An image appearing to be a leaked press shot of the upcoming B-Class has found its way onto the ‘web ahead of the car’s official unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The new car lifts some styling cues from the 2009 BlueZero concept fuel cell vehicle with a profile that treads the line between that of a hatchback and an MPV with the familial Mercedes-Benz face tacked on the front. It’s a fairly conventional design, especially when you consider the exciting stuff that Mercedes did with its recent A-Class design study, but it’s one that the company hopes will appeal to a wide audience and will likely form a foundation for spin-offs such as a sedan and possibly a compact SUV.
The new car will be marginally larger than the outgoing model, measuring 4 359 mm long, 1 786 mm wide and 1 557 mm high.
Mercedes has already revealed the new car’s interior, which appears to be a far more upmarket affair than that of the outgoing model. The ‘eyeball’ air vents are similar to those found in the SLS AMG and SLK, while the facia-mounted TFT infotainment display will be a standard fitment offered in two sizes.
The new B-Class is set to usher in a new generation of low-displacement petrol and diesel powerplants, possibly featuring a combination of turbocharging and direct fuel injection. The new M270 four-cylinder, turbocharged 1,6 petrol unit will be offered in two states of tune (90 kW and 115 kW) while the 1,8-litre turbodiesel will be available in 80 kW and 100 kW guises. These powerplants are expected to be offered with a choice of six-speed manual and seven-speed automatic transmissions.