Mercedes-Benz B-Class Set To Debut In Australia

B-Class Set To Debut In Australia

Posted by eMercedesBenz.com on September 28, 2005 at 11:32 AM CST

Mercedes is set to debut the B-Class at the Sydney International Auto  
Show in Australia later this month. If you're unfamiliar with the B- 
Class, it's a new model Mercedes has developed to capture a younger  
market share.
The B-Class is a mixture of several different vehicles, much like  
Mercedes' recently introduced R-Class model. It utilizes what  
Mercedes calls the "sandwich concept," which places the engine and  
transmission partly in the front of the vehicle and partly beneath  
the passenger cell. In addition to reducing the dimensions of the  
vehicle while still maintaining interior spaciousness, the sandwich  
concept offers improved safety in the event of an accident. By  
positioning the engine and transmission in an inclined position,  
Mercedes found that in a frontal impact, the drive unit is moved  
downward below the floor panel, as opposed to directly into the  
interior, as is found in most vehicles.

In addition to the interior and safety features listed above, the B- 
Class also offers increased load capacity over its competitors. By  
implementing folding and removable rear seats, as well as an optional  
removable passenger seat, the B-Class can quickly be converted from a  
passenger car to a cargo van, a feature not found in other small  
passenger cars.

If you're wondering what powers the B-Class, it comes in your choice  
of two different engine variants: a four cylinder, found in the B  
200, or a turbocharged four cylinder, found in the B 200 Turbo. Both  
models come with manual transmissions standard (5 or 6 speed,  
respectively), and Mercedes also offers an optional automatic  
transmission in both versions of the vehicle. Pricing for the B-Class  
models will be $44,900 for the standard B-Class model, and $48,900  
for the turbocharged version.

I know what you're thinking: "When is the B-Class coming to the  
states?" I've received a multitude of emails asking me the very same  
question, and up to this point, Mercedes has no definite plans to  
release it here.

Do I think this is a wise move on Mercedes part?  No, not at all.   
Like one reader pointed out, the B-Class is the perfect car if you  
already own a flagship Mercedes model, such as the S-Class, but want  
an every day car for the wife and kids.  Add to that buyers that want  
a less expensive car that's still reliable, buyers that want a fuel  
efficient vehicle, and younger buyers that are spending an increasing  
amount in the automotive sector, and I think the B-Class would  
perform remarkably well in the American market.

But that's just my opinion.

You can check out several photos of the B-Class at

http://emercedesbenz.com/Sep05/28BClassSetToDebutInAustralia.html

followed by the full press release.

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