Several times, we have revealed design sketches and inside details that shed light on the new generation of the A-Klasse, dubbed for the official premiere in the spring of 2012. Latest reports indicate that Mercedes-Benz will offer a preview of this upcoming model when a compact-sized, lifestyle-oriented concept car is unveiled in April at the New York Auto Show.
The strategy of the designers in charge of creating the personality of the new Mercedes-Benz A-Klasse is to target an entirely new customers segment by developing a very appealing exterior look and a youthful cabin. The ingenious MFA platform and the impressive variety of powering solutions available go without saying and will certainly be a tough argument in favour of the new model from Stuttgart.
According to Hartmut Sinkwitz, head of the interior design department at Mercedes-Benz, the challenge is to master the car around the next principle: "My first Mercedes". That is why the forthcoming A-Klasse might not anything in common with other Mercedes-Benz models in terms of styling and client approach. The outer design will be sharp and dynamic, whereas the interior is expected to be a masterpiece in terms of aesthetics, material quality, interactivity and practicality suitable for the everyday use. The dashboard will combine bold and curvaceous lines in an unprecedented artistic manner and will boast a radical architecture comprising a driver-friendly control interface and lots of storage compartments.
However, there is a certain annoying aspect about the new A-Klasse: it could possibly be the first Mercedes-Benz without the three-pointer star on the steering wheel, as seen from one of the photos below and explained by Sinkwitz. To sum up his quotes, the potential, young customers would be a bit frightened and overwhelmed by the conservative, old Mercedes-Benz logo, that might also give them the impression the car is a bit too expensive to afford. Instead, the future A-Klasse will receive the "Mercedes" hand-written title (why is the "Benz" name missing?) on the steering wheel.
Now, that is a very strange argument, which left us completely speechless. It really seems like the rich history and proud heritage of the Stuttgart-based carmaker is to be thrown to the garbage bin and deemed as dated and unattractive. The management of Daimler AG, who must take care in order to preserve the integrity of Mercedes-Benz, must also reconsider this situation and take immediate action to prevent such irrational moves which might end up ruining the illustrious German automobile brand.
Put back the Star logo where it should have been placed from the beginning and stop doing silly marketing experiments! Mercedes-Benz-Blog and all the devoted fans, do appraise Mercedes-Benz! If you, Mr. Sinkwitz, still want to use the "Mercedes" inscription, find another place on the dashboard, but stay away from the steering wheel, because the Star has to stand there!
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