MERCEDES BENZ A CLASS HATCHBACK CAR

SECOND GENERATION 2004 > 2012

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a compact car produced by the German automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz. The all-new generation model W176 launched in late 2012. Originally launched only as a five-door hatchback in 1997, the second generation W169 introduced a three-door hatchback to sit six inches below the five-door. In the markets that the A-Class is or has been sold in, it has represented the entry level model of Mercedes-Benz. Having grown by 68 cm since the original model, the 2012 A-class is now longer than the first-generation B-class.

The W169 is constructed with high-strength steel alloys with bonded joints. It has a large number of airbags including optional rear side airbags (for side-impacts in the backseats), optional side-curtain airbags, and standard head and thorax-protection side airbags. The front airbags are adaptive with two-stage gas generators operating according to the severity of accident.

The force exerted by the seat belt system during a collision adapts dynamically depending upon the collision characteristics. The 'active' head restraints (standard for driver and front passenger) give enhanced protection from neck injury, especially during rear collisions.

The angle of the A-pillar is flatter than the windshield angle. The cargo capacity of the W169 was increased by 15 percent compared with the W168.

Seven types of motors are available, and all are four-cylinders: four petrol (gasoline) (A 150, A 170, A 200, A 200 Turbo) and three diesel (A 160 CDI, A 180 CDI, A 200 CDI) partnered with either five- or six-speed manual gearbox. A continuously variable transmission system called "Autotronic Constantly Variable Transmission" (CVT) is an optional feature.

The petrol A 200 Turbo provides 193 hp (144 kW) and 280 N·m (207 lb·ft) of torque (rotational force); the diesel A200 CDI has 140 hp (104 kW) and 300 N·m (221 lb·ft).

The most powerful model can take the car from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.0 seconds, and has a top speed of 218 km/h (135 mph). The newly developed direct-injection CDI diesel units use a common-rail direct injection system that improves fuel consumption and reduces exhaust emissions and noise levels.

All the engines meet the tight EU4 emissions limits. A particulate filter system is available as an option for the diesel units which reduces the particulate emissions by about 99% without the need for additives.

The A-Class is a front wheel drive car and features traction control (ASR) as standard, as well as electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes (ABS).

Handling is improved by precision tracking and anti-roll support, and by a Parabolic Rear Axle.

A "Selective Damping System", in which the shock absorber forces respond differently according to conditions, is standard. For example, under normal conditions it operates at soft absorption; while cornering at speed it changes to full damping force.

The W169 optionally comes with light-alloy wheels, with a run-flat feature, Tirefit tire sealant and a tire-pressure-loss warning device.

A four-day, seven-country tour which officially introduced the car culminated in an event in Milan, in the Castello Sforzesco, where all the touring units were received by a myriad of European personalities from music, fashion, sport and movies. Armani presented a fashion show and Christina Aguilera did a live performance of her song "Hello", composed exclusively for the occasion. The W169 advertising campaign included television spots with Christina Aguilera, Giorgio Armani and Boris Becker.

Sales of the W169 were targeted at 50,000 units in 2004. Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing, Mercedes Car Group, said that target had been reached even before vehicles arrived in dealer showrooms.Template:Ref required

Japan models went on sale in 2005-02-04. Early models include 5-door right right drive versions of A 170, A 170 Elegance, A 200 Elegance. 5-door right right drive version of A 200 TURBO Elegance was added in 2005-11-10.

The Mercedes A-Class is a small family car produced by the famous German automaker Mercedes-Benz. The first generation (W168) was introduced in 1997 and a redesign (W169) appeared in 2004. It is available as a three or five-door hatchback. The car quickly became popular due to its shape and the fact it was the smallest car bearing the luxury badge.

The model range lies within the price bracket of £13,892 - £21,777. Mercedes Benz A-Class insurance groups start at group 5 and rise to group 14. Base models are fairly cheap to insure, whilst the higher specification cars are above average to protect.

History

W168

Mercedes A-Class W168Production of the W168 A-Class began in 1997. It was also the first front wheel drive passenger car from Mercedes-Benz. Its front engine, front wheel drive layout was quite unusual for Mercedes. To date, more than one million units have been sold worldwide.

One innovation of the W168 was a frontal-impact absorption system called the "Sandwich" (see patents DE4326 9 and DE4400132 in the name of Mercedes-Benz). In the event of a violent frontal impact, the engine and transmission would slide underneath the floor below the pedals rather than entering the passenger compartment.

The W168 became infamous in 1997 after flipping over during the traditional "moose test" performed by the Swedish automobile publication Teknikens Värld. According to the report, the W168 overturned when maneuvering to avoid the "moose". Mercedes initially denied the problem, but then took the surprising step of recalling all units sold to date (2,600) and suspending distribution until the problem was solved by adding electronic stability control and modifying the suspension. This marked the world premiere of stability control in a small car. Nevertheless, the W168 A-Class was voted the worst-handling car in Britain in the Top Gear Survey 2007 (completed by owners of the vehicles).

As a result of the suspension stiffening described above, the ride on the W168 is very firm; this combined with the short wheelbase makes this car very jittery over rough surfaces. This is not a problem with the long wheelbase version of the car.

W169 features

Driving assistance

The car is designed according to Mercedes-Benz concept of 'Touch And Feel' (TAF).

The multi-function steering wheel places controls for the radio, telephone, and other systems conveniently within reach of the thumbs of the driver. Power steering (standard feature) aids control of the automobile, with its behaviour varying according to the vehicle's speed.

The Mercedes COMAND APS is a navigation system which provides directions via GPS. The radio unit also provides DVD and telephone functionality, with various versions available (standard Audio 20 radio/single CD, Audio 50 APS or COMAND APS).

The Parktronic system provides audio and visual signals to indicate how far the car is from an obstacle.

The A-class optionally includes a "Light & Sight" package which includes bi-xenon HID headlamps with gas-discharge bulbs; cornering lights (main-beam headlamps at road junctions and tight corners); "Headlamp Assist, which automatically turns on the lights when needed; and a rain sensor that adjusts wiper speed depending on rainfall intensity.

As a standard feature, when entering a tunnel or an underground garage the car goes into "tunnel mode", where all windows and the panoramic sliding sunroof are closed.

The standard temperature control system has separate temperature settings for driver and front passenger sides, and includes a "Heater Booster System" that can flood the interior of the car with hot air.

The optional Themotronic system maintains and regulates the temperature in accordance with a set of sensors that measure temperature, sunlight, humidity and pollutant levels in the ambient air.

Safety

Triggered by the "moose test" failure, in which early A-Class production cars caused a single-vehicle accident under real world avoidance maneuvering, a number of improvements were made in the W169 model.

The biggest was the immediate fitment of a newly invented device, Electronic Stability Control. To preserve its damaged reputation for car safety and engineering, Mercedes-Benz retrofits every single A-Class already produced with ESC.

The car is constructed with high-strength steel alloys with bonded joints. It has a large number of airbags including optional rear side airbags (for side-impacts in the backseats), optional side-curtain airbags, and standard head and thorax-protection side airbags. The front airbags are adaptive with two-stage gas generators operating according to the severity of accident.

The force exerted by the seat belt system during a collision adapts dynamically depending upon the collision characteristics. The 'active' head restraints (standard for driver and front passenger) give enhanced protection from neck injury, especially during rear collisions.

The angle of the A-pillar is flatter then the windshield angle.

Passenger and cargo space

The cargo capacity of the W169 was increased by 15 percent compared with the W168. The seats can be moved and configured in various ways:

EASY-ENTRY: Front seats slides forwards with the backrest folded forwards to afford the rear seat passengers more room for getting in and out. (standard on three-door)

EASY-VARIO: Both rear-seat cushion sections are folded forward, while the luggage compartment floor can be set to one of two different heights. (standard on five-door; optional on three-door)

EASY-VARIO-PLUS: Both rear-seat cushion and the front passenger seat are folded forward. Increases load capacity to as much as 1995 litres. (optional on five-door)

Seven types of motors are available: four petrol (gasoline) (A150, A170, A200, A200Turbo) and three diesel (160CDI, 180CDI, 200CDI), all being four-cylinder and having either 5 or 6 gears. A continuously variable transmission system called "Autotronic Constantly Variable Transmission" (CVT) is an optional feature.

The petrol A200 Turbo provides 193 hp (144 kW) and 280 N·m (207 ft·lbf) of torque (rotational force); the diesel A200 CDI has 140 hp (104 kW) and 300 N·m (221 ft·lbf).

It is estimated that the W169 engines provide a 40% increase in power and a 10% decrease in fuel consumption compared to W168 engines.

The most powerful model can take the car from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.0 seconds, and has a top speed of 227 km/h (141 mph).

The newly developed direct-injection CDI diesel units use a common-rail direct injection system that improves fuel consumption and reduces exhaust emissions and noise levels.

All the engines meet the tight EU4 emissions limits. A particulate filter system is available as an option for the diesel units which reduces the particulate emissions by about 99% without the need for additives.

The A-Class is a front wheel drive car and features traction control (ASR) as standard, as well as electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes (ABS).

Handling is improved by precision tracking and anti-roll support, and by a Parabolic Rear Axle.

A "Selective Damping System", in which the shock absorber forces respond differently according to conditions, is standard. For example, under normal conditions it operates at soft absorption; while cornering at speed it changes to full damping force.

The W169 optionally comes with light-alloy wheels, with a run-flat feature, Tirefit tire sealant and a tire-pressure-loss warning device.

Tire sizes are:

185/65 R 15 with wheel trim (classic model)
185/65 R 15 light-alloy wheels (elegance model)
195/55 R 16 light-alloy wheels (avantgarde model)

A four-day, seven-country tour which officially introduced the car culminated in an event in Milan, in the Castello Sforzesco, where all the touring units were received by a myriad of European personalities from music, fashion, sport and movies. Armani presented a fashion show and Christina Aguilera did a live performance of her song "Hello", composed exclusively for the occasion.

The W169 advertising campaign included television spots with Christina Aguilera, Giorgio Armani and Boris Becker.

Sales of the W169 were targeted at 50,000 units in 2004. Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing, Mercedes Car Group, said that target had been reached even before vehicles arrived in dealer showrooms.

DaimlerChrysler invested EUR 900 million in developing the Rastatt plant where the A-Class is produced, and created 1600 new jobs (for a total of 4700). A further 600 people work on the industrial estate at the plant site.

In 1999, Mercedes Benz opened, in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais (Brazil), its first factory in South America dedicated to passenger cars, with an investment of USD 840 million and 10,000 employees. The factory initially produced A-Class and C-Class models, assembling them from pieces manufactured in Germany. The target for the cars was regional markets (from Argentina to Mexico) with modifications made to the cars to suit local conditions, like a protection for the motor base for the mostly poor roads in South America. In 2005 the factory stopped production of A-Class cars.

Profitability and impact on the Mercedes Benz brand

Mercedes-Benz has made a number of confusing announcements - first that a "weak Euro" could have produce costs problems and later that the "fall of the Dollar" will cause the enterprise to not be profitable.

According to some analyses, Mercedes-Benz considers the creation of the A-Class to have reduced its prestige in Europe, and the company has concentrated its efforts on its larger and more profitable vehicle lines.

W169

The Mercedes A-Class F-Cell looks like any other Mercedes A-Class yet this really is a car for the next generation. The F-Cell is hydrogen powered meaning no harmful gasses are emitted when driving the vehicle.

The technology that drives this car consists of an electric motor, batteries and two hydrogen tanks. Mercedes have done away with the petrol engine and fuel tank.

Built as if it's a proper production model this A-Class contains 10 years of development in Hydrogen technology at Mercedes. Mercedes hopes to have hydrogen-powered cars on general sale by 2015. Hydrogen technology still has some way to go with 60mph coming in at over 15 seconds as the electric motor producing only 87bhp.

At the top is a 1997 Mercedes Benz A-Class battery electric vehicle with real world range of 125 miles. At the bottom is the 2004 hydrogen fuel cell version of the same car with a range of just 90 miles. Fitted with an up to date battery, the 1997 EV would have a range of 180 miles. The fuel cell car would take three to four times the energy to power.

Auburn Hills, Mich., Apr 7, 2006 - DaimlerChrysler Builds First Fuel Cell-Powered Police Car

Wayne State University police department in Detroit got a new reinforcement - Mercedes-Benz fuel cell powered A-class model W168. Equiped with full set of police gear, the car will be a supervisor's vehicle on campus.

Daimler Chrysler will be getting operational data from the daily use of the F-Cell to help the developement of the nature friendly technology.

Daimler-Chrysler has introduced the first fuel cell–powered police vehicle to the world. The Wayne State University Police Department in Detroit will operate the Mercedes F-Cell as a supervisor's vehicle on and in the immediate vicinity of the campus, located in Detroit's Cultural Center.

Outfitted with a third-generation police radio, decals, lights and sirens, the Wayne State University Police Department F-Cell is a look into the future use of fuel cell vehicles. The demanding operation of a police car will produce valuable data to help develop fuel cell technology.

"This event exhibits how Daimler-Chrysler is taking on the challenge for industries and governments to create viable alternative-fuel solutions," said Mark Chernoby, Vice President – Advance Vehicle Engineering, Chrysler Group. "We're pleased to be a driving force in this team effort to develop zero-emissions transportation."

The Wayne State Police Department F-Cell vehicle will be refueled at NextEnergy's new hydrogen fueling station. The car will serve as a learning laboratory for students in WSU College of Engineering Alternative Energy Technology, the nation's first master’s-degree program in alternative energy.

Daimler-Chrysler has spent more than $1 billion in fuel cell vehicle research and development. No other manufacturer has accumulated more data or driven more zero-emissions miles — more than 1.2 million.

The Daimler-Chrysler fuel cell vehicle fleet is diverse — in addition to several research vehicles, it also includes medium-duty fuel cell Dodge Sprinter vans and more than 35 Mercedes-Benz Citaro fuel cell buses, which operate in Europe, the United States, Japan, Australia and Singapore. As part of the world's largest fleet of fuel cell vehicles, Daimler-Chrysler has more than 25 fuel cell vehicles in customer hands in California and more than 100 around the world. No other manufacturer comes close to the efforts of Daimler-Chrysler with fuel cell technology.

The Mercedes F-Cell is a reflection of Daimler-Chrysler's leadership in fuel cell technology. The entire fuel cell system is housed in the floor of the vehicle, leaving full use of the passenger and cargo spaces. It has a range of approximately 100 miles and a top speed of 85 mph. The electric motor develops 88 hp (65 kW), enabling acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in 16 seconds. The stack has been developed by the Daimler-Chrysler cooperation partner, Ballard Power Systems.

Daimler-Chrysler supports Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's efforts and goals. His California Hydrogen Highway Network — in addition to other programs the company is involved with, including those with the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency — enables Daimler-Chrysler and its partners to gain extensive operational familiarity with fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen refueling stations.

Daimler-Chrysler pioneered fuel cell vehicle technology more than a decade ago. Fuel cells release energy from the reaction of hydrogen with a catalyst and oxygen. This clean technology operates at a high level of efficiency and is true zero-emissions. Hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles emit only pure water vapor as exhaust. Fuel cell vehicles are part of Daimler-Chrysler's advanced propulsion technology umbrella, which includes efficient gasoline engines, advanced diesels, Flex-Fuel and hybrid power-train systems.

Please click on the links above to find out about these famous automotive makers. If your company is not included and you would like to be listed, please let us know.