The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is a small family car produced by the German automaker Mercedes-Benz. The first generation (W168) was introduced in 1997, and the all-new second generation model (W169) appeared in late 2004. It is available as a three or five-door hatchback. It is Mercedes’ entry level model in most of its worldwide markets, though not in North America; the B-Class is the entry model in Canada and Mexico, and the C-Class is the entry model in the US.
Production of the W168 A-Class began in 1997. Its front engine, front wheel drive layout was quite unusual for Mercedes. To date, about 1.6 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 première of stability control in a small car.
W168
| Specification | A160 CDI (1998-2000) | A160 CDI (2000) | A170 CDI (1998-2000) | A170 CDI (2000) | A140 | A160 | A190 (2000) | A210 Evo (2000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rated Output | 44 kW (60 PS; 59 hp) | 55 kW (75 PS; 74 hp) | 66 kW (90 PS; 89 hp) | 70 kW (95 PS; 94 hp) | 60 kW (82 PS; 80 hp) | 75 kW (102 PS; 101 hp) | 92 kW (125 PS; 123 hp) | 103 kW (140 PS; 138 hp) |
| Motor | 1.7L Diesel | 1.7L Diesel | 1.7L Diesel | 1.7L Diesel | 1.4L Petrol | 1.6L Petrol | 1.9L Petrol | 2.1L Petrol |
2009 A-Class revision
The 2009 A-Class features redesigned front and rear bumpers, new tail lamps and headlights, new grille, new exterior mirrors, a restyled interior design and new upholsteries and colors. The 2009 A-Class was released alongside the refreshed 2009 M-Class and B-Class. The car is also available with Active Park Assist, which enables the car to parallel park itself, with throttle and brake input still required from the driver.
Initial advertising campaign for the W169
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.
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