.

The fact that the new car is so different from its predecessors means that you were mistaken with the initial concept of A-class? I asked Route Rudiger, the head of the testing department of all compact machines of the brand.

Oh no! The first a-class was a very successful car! Even despite the story of elk dough, he was in good demand. We did not guess the audience a little. We expected that he would be popular with young people, and he was often chosen by more age -related customers. But in any case, for the majority it was the first Mercedes.

Then why did you completely change the concept?

Because we have a B-class. The niche turned out to be too small for two models, because A- and B-classes were too similar to each other. We had to seriously change the A-class to away both models from each other.

Available sport
If the old A-classes are in demand primarily among pensioners and housewives, then the new car is aimed at the youth audience, so it is much more sports. Needless to say, if three sports versions are available for the novelty! Firstly, each A-class can be ordered with an AMG package. Moreover, this is not just about the aerodynamic body kit. The suspension is 40% tougher, a steering rack with a variable pitch of teeth, other brakes. Secondly, the A250 Sport version appeared. Red brake mechanisms, a red strip in the front and rear bumers, a redesigned gas pedal, as well as Over-Boost, with a completely open throttle, the power grows by 15 liters. With. For 30 seconds, this is what distinguishes Sport from a car with an AMG package. Well, the crown of the lineup will be a 45 AMG, which will appear in the first quarter of next year. Do not be alarmed, the digital index is not at all a designation of volume, as is usually customary in Affalterbach machines. The hottest a-class received his name in honor of the 45th anniversary of the famous studio. The engine on A 45 AMG will be two -liter, and the power will exceed 340 liters. With. But the most interesting A 45 will be the first all -wheel drive car with AMG Schildik! The goal that the creators set for themselves is extremely simple: to create a car that will be faster than the Audi RS3.

Audi remove 340 liters. With. From a 5-cylinder engine with a volume of 2.5 liters, and you are going to get more power from a volume, which is a quarter less. How will this affect reliability?

Yes, it was more difficult for us than Audi engineers, but we are Mercedes! Dr. Ryudiger smiled pretty.

But a 45 AMG hero of 2013, and since we are in 2012, then we will have to do easier cars. However, it does not mean worse. The times when there was a reception between the driver and his Mercedes-Benz with the secretary. Now the connection is straight and honest. I managed to test four modifications of the new items: A 200 CDI, A 250 Sport and A 200 and A 250 with an AMG package. And not one disappointed!

And 250 real hot hatch! 211 l. With. This is exactly the same as Golf GTI. And by the nature of Mercedes-Benz is similar to hot VW. Of course, not professional sport, but also banal physical education cannot be called. Go to the high! Yes, do not hide from insufficient rotation. But this is a front -wheel drive with the most ordinary MacPherson and without a self -block, what did you want?! It is important that the force on the steering wheel is natural, the rolls are small, the wheels grab the asphalt even on the cracks of the mountain road, and the 7G-DCT robot with two clutches instantly and switches to the place. I don’t know how the new A3 is going, but this A-class is cut under a nut! The A250 Sport version sounds louder, steer even sharper, but in steep turns, there is still the same demolition. Well, at least the stabilization system knows how to deal with it promptly.

A box deserves a separate praise. It was developed by Mercedes-Benz on its own specifically for the MFA modular platform (Mercedes Frontwheel Architecture). Not only does it not annoy the twig, unlike the same DSG, there are no delays. Unless when the pedal is pressed to the floor, a pause is felt: while the box switches, while the turbine is spinning, but such a hitch is characteristic of all machines with robots and turbo engines. As in the case of VAG robots, 7G-DCT knows how to change characters depending on the selected regime. And the button on the console can activate the Sport and ECO modes. In sports mode, the box immediately drops one gear down relative to the standard mode, and in the environmentally friendly tries to switch upstairs as soon as possible. It is interesting that there is another button with the inscription ECO, which is responsible for the accelerator pedal, dulling its sensitivity.

But cars with small engines travel as lively as the flagship! The whole difference comes down to less dynamics. Interestingly, a car with A200 CDI diesel engine, also with an AMG packet, seemed softer than a gasoline fellow. Moreover, this did not affect the discharge and energy intensity of the suspension. Just large irregularities, the car swallowed worse. It is possible that these are features of the pre -productionness of our machines. In any case, Dr. Rüdiger was very surprised by this observation.

To someone, the new A-class may seem too attendant. That is why the machine with a standard suspension is radically different from the hatchback with the AMG packet! The place of sports seats was taken by armchairs, involving a relaxed and slightly imposing landing, the suspension became much softer, the rolls appeared, the steering wheel is less sharp, and the effort on it is weaker. And not to say that the composition is falling apart, a-class still remains a very worthy car. Just now he is feminine! Good city car for youth. Only the box should be automated. The mechanics on the test A200 is perfectly configured, but why is it needed? It is in Europe that the issue of fuel saving is in the first place, and we just have no advantages over the robot. She does not bring much buzz, and the character of the standard chassis is less suitable. Perhaps AMG machines are better combined with mechanics, but it was not possible to travel on such cars.

The first global
As you already understood, a-class Mercedes was a success. And this is not surprising, because he has to become the basis of the well -being of the brand. The development of the MFA platform has a lot of money: a fundamentally different architecture, completely new engines, a robot of their own development in Stuttgart are sure that the market of compact premium automobile cars will double by 2020. Moreover, not only classic hatchbacks will be in demand. Therefore, five models will be built on the MFA platform! These are already shown a- (W176) and B-class (W246), as well as a compact crossover (X156), which will compete with the BMW X1 and Audi Q3, and a four-door coupe (W117), which will be like the Beijing Style Coupe Concept. Total four. And who will be the fifth? Herr Rüdiger promised that the fifth member of the family will surprise us all. Compact relatives? Joking Break? On all my questions, the German only smiled slyly.
It's funny that in the range of units of the new platform there is a foreign body of diesel from Dacia Duster! Mercedes-Benz A180 CDI can be equipped as a native engine of the OM651 series with a reduced volume and a capacity of 109 liters. S., and a 1500-cubic eight-valve Renault engine! Why?! With this motor, CO2 emissions are the lowest in the model line.

And also a-class is the first Internet Utility Vehicle. Owners of the iPhone will be able to download the Digital Drivestyle application in the App Store, which will fully integrate the smartphone into the Multimedias system Command. The driver will be able to control the Command system using Siri voice control, go to his Facebook or Twitter page, check mail, listen to music from the iPhone, watch videos and photos, get a weather forecast? But in standard configuration, the place of a large display is occupied by a connector for the iPhone! You connect the device and get the same functions just on a smaller screen! Unless the navigation system will be easier for it not to be responsible for the antenna and gyroscopes, but the telephone geolocation service. Moreover, Mercedes-Benz is working on a similar integration of smartphones on the Android platform and iPad! In the future, a stationary display A-class will not be needed at all! That is why a large stationary display looks like a foreign body in the future, portable devices will take its place. Such is it, the new A-class revolutionary, A-A-Herringel and a potential bestseller.