SPY: 2018 Mercedes-Benz A-Class spotted in standard and A 45 bodies (W 177)

The W 177 generation of the A-Class will arrive on the market in spring 2018, some 6 years after the introduction of the current W 176 series. The compact premium hatchback from Stuttgart will feature a bold, more mature and entirely new body language. The key visual elements of the new A-Class styling will be the streamlined, triangular and slimmer headlights and tail lamps. As well, the front fascia will be blessed with the inverted Star grille with Diamond pattern, another design motif that starts to become very widespread at Mercedes-Benz. Other than than, the silhouette of the new W 177 model series will be characterized by the absence of any unnecessary creases and lines and the complete reign of pure, sculptural, plain metal body forms.

The design of the upcoming A-Class has been previewed by the Concept A-Class Sedan and Concept EQA showcars this year. Although toned down a bit and stripped off flashy and futuristic design elements, the final car will certainly emphasize a strong attitude and a more grown up and solid presence. Building up on its already recognized qualities, the new A-Class will become more refined, more premium and will offer an increased interior space thanks to the extra centimeters in length. A new control and display concept will be launched, with a heavily revised layout which puts an accent on digitalization, with multiple screens to be used for replacing the traditional instrument cluster and for the COMAND infotainment system.

Underpinned by the MFA 2 platform, the compact hatchback will also premiere a new range of petrol and diesel engines, of which the low-displacement units will be co-developed with partner Renault-Nissan. The high-end models, offering a new automatic, 9-speed automatic gearbox dubbed 9G-DCT as standard and the optional choice of 4MATIC, will be powered by in-house developed engines, such as the OM654 4-cylinder diesel engine with 194 hp of peak output and the M264 I4 petrol powerplant producing in excess of 200 hp for the A 250 range-topper. The Mercedes-AMG A 45 4MATIC performance hatchback will follow later in 2018 (in the second semester, most likely) and boast a beefy stance, backed by the outrageous design incorporating the Panamericana grille, the quad oval exhausts and certain AMG-specific styling cues. An all new AMG turbocharged engine with 4 cylinder that delivers over 400 hp and sends power on all four wheels thanks to the performance all-wheel-drive system and the automatic transmission is expected to arrive under the hood of the future generation Mercedes-AMG A 45.