US Market to Get A & B

[MTI]

Front Wheel Drive Mercedes Model To Be Sold in US

Over the next few years, American customers will get to choose from the Mercedes B-Class (although not the B-Class E-Cell Plus extended range electric vehicle) compact, the A-Class subcompact and a new range of C-Class offerings, which will begin production in Tuscaloosa, AL in 2014.

[iwrock]

Hmm, If the A-Class is going to be sub-17k, I would consider it for my commuter.

[tbomachines]

Those vents look so incredibly cheap and gaudy. Rest of interior is bland. No thanks :-\

Edit: steering wheel looks nice though

[MTI]

Most modern Mercedes interiors inspire narcolepsy, I've always thought of it as being an engineering element. Perhaps that's the reason for the "Attention Assist" system.

[iwrock]

Originally Posted by tbomachines

Those vents look so incredibly cheap and gaudy. Rest of interior is bland. No thanks :-\

Edit: steering wheel looks nice though

They remind me of W123 vents....

[MTI]

or SL (R107) vents?

[iwrock]

Originally Posted by MTI

or SL (R107) vents?

I am not very well versed in vintage MB air-vents, but yes, they remind me of them.


I dig the car.

[tbomachines]

Looks more like a Pontiac Grand Am to me

I do see the connection to the R109 vents...still don't like them though. The design just looks old and outdated, the metal accents don't do anything for me.

[iwrock]

Originally Posted by tbomachines

Looks more like a Pontiac Grand Am to me

I do see the connection to the R109 vents...still don't like them though. The design just looks old and outdated, the metal accents don't do anything for me.

IDK. The GM airvents look like this:





Those look cheap and cheezy compared to the Benz ones.

[davidmash]

It's an entry level MB. Do you want them to be polished aluminum? I like the A and B. Hopefully they come with a nice 4 banger diesel.

[tbomachines]

To each his own, I guess it just doesn't work with me. I wonder how MB will fare in our market...seems like the toughest and most competitive area these days.

[MTI]

Originally Posted by davidmash

It's an entry level MB. Do you want them to be polished aluminum? I like the A and B. Hopefully they come with a nice 4 banger diesel.

Here are similar vents in the AMG SLS



and the AMG GT3 Version of the SLS

[tbomachines]

For example here is a competitor in that segment, the VW Jetta wagon:

Clean, simple, very German in its minimalism. THe MB seems over the top blingy, bulbous, and discontinuous.




Edit: I should add...its not just the vents, its their placement and integration with the rest of the interior. Something just isn't right about them IMO

[MTI]

Originally Posted by iwrock

They remind me of W123 vents....

And you are correct.

[tbomachines]

Those side lines didn't look good on the 3 and don't look good on the B either. Wow I'm a downer today lol...I just really do not like the styling of these cars, I DO hope it ushers in some great diesels though.