Nother CarGuy

Mercedes-Benz’s compact vehicle family has just gotten bigger, with the introduction of the all-new B-Class. Unveiled at the 2018 Paris Auto Show, the German firm’s rival to the likes of the BMW 2-Series Active/Gran Tourer carries Mercedes’ latest design language and looks more mature than the car it replaces. Said to have been designed to “stand out visually from the world of minivans”, it has shorter overhangs, a lowered roofline, more muscular body and, of course, redesigned front and rear ends. These features are joined by the optional LED headlights with LED DRLs, a large roof spoiler and wheel choices that span between 16 and 19 inches. Thanks to the new design, the 2019 Mercedes-Benz B-Class has best-in-class airflow, claims the automaker, with aerodynamics engineers said to have reduce wind noise too, thanks to some extensive detail work. Once inside, drivers will sit 90 mm (3.5 in) higher than in the latest A-Class. This results in good all-round visibility, e...

Mercedes-Benz’s compact family of cars will soon welcome the new generation B-Class. The MPV, which will continue to challenge the likes of BMW’s 2-Series Active and Gran Tourer models, will be presented to the public at the 2018 Paris Auto Show, early next week. The third-generation Mercedes-Benz B-Class uses the same underpinnings as the latest A-Class. It promises a more spacious interior, cleaner engines, and some of the safety tech we’ve seen on the S-Class – always according to the car manufacturer. One of the key features inside will be the MBUX infotainment system, a dual-screen layout that combines the infotainment system and digital instrument cluster into a single package. Just like in the 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, the system will be available in different screen sizes, and will most likely be offered as standard across the range. Another premiere for the 2018 Paris Auto Show is the Mercedes-AMG A35. The hot hatch goes against the Audi S3 Sportback and Volkswage...

Mercedes-Benz has announced the recall of nearly half a million vehicles across the United States due to a problem with their airbags. According to the recall notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration the driver's airbag could unexpectedly deploy under certain conditions – but only if two problems arise at the same time, and apparently owing nothing to the massive Takata recall we'd associate with this kind of problem. If the air bag clockspring is broken, and an electrostatic discharge occurs, then the airbag in the steering wheel could deploy accidentally. That doesn't strike us as a scenario likely to happen very often. But since the deployment of the airbag could be disruptive, to say the least, it's probably a good thing that Mercedes is calling in any vehicles that could be affected. Included in the recall are various variants of the CLA, GLA, GLK, GLC, GLC Coupe, B-Class, C-Class (sedan, coupe, and convertible), and E-Class (sedan, w...

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that it will kill off the B-Class Electric Drive after the 2017 model year. Speaking to Autonews, Mercedes-Benz USA spokesman Rob Moran said that production would be phased out in the third quarter of this year so the automaker can turn its attention towards it impending range of EQ vehicles. Moran said that the assembly plant in Rastatt, Germany, responsible for building the B-Class Electric Drive will soon be converted to build the firm’s updated compact vehicles from 2018. The cancellation of the electric B-Class comes as no real shock as it has never been particularly popular. In fact, since hitting the U.S. market in December 2013, only 3,651 examples have been sold across the country. In a statement, Moran said “Due to our strategic focus on [connectivity, autonomous driving, sharing and electric drive systems] for the mobility of the future, we are planning the step-by-step electrification of our portfolio. Moreover, we are evaluating the p...

The design language set to be adopted by Mercedes-Benz’s future range of compact vehicles has just been previewed in the form of the Aesthetics A  sculpture . In the coming three years, up to eight models from the German brand will adopt styling inspired by the Aesthetics A, including the  next-generation A-Class  and B-Class. Additionally, successors to the CLA, CLA Shooting Brake and GLA will all receive updated designs, reports  Autocar . Mercedes says that the look previewed by the sculpture is a development of its ‘Sensual Purity’ design language. At the front, these developments include a new grille design mimicking the look first implemented into the range-topping AMG GT-R, dubbed the Panamericana grille. The hood continues to be characterized by aggressive lines and sharp creases. Perhaps the most obvious alteration in the brand’s design language are the simplified sides. Rather than supporting a host of different lines and shapes, the sides now simply con...