Mercedes-Benz is showing off a new, 170 mm longer, extended wheelbase version of its A-class baby at next month’s Geneva motor show 2001. It will be launched together with upgraded standard-wheelbase models at dealerships in spring 2001.
Mercedes expects the LWB version to account for around half of A-class sales thanks to an 11 percent boost in interior room. Around 53 percent of the 3.78 metre-long body can be used by its occupants – far more than in conventional cars of similar size – and, even in LWB form, the baby Merc is still shorter than most of its class including the Skoda Fabia and Ford Fiesta.
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“With this new product, we can finally also satisfy those potential customers who, whilst always attracted to the styling and concept of the A-Class, needed just a little more space”, is how Dr. Joachim Schmidt, head of Mercedes sales and marketing, puts it.
An extra 170mm inserted into the rear doors gives rear-seat passengers exactly that amount of extra legroom and a distance of 945 millimetres between front and rear-seat passengers – around the same as in the company’s gargantuan S-class limousine. The LWB A-class is also fractionally taller than the SWB version.
Both variants feature numerous detail improvements introduced for the 2001 model year including more powerful diesel engines, enhanced safety features, classier-looking interior plastics, re-arranged centre consoles and an optional humidity-sensing air conditioner.
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