New Mercedes Concept A hints at future compact saloon

Mercedes has debuted its Concept A Sedan ahead of the Shanghai Motor Show, suggesting that a compact saloon could join the range in the near future.

The concept serves as a preview to the next-generation A-Class hatchback, says AutoExpress, and could hint at a "possible expansion of the small car range with a new A-Class saloon."

It's "narrower" and "taller" than the current-generation A-Class hatchback, but it's also slightly longer. The magazine says the only design feature carried over from the existing range is the Panamericana grille, which is expected to appear on all Mercedes-AMG models "in the coming years".

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Autocar claims a production version of the Concept A Sedan will be available with a range of four-cylinder engines, with a 400bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged unit featuring in the "range-topping A45 4Matic model."

A petrol-electric plug-in hybrid is also on the cards, which the mag says could boast a 31-mile range on pure-electric power. In an attempt to cover its competition from Audi and BMW, Mercedes is expected to offer 4Matic all-wheel drive systems as an option on all production models.

Mercedes' decision to move away from a hatchback could be due to the high-demand for four-door saloons with Chinese buyers, says Evo, meaning more saloons could appear from other manufacturers in the near future.

Mercedes has yet to reveal a production date or pricing for its Concept A Sedan, although more details are expected later this year.

The Shanghai Motor Show runs from 21 to 28 April.