Mercedes-Benz says that its new A-Class Sedan will boast the “lowest drag of any production vehicle worldwide”, grabbing the title from its sibling, the outgoing CLA.
With a Cd value of 0,22 and a frontal area of 2,19 m², the Stuttgart-based automaker says the A-Class Sedan – which is scheduled to launch at the end of 2018 – has a drag of less than 0,49 m². The launch of this model will follow the revealing of the A-Class L Sedan, which was “developed solely for the Chinese market”.
Mercedes has revealed that the four-door notchback has the same wheelbase as the hatchback at 2 729 mm (the space between the A-Class L Sedan’s axles is some 60 mm longer), with short overhangs at front and rear. It will be built in Aguascalientes in Mexico and Rastatt in Germany.
The brand says its A-Class Sedan was “optimised down to the smallest detail by a multiplicity of computation loops, CAE simulations and measurements in the wind tunnel” in Sindelfingen.
Other small measures include a reduction of the frontal area, an “extensive sealing concept” (such as the sealing of the headlamp surroundings) as well as “almost complete panelling” of the underbody, which includes the engine bay, main floorpan, parts of the rear axle and the diffuser.
In addition, the front and rear wheel spoilers were “optimised specifically” to route the air round the wheels as efficiently as possible. The rims and tyres also underwent aerodynamic fine-tuning, while some markets will gain an optional two-part shutter system behind the grille to minimise airflow through the engine bay.
