奔驰计划投资约10亿欧元开发下一代紧凑车型，考虑到奔驰将把旗下紧凑车型阵容从目前的五款增至八款，因此这一计划也就毫不奇怪了。现行的A/CLA/CLA Shooting Brake/B/GLA都已经进化到第二代车型，而且都采用的是MFA2平台。奔驰在今年北美车展宣布，未来还将有三个成员加入进来。据奔驰高层官员透露的信息，奔驰将开发A级轿车以应对奥迪A3轿车，以及仅供中国市场的宝马1系轿车。虽然目前该车细节很少，但在今年4月的上海车展上，该车将亮相。另外还将有一款长轴距衍生车型，不过该车将仅供中国市场。另外还将有一款GLB车型也在计划内，该车定位高于GLA。据传该车有五座和七座布局，后者的轴距将进一步增加。奔驰认为，还有足够的空间可以容纳A级轿车，至于GLB，目前在GLA和GLC之间有足够的空间容纳这款车，至少奔驰是这么认为的。

 

Mercedes to add three compact models by late 2020

With plans to invest around €1 billion in its next generation of compact models, it doesn’t come as a big surprise Mercedes will expand the lineup from the current five cars to a total of eight. The existing A-Class, CLA, CLA Shooting Brake, B-Class, and GLA will all live to see a second generation and are going to be underpinned by the MFA2 (Modular Front Architecture). These models are going to be joined by three new entries, with Mercedes making the announcement at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show.

 

Citing “high ranking Mercedes-Benz sources,” Autocar says an A-Class Sedan is in the works to take on the Audi A3 Sedan and the China-only (for now) BMW 1 Series Sedan. Details are scarce at the moment of writing, but apparently the model in question will be previewed in April at Auto Shanghai 2017. A long-wheelbase derivative is on the agenda as well, although it’s destined to be sold only in the People’s Republic where rear legroom continues to be all the rage.

 

It is believed a GLB, which may or may not be pictured here, is in the pipeline to sit above the GLA. Rumor has it Mercedes will sell it in both five- and seven-seat layouts, with the latter set to bring along an extended wheelbase.

 

Mercedes believes there’s room in its lineup for an A-Class Sedan to sit alongside the CLA, even though the latter is effectively a sedan despite its official and rather controversial “four-door coupe” description. As for the GLB, is there really a gap big enough between the GLA and the GLC to justify it? Mercedes seems to think so.