Hello i bims, the A-class, so from the interior here. 

Or the Stuttgart version of “50 shades of gray”

If you only understand the train station with this heading, you missed the youth language in 2017. And anyone who wants a color other than “leasing gray” for the A-Class to be ordered in 2018 will be surprised. This or a similar way of summarizing the first communication surcharge from Mercedes-Benz for the fourth generation of the “Baby-Benz” to be released in 2018.

Habby was in mein-auto-blog in Stuttgart and has already looked around. 

With the smallest Mercedes-Benz, the Stuttgart have experienced in the last 20 years already more than other car manufacturers in 100 years. From a conceptual high-flyer, a more than practical micro-van, to a moose test with a tipper truck, to the 180 ° turnaround before 5 years ago. Mercedes-Benz has not only turned the compact car segment twice upside down, but also learned a lot about its own brand and, with the fourth generation in 2018, they want to do a lot of things differently. The revolution does not take place this time in the immediately visible area. If you want to understand the new Mercedes world, you have to get started. Get into the probably most radical Mercedes of the last years. Welcome to the interior of the fourth generation A-Class.

“Hello, i bims, the A-Class, so from the interior”.

For all who have the same sensations when looking at the photos, as the author of the text: In reality everything looks much better and far less radical. While the first photos of the new cockpit trigger a tiny sensory overload, the first contact with a lifelike A-Class is a completely different experience. Mercedes-Benz says goodbye to the classic cockpit design in the upcoming A-Class. This is as radical as the sandwich floor back then. Not even the basic version will have analogue round instruments. The small A-Class makes the biggest step in the interior, which dared a German car manufacturer so far.

In the real vehicle, this concentration on digital design features, the reduction of buttons and the omission of a cockpit hood is far less irritating than you might think when you first look at the pictures. That the ventilation nozzles are now also turning into turbines in the A-Class, can also be illuminated and are almost the dominant feature of the interior, we allow the Stuttgarters after it becomes clear - once you have taken a seat behind the steering wheel, you are happy Above all about more shoulder room, better all-round visibility and also, about the space gained, due to the horizontally arranged giant display. The dashboard is flatter, the feeling of space is so much better and even with the very small details, such as the USB sockets in the interior, Mercedes-Benz is jumping into a new league. No - you don't show off a new double-digit number of charging sockets, but you offer USB-C instead of the familiar USB-A variants. That should make for even more questioning faces among the previous buyers of the top 10 colors than the illuminated air vents.

But this radicalism in the interior, it does not hurt. She forms a character.

While the first A-Class was a space miracle and was primarily designed for senior citizens, the 180-turn of the third generation has pushed the claim of “sporty compact” to the extreme - this is how the fourth generation makes the point; A new era in the interior, the focus.

Superclass features and more space

In terms of seats, Mercedes-Benz luckily returns from normal sporty integrated seats with integrated headrest. The customer will be able to choose between simple basic fabric seat, comfort seat and a sporty chair. Three of the four variants will again have a variable headrest in the future. In addition, with optional seat air conditioning, massage and multi-contour seating, popular premium-class equipment options will be in the A-Class. A little more Mercedes, for the baby-Benz.

More space in the interior. The A-Class wants to offer more with barely growing exterior dimensions, especially in the interior.

And outside? "50 shades of gray"

While you want to display the entire world of colors in the interior thanks to RGB-LED technology, only the previous “Top 10 colors” are available for the exterior paintwork for the start of the new generation. These are colors, 8 of which are all but not real colors. In addition to a red and yellow tone, the buyer can choose from dozens of shades of gray. That says a lot about the previous group of buyers for the A-Class. Or?

On the other hand, not every revolution needs a moose. Sometimes the right dose of digitization is enough.