Mercedes-Benz A180 2013 News

The $74,900 A45 AMG may halve the price of entry and average cylinder count of Mercedes-Benz’s performance brand, but the hot hatch well and truly delivers on performance expectations.With claimed 0-100km/h acceleration of 4.6 seconds and a limited top speed of 270km/h, the A45’s hand-built 265kW/450Nm M133 2.0 litre turbocharged engine is touted as “the world's most powerful four-cylinder engine in series production.”Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesperson Jerry Stamoulis says the A45’s arrival “will not just revolutionise the hot hatch market, but the performance market as a whole.”Backing that up, the A45’s official 0-100km/h figure eclipses Audi’s $149,400 RS4 Avant by 0.1 seconds, and trails its $154,900 C63 AMG sedan sibling by just two-tenths.  The impressive outputs have been made possible through a combination of piezo direct-injection, twin-scroll turbocharging, water-to-air intercooling, and a forged crankshaft and pistons -- all permitting a stratospheric maximum boost pressure of 26.5psi.The A45’s grunt is channelled through a seven-speed dual-clutch auto with paddle shifters and multiple shift modes, before being sent to all four wheels via Haldex-type all-wheel drive system that splits drive up to 50 per cent when needed. Despite all this caged mechanical lunacy, the A45 uses standard start/stop to return an amazing 6.9l/100km official combined fuel figure – less than a base model Toyota Corolla.The little AMG is the first A-Class to feature all-wheel drive, and includes re-engineered front and rear suspensions and a 350mm/330mm (four piston front) brake package to contain its 1555kg kerb weight.  There’s far more to the A45 story than just performance, with the lengthy standard features list including a panoramic glass sunroof, seven inch multimedia screen, with satnav, 10GB hard-drive and internet capability, plus 12 speaker Harmon Kardon audio, dual-zone climate control and heated seats with memory adjustment. The only remaining options are ($490) blackened wheels, ($1990) 20% stiffer coil springs, a ($1990) aero package, and a spacesaver wheel to expand on the standard puncture kit. An active sports exhaust is also standard, which emits sinfully indulgent cracks and pops when Sport mode is activated, and is reminiscent of a WRC car anti-lag system when in launch-mode.The A45’s interior is unmistakably AMG, with red highlights against perforated leather and trim, flat top and bottomed leather an alcantara multifunction steering wheel, aluminium and carbon-look details, specific sports seats, and numerous AMG logos. The instrument cluster also includes a lap-timer, which is controlled by the steering wheel’s audio controls.  With standard 19 inch multispoke wheels and 235/35 tyres all round, the only remaining options for Australian A45s are ($490) blackened wheels, ($1990) 20% stiffer coil springs, a ($1990) aero package, and a spacesaver wheel to expand on the standard puncture kit.The A45’s safety gear builds on the lesser A-Class models’ five star safety rating, with three stage stability control offering three choices of safety net, plus Distronic Plus active cruise control, blind-spot and lane-keeping assist. Despite such performance potential and high state of tune, the A45 maintains Mercedes’ standard 12 month/20,000km service intervals.The first local deliveries will start on September 1, but Mercedes has already taken 1000 orders for the A45, and expects 300 of these to arrive before the years end. The current A45 waiting list stretches to March 2014, but additional volume will shorten this queue in the new year. Mr Stamoulis confirmed that Australia’s order bank for the A45 currently ranks third globally behind the UK and Japan, with 60 per cent of buyers new to the AMG brand. Those interested in A45 performance in sedan guise will be able to choose the mechanically identical CLA45 AMG from October, with a pricetag of $87,000.    This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn

When you've been making cars for more than a century you pick-up a thing or two. Mercedes-Benz has a rich history in the automobile world and brings this expertise to the new, small, A-Class five door hatch.Such a car would have been almost unthinkable from Benz of old but not now. This is a high-tech, super stylish offering that brings access to the Benz badge and technology right down into the mid-$30,000 bracket. It creates a conflict for possible buyers at this price point.What would you prefer, a “normal” car or a Benz? It's a no brainer really.ORDERSThis is reflected in the order book which shows plenty of pent-up demand for the new A-Class which, by the way, this one has absolutely nothing in common with the previous A-Class apart from the name. Extremely efficient engines range in power from 90 - 155 kW with low emissions and frugal fuel consumption. The car has a best-in-class drag coefficient of Cd 0.27.SAFETYNew A-Class doesn't compromise on safety either with standard safety spec' including a reversing camera, Pre safe crash preparation and the radar-based Collision Prevention Assist.STYLEThe A-Class is completely new, down to the last detail. Its development started with a clean sheet of paper. They came up with a dynamic, “two box”, distinctly Mercedes-Benz external design complete with a high-quality feel to the interior.All trim elements have been given an electroplated finish, resulting in real metal surfaces with “cool touch” effect. The work has been executed with considerable care and attention to detail, so that they appear to have been moulded in one piece.The instrument cluster comprises two large round instruments, each with a small dial set within it. The 3-spoke steering wheel comes with 12 function buttons and an electroplated bezel. A-Class is a five-seater despite the rear pew looking like two individual seats. With the rear seats folded, boot capacity is 1157 litres.POWERTRAINSA wide choice of engines meets nearly every power requirement. All have ECO start/stop function as standard. The engines are combined with the 7G-DCT dual clutch automatic transmission as standard, which ideally combines comfort and sportiness.The 1.6-litre petrol A180 BlueEFFICIENCY achieves 90kW/200Nm output and consumes as little as 5.8-litres/100km. The 1.8-litre diesel A 200 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY achieves 100 kW/300Nm and consumes 4.6 litres/100 km.The 1.6-litre petrol A 200 BlueEFFICIENCY achieves 115kW/250 Nm and sips a mere 6.1 litres/100 km. The 2.0-litre A 250 Sport achieves 155kW/350 Nm using 6.6 litres/100km. All engines are new as is the transmission.Thanks to the modular system it has been possible to select the optimally designed transmission for each diesel and petrol engine.DYNAMICSRefined yet sporty dynamics are aided by the car's four-link rear axle, electromechanical power steering with assistance functions and ESP with “Extended Traction Control” (XTC).The new A-Class has passed a rigorous program of crash tests. This includes not only some 30 different impact configurations, which are laid down as requirements for safety ratings and international type approval, but also nine proprietary crash tests, such as the roof-drop test or the pole impact test, developed by the brand itself.GOODIESThe Becker Map Pilot makes a low-cost 3D navigation function available for the Audio 20 head unit. The navigation system boasts voice-controlled input of destinations and an intuitive user interface.COMMANDOnline now provides internet access via various web-enabled mobile phone, plus various Mercedes-Benz services on the move.

The prestige segment of the small car market is tiny, accounting for only about eight per cent of small-car sales in Australia.The MD of Mercedes Cars in Australia, Horst von Sanden, has spotted this lucrative niche in the market and is about to launch the all-new Mercedes-Benz A-Class right into the heart of that sales arena. Mercedes-Benz Australia has used the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney to give the public their first look at the new A-Class – and to dangle low prices in front of them.Priced from just $35,600, the Mercedes A180 Blue Efficiency doesn’t cost a lot more than top-line models such as the Mazda3, which is Australia’s top selling car; the all-new Toyota Corolla; the soon-to-be launched Nissan Pulsar; and fellow German Volkswagen Golf 7, another car that’s headed downunder shortly, and many others in a very crowded market segment.None of the aforementioned have the prestige of the three-pointed star and Horst von Sanden feels many buyers will stretch their budgets an extra few thousand dollars to gain the image that Mercedes provides. Mercedes hasn’t made the mistake of leaving out equipment to reach this low starting price, the A180 comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, sports seats, a quality audio system, active parking assist and a reversing camera. Safety is looked after by active collision assist and there are now fewer than nine airbags.This Mercedes will sell on style as well as price. Its bold front has more than a passing resemblance to the high-performance SLS Gullwing and the raised lines on the doors swoop up boldly to create a styling statement. The A-Class is almost an iPhone on wheels in the way it lets you communicate and/or entertain its occupants.Power for the new A-Class comes from a 1.6-litre petrol engine in two stages of tune, a sporty 2.0-litre petrol, and 1.8-litre diesel. All are thoroughly modern units with the latest in emission and fuel consumption minimisation features. We have yet to drive the new A-Class in Australia, but in July this year we did test it in Slovenia during the international launch program. It has a nicely balanced feel and almost has the dynamics of a rear-wheel-drive car. Throttle control is easy and the steering feedback through the electro-mechanical system is excellent. Comfort and interior ambiance are good and give the feel of a car a size larger than it is.Though the all-new Mercedes-Benz A-Class has been launched in a blaze of publicity at the Sydney motor show it won’t go onto Australian roads until March 2013 when the first shipment arrives. However, you can order yours at your local dealer now. May we suggest you move quickly if you’re even slightly interested because global demand for this small Mercedes is high, which could result in ever expanding waiting lists.The complete 2013 Mercedes-Benz A-Class range is:A 180 BE 1.6-litre petrol five-door hatch: $35,600 (automatic)A 200 BE 1.6-litre petrol five-door hatch: $40,900 (automatic)A 200 CDI BE 1.8-litre turbo-diesel five-door hatch: $40,900 (automatic)A 250 Sport 2.0-litre petrol five-door hatch: $49,900 (automatic) 

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class will start at $35,600 plus on-road costs when it arrives in local showrooms in March - compared to the RRP of $39,990 for the basic fleet version of the Commodore sedan.In yet another grim sign of the competition facing locally-made cars, the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class hatch will also come with more equipment and better fuel economy than what was once Australia’s favourite car.The new baby Benz comes standard with nine airbags (to the Commodore’s tally of six), crash avoidance technology, a rear view camera and tyres that will never go flat, even when punctured. It will also be easy on the wallet at the petrol pump: sipping just 5.8L/100km - about one-third less than the most efficient Commodore.The miserly Merc will also have longer service intervals - requiring a visit to the dealer once a year or every 25,000km (whichever comes first), compared to nine months or every 15,000km for the Holden Commodore."The economy is doing well, the personal savings of Australians are at an all-time high … and now we have a car that’s within the reach of families and young buyers," said Horst von Sanden, managing director of Mercedes-Benz Australia passenger cars. "In Europe, families drive this type of car and if you look at small-car sales here, Australians are also embracing this trend. People are asking: ‘how big does my car need to be’?”Interest in Mercedes’ new cut-price model is so strong the company air-freighted three models for display at the Sydney Motor Show, which opens this Friday. "It’s early days but we estimate about half of buyers will never have owned a Mercedes before," he said. Not everything about the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class is cheap, though. Metallic paint adds $1190 to the price. On a Holden it is $550.

The Mercedes Drive Thru will be built in the lobby of the prestigious Old Selfridge Hotel in London’s upmarket Mayfair area, allowing diners to pilot their cars through the pop-up eatery.In true drive-in diner style, they’ll be served by wait staff on rollerblades, who’ll be dishing up food from Bompas and Parr – the Brit wonderchefs who have tuned the jelly mould into haute cuisine.The Mercedes Drive Thru opens in September, and includes a light show to keep driving diners entertained, while they’re also treated to a close look at the brand’s new A-Class small car.The four-day event is being mounted in collaboration with digital magazine "The Avant/Garde Diaries" and British multimedia collective Jason Bruges Studio. Mercedes-Benz said the Drive Thru was about “setting the artistic stage for the new A-Class”.“The new A-Class is all set to bring the trend towards monotony in the compact car segment to an end,” Mercedes-Benz head of brand communication Anders Sundt Jensen, said in a statement.  "It is all about questioning what exists already and unleashing unimagined synergies"The German brand says it is aiming the novel marketing exercise at the youth demographic – although the food is bound to be better than nuggets and fries, and there’s no word on whether you get Happy Meal toys. 

We'll see three new entrants due to lob within the next 12 months, including Mercedes-Benz's new A-Class.It will be joined in the fray by Audi's new A3 and the new Volvo V40, a shorter, hatchback variant of the S60 sedan for want of a better description.All are five door hatchbacks with front wheel drive. BMW's stylistically challenged 1-Series is the only rear wheel drive. Although some manufacturers are reluctant to admit it, the main competition for all players is VW?s super popular Golf.CLEAN SHEETThe Benz is a clean sheet project having nothing at all in common with the previous A-Class mini people mover. That job has been ceded to the new Benz B-Class and it's an effective device for everyday family motoring. New A-Class is taking Benz in a totally new direction that will open up a wider and younger customer base to the three pointed star. Early kick-off price guesstimates are in the $35,000 range.DIGITAL NATIVESIt's a car precisely targeting the Gen Y and Xers (so called Digital Natives) replete with a full array of connectivity right down to being able to seamlessly hook up your iPad or iPhone to the in-car info/control system.It will be a smart phone on wheels offering a smooth transition from a digital lifestyle to a digital driving style. And get this, there's a virtual co-driver you can question or instruct to operate in-car functions.LOOKSThe stunning looker, which bears a remarkable similarity to the A Concept of 2011, will be made in Germany, Hungary and tellingly, China. And we can expect a few other variants built on the same front wheel drive platform (moving to all wheel drive when AMG gets its hands on A-Class).UNDER THE BONNETIt will be powered by a range of existing and a couple of new Benz turbo direct injection petrol and turbodiesel engines rated from 80kW through to 155kW with capacities ranging from 1.6 through to 2.1-litres. Benz hasn't confirmed it but a three door hatch variant should become available a little further down the track and possibly a drop top cabriolet.Benz's performance partner AMG has been enlisted to develop certain A-Class parts so they have intimate knowledge of the car already. The A250 Sport enjoys significant AMG input. New A-Class will be offered with six-speed manual and seven-speed dual clutch manumatic transmissions and all models will have auto stop/start to optimise fuel economy.Camtronic that alters valve lift in the petrol engines for peak efficiency will also make an appearance. An 'Eco' mode will be available to squeeze out the last kilometre in fuel economy if you drive carefully.ACRONYMS R USBenz won't hold back on the acronym features list either that will see the new baby Benz fitted with a speed limiter (Distronic), radar-based Collision Prevention Assist (CPA), Pre-Safe collision preparation and Lane Keeping Assist as well as Fatigue Alert and numerous other electronic driver and safety aids. They have filtered down from larger models as has the luxury inventory.STYLEIt has an assertive stance on the road with a masculine frontal appearance and deeply sculpted panels. The ride height is low and a striking "pointillist" style grille is available on some models. It looks ready to pounce from all angles and inside, the assertive, quality theme carries through with seats for four and a reasonable boot space.The dash is from funky town featuring an electroplated look to many surfaces and impressive audio and lighting spex. It rates a strong five stars in crash testing and boasts newly developed pedestrian safety technology. The multi-faceted headlights feature a bank of LEDs for daytime running, indicators and parking lights. It rates a low 0.26Cd for aerodynamic efficiency.VERDICTIf it goes as good as it looks the new A-Class could be a world beater. It has the potential to lift Mercedes-Benz to a new level with a wider audience and still maintain that prestige aura associated with the 110 year old automotive brand. We find out soon enough.

Switzerland is car-making neutral ground and has little vehicle industry of its own. But its annual showcase has a reputation as the "designer" show, where the elite brands put their best ideas on display and the minor players can share the limelight.VOLVO V40Vehicle: Small premium hatch.Volvo has been treading water on vehicle development and a clear strategic direction has yet to emerge after its takeover by China's Geely two years ago. Its first new product since then still owes a lot to previous parent Ford, with parts of the V40 traceable to the Focus.But like the Mercedes A-Class, it tackles the booming segment of premium compact hatchbacks and is expected to add 100,000 sales a year. Volvo chief Stefan Jacoby says it sets new standards in the segment, with features trickling down from its larger cars. These include City Safety, a collision avoidance system that can prevent a rear-ender at up to 50km/h, and the headline feature, the world's first pedestrian airbag, which deploys from the rear edge of the bonnet.PORSCHE BOXSTERVehicle: Convertible sportscar."The car that rescued Porsche'' is not over-stating the significance of the Boxster, its little mid-engined roadster, which troubled brand purists when it appeared in the 1990s but undoubtedly brought the brand back from the financial precipice.Pictures of the heavily restyled new car have been around for a while but Porsche saved the real thing for Geneva. It shares many of its innovations with the 911, and Porsche will be rolling out variants of these two models for years to come. Lighter than before despite a longer wheelbase and wider track, two flat-six engines are offered from the outset: a 195kW 2.7-litre or 232kW 3.4-litre in the Boxster S. Its bound to better than the last one, and that's still the benchmark in this category.MERCEDES-BENZ A-CLASSVehicle: Luxury hatchback.Mercedes-Benz has had mixed fortunes with small cars. Its previous A and B-Class were the Tweedledum and Tweedledee of a segment that contained cars such as the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series.Expensive to build and mumsie in their appeal, Mercedes has torn up that approach and started from scratch. The A will be the smallest and least expensive of what will eventually be a five-car line-up in which only the practical mini-bus B is recognisable from before. The premium small car market is running hot and the A will aim to lure anyone shopping with Golf money and above. It's more macho, more premium and ready-fitted with top-shelf equipment such as collision prevention systems. It's also Mercedes biggest roll of the dice since the new M-Class SUV.FERRARI F12 BERLINETTAVehicle: Supercar.Most Ferraris sold are V8s, particularly since it added the entry-level California convertible to its range. Thanks in part to that car, last year production reached a record of 7200, and its margins are the envy of the industry.But true believers know it's the 12-cylinder cars that are really at the heart of the badge. Last year it replaced its flagship four-seater 12-cylinder and this year it rolls out its two-seater V12 coupe, the F12 Berlinetta. This replaces the six-year old 599 GTB and lifts the bar on performance even further. The F12 is the most powerful road car Ferrari has built, with a new 6.3-litre engine that develops 544kW and can rev to 8700rpm. It propels the F12 to 100km/h in 3.1 seconds and 200km/h in 8.5. Ferrari has been fast-tracking technology recently and the F12 comes with every dynamic trick Ferrari can muster.INFINITI EMERG-EVehicle: Concept supercar.Nissan's luxury division Infiniti has global ambitions after years establishing a foothold in the US. For its fifth appearance at the Geneva show it rolled out the third in a trio of concepts that demonstrate the evolution of its design thinking. The clunkily named Emerg-e pushes the boundaries on technology and performance.Its striking silver carbon-fibre body houses lithium ion batteries that power two mid-mounted electric motors. Together they pump out 300kW and can power the car to 100km/h in four seconds. Emerg-e can travel 50km on electricity before a three-cylinder petrol engine fires up and extends its range to almost 500km. Infiniti launches in Australia later this year.BENTLEY EXP 9 FVehicle: Luxury SUV.There's long been a gap in the SUV market above the most expensive Range Rovers and Porsche Cayennes that elite makers have been slow to fill. Not any more. In a few weeks, Lamborghini will unveil its extreme offroader, but Bentley has got in first with the EXP 9 F.Its first experimental, or EXP, car in a decade, the F stands for Falcon, the fastest animal on the planet. Huge and in many people's eyes not the prettiest, it's recognisably a Bentley thanks to its matrix grille, strong haunches and interior heavy with wood and leather.The showcar boasts 23-inch "turbine'' wheels, while under the bonnet is the same 6.0-litre turbo W12 engine that powers Bentley's GT line. Its goal is to set a new pinnacle for the segment, it says, and, despite any production schedule, Bentley left little doubt it was committed to the idea.BERTONE NUCCIOVehicle: Concept sportscar.Geneva is where the European tuners, aftermarket specialists and styling houses turn up to impress the industry with their skills. It's where names such as Pininfarina and Giugiaro, Ruf and EDAG strut their stuff alongside the majors.One of them, Italian design specialist Bertone, has survived to celebrate 100 years against the odds. Its showcar, named after the "master of Italian style'' Nuccio Bertone, honours that milestone and the determination of his widow to keep the company going.The car, a dramatic orange-and-grey wedge with a mid-mounted 4.3-litre V8, references famous concepts from Bertone's past, such as the Lancia Stratos Zero of 1970. You can't see out the back, so a camera feeds the view on to an LED-screen-virtual-rear-window. It's unlikely to go into production, but shows there's life in Bertone yet.LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR JVehicle: One-off supercar.What does it feel like to have the wind in your hair at 300km/h? If you're the one with more than E2 million ($2.5m) to spend on the Aventador J, then you'll find out. Only one will be built, and even by Lamborghini's extreme standards this is an uncompromising set of wheels.It starts life as the Aventador, Lamborghini's new carbon-fibre mid-engined V12 supercar, and then doubles down. It removes the roof and windscreen and you can forget about satnav or a radio. It's unlikely you'll be able to hear much, anyway, apart from the engine because the cover has gone, replaced by a carbon-fibre lattice. Underneath is the same 6.5-litre 515kW V12 that propels the Aventador, but with less weight to shift. Lamborghini doesn't say how fast it is, but it does refer to the driver as a "pilot''.LAND ROVER EVOQUE CONVERTIBLEVehicle: Convertible SUV concept car.Almost four years since it was taken over by Indian giant Tata, Jaguar Land Rover really is hitting its straps. Profits exceeded pound stg. 1 billion ($1.48bn) last year for the first time, it's pumping money into R&D and creating 4000 jobs. Plans are also afoot to expand production into India, China and Brazil.One reason: in the Evoque luxury SUV it has a phenomenal hit on its hands. Evoque's success hinges on its striking design and Land Rover takes the idea further in its Geneva showcar, which is a study for an open-top version. Officially designed to "gauge reaction'', it will certainly get made if JLR has an assembly line spare

... rival the prices on the BMW options' list for things like salad and spuds.So it's no surprise that the top end of town calls the shots at the Palexpo alongside Geneva Airport as Europe's carmakers go head-to-head for the first time in 2012. Ferrari and Lamborghini battle for go-faster bragging rights as Rolls-Royce and Bentley get serious about family motoring for the ultra-rich, while Infiniti pitches an new exotic coupe and even Ssangyong of Korea goes upmarket with a new concept. There are also dozens of one-off dream machines and hotrod tuner cars in Geneva, a show that is traditionally dominated by European design stars including Pininfarina and Giugiaro. But there is plenty, too, for ordinary car buyers as the Fiesta ST brakes cover, Hyundai updates the i20 and teases with the Veloster Turbo, Jaguar confirms an XF station wagon, Audi and Mercedes-Benz previews their A3 and A-Class, and Ford even updates its box-boring Transit workhorse. Picking the best of the best is tough with so much gorgeous stuff on the stands, but Alfa Romeo is the winner for 2012 and edges out the Infiniti Emerge-E with its Disco Volante.The pretty little red coupe is dreamy without being stupid and is already confirmed for production, although the slightly-retro body will be draped over Alfa's existing 8C Competizione chassis - 4.7-litre V8, 335kW, 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds - which means it's no chance for Australia with only left-hand drive.The Ferrari F12 is exactly what you expect from the fastest car to wear the badge - 340km/h and 0-100km/h in 3.1 seconds - including a swoopy body that taps the past as well as the influences that created the California convertible, but Lamborghini goes even better with an Aventador J preview car that is snapped up for a rumoured $2.8 million ahead of genuine production of an open-topped Aventador supercar.Rolls-Royce updates the Phantom with a new nose that still demands respect, as well as tweaking its colour choices with a two-tone approach that triggers memories of cheap seventies vinyl roofs, and Jaguar gets serious for families with an XF Sportbrake that will still struggle in a world of SUVs.Further down the food chain, the Audi A3 looks good but not as edgy as an A-Class that must break away from the bus pass generation into something closer to the Y-Gen futurists, and Volkswagen previews a more car-like Tiguan crossover with its Cross Coupe.Hyundai has a preview of a new flagship coupe called the i-oniq - did it mean ironic? - Kia shows a Track'ster that will become the new Soul, Honda shows the CR-V design that's coming to Australia, and the pocket rocket Ford Fiesta ST breaks cover with a confirmation for Australia.The action and excitement at Geneva goes on and on, and that is - really - the best thing about the show. Detroit in January hinted that the word's carmakers are finally emerging from the austerity and fear of the global financial crisis and the big-spending effort in Geneva confirms it, with good news for almost everyone from Euro billionaires to ordinary Aussie families.PG PICKS:1. Bentley EXP 9 F.Only one word fits - Ugly. With a big capital U. The hulking British bulldog might tick the boxes for cashed-up families, but this SUV makes a LandCruiser look elegant, and subtle.2. Giugiaro Brivido.Exactly what you expect to see in Geneva, as designers go all-out to impress the crowds - and each other. Not for production but a great looker with huge gullwing doors.3. Range Rover Evoque Convertible. A certainty for production as Land Rover milks its most successful design - ever. This one will never go bush but is being fast tracked for Double Bay and Toorak.4. Ssangyong XIV-2. Who knew the South Koreans could trump the Euros with a design that combines SUV practicality with a coupe-convertible body? A big surprise.5. Toyota FT-Bh: Just when you thought the uglies were done, Toyota lobbed with this. If it's the future for hybrid cars then sales will be slow. Very slow.

The all-new A is testing in Sweden to finalise details for sales later this year alongside the latest hatchback B Class. Benz promises the newcomers are much more youthful and will be a real alternative to a starting-price Audi or BMW.Expect it here early in 2013 at around $35,000.

The five-door A-Class hatch is part of a range of new Benz babies and is clearly aimed straight at the BMW 1 Series and Audi's new five-door A1.