Mercedes will drop A-class platform

Mercedes has announced they will replace the A-Class and B-Class with more conventional front-wheel-drive hatchbacks. The future models will be joined by a three-door coupé, a cabrio, a 4x4 and an MPV: "We want to expand the line-ups to at least double that of today’s levels," said Rainer Schmueckle, Mercedes-Benz chief executive officer.

The future A-Class will be built on a new layout, called MFA (Mercedes Front-wheel drive Architecture), that has been conceived to support a much wider range of models and allows for four-wheel drive, paving the way for high-performance variants.

The future generation A-Class will feature a simpler, cheaper arrangement that will allow the next generation of vehicles to sit nearer to the ground.

Changes will be made under the hood also: a new range of engines will power the future A-Class, but they also be used for other models. Hybrid versions are also under consideration.