Mercedes-Benz changes its mind again: A-Class staying until 2028
Change of plan
First announced in 2022 as being on the chopping block, the current W177 A-Class, which received its one and only update two years ago, will become the longest-lasting generation yet, based on the latest claims.
Supposedly part of Benz's range reduction strategy announced two years ago, in which it aimed to lower complexity by cutting its product portfolio from 33 to 14 models, the A-Class will now seemingly live on alongside the new CLA until before the end of the decade.
'It's not our goal to be a competitor of the volume producers. That's not what the Mercedes-Benz brand stands for. So stay tuned as far as our product portfolio is concerned,' Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius told Britain's Autocar in 2022 about the same time as the A-Class' pending demise.
In a related statement, Mercedes-Benz's chief technology officer Markus Schäfer told Italy's quattoruote: 'We need models that work all over the world, including China and the USA. I know that the hatchback is the favourite in Europe, but it was not part of the plans and we had to make choices, even difficult ones.'
Why the U-turn?
Largely believed to be replaced by the incoming junior G-Class, called g-Class that will also succeed the B-Class, GLA and GLB, Mercedes-Benz production head Jorg Burzer hinted that ongoing demand had been the reason for the decision to continue with A-Class production for the additional two years.
This is according to Automotive News Europe's German outlet, Automobilwoche, in which the executive also confirmed the end of the B-Class by next year as still being on the cards.
As such, production will move from Germany to Hungary for the A-Class' final two years, hinting that another series of updates could soon be applied on top of those rolled-out two years ago.
Recap
Locally, the A-Class range spans six models, two hatches and four sedans, priced from R813 124 for the A200 Progressive, to R991 046 for the A200d AMG Line Sedan.
In addition, the current AMG based models including three derivatives range from R1 173 973 for the A35 Sedan, to R1 457 119 for the A45 S hatch.
This article first appeared in The Citizen.
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