Mercedes-Benz reveals new A-Class concept

Mercedes-Benz

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Mercedes-Benz looks set to go head-to-head with Audi in the young, urban market, revealing a dramatic redesign concept of its A-Class series.

The new Concept A-Class will go on display at the Shanghai and New York auto shows later this month and is a significant departure from the current, rather boxy A-Class model.

Images released by the automaker April 7 show a far lower, swept design with pronounced nose which hints strongly that Mercedes is targeting the Audi A1, which has proved very popular since its launch at the Geneva Motor Show last year, and the BMW 1 Series.

Instead of a traditional grille, the front end of the Concept A-Class features numerous metallic silver hexagons on black stems, a theme which is continued with the wheel design and LED headlamps that the automaker says are designed to resemble a "starry sky."

Inside, the Concept A-Class uses a 2.0 liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine, which Mercedes-Benz says will deliver 210 hp with minimal emissions and fuel consumption, although no specific figures were released.

It also offers a radar-based collision warning system, which Mercedes-Benz claims is a world-first in the compact class, along with an interior reminiscent of a jet aircraft.

The new concept is believed to hint heavily at a new production version of the A-Class which could be in European showrooms as early as next year, although it's unlikely to be sold in the US according to Detroit-based Automotive News