MERCEDES-BENZ UNVEILS ALL-NEW 2012 B-CLASS

The all-new Mercedes-Benz B-Class for the year 2012 has now seen the light of day. Set to replace the current mommy premium MPV, the B-Class is said to be one of the most innovative Mercs ever introduced, as well as the one with the most new stuff fitted from the onset. Perhaps we’ll see it at JIMS 2011? Let’s hope so!

In terms of details, the car will sport several new engines, turbo-charged in both petrol and diesel. We suspect some of these are already on the scene in other cars, including the 1.8-litre turbo with 115kW, 135kW and 150kW. But because for the first time there’s going to be a B-Class AMG, we could see figures of over 230kW for that particular model.

B-Class is 4.3 metres long, 1.8m wide and 1.6m high. That’s about 5cm lower than the current B-Class, although the seating position is said to be more upright. Merc says it’s a sports tourer, which emphasises a large front grille, wide rear window and a large tailgate. The B-Class is optionally available with the so-called EASY-VARIO-PLUS system which enables simple reorganisation of the interior so as to enable the transportation of bulky items.

The interior now looks more upmarket than before, featuring comfortable seating, strong leather pieces, piano black finishing on the display and either a 14.7cm or 17.8cm TFT screen. There’s also a 3-spoke steering wheel with a chrome insert in the middle spoke.

An all-new double clutch 7G-DCT transmission makes its Mercedes-Benz debut in the B-Class, as well as the new 6-speed manual. Remember that up until now, Merc has not followed Audi and BMW in developing a twin clutch system.

For safety, the engineers called upon some of the existing features from the marque, including Blind Spot Assist, the Hill Hold function and a reversing camera.

Watch out for the new B-Class at your nearest Mzansi dealership sometime in early 2012.