The compact car helped the Stuttgart carmaker through difficult times. Now Mercedes only wants to build high-margin SUVs and luxury sedans.
The Mercedes A-Class, which is now appreciated by a younger clientele, is threatened with the final end in 2026.
Mercedes will no longer build A-Class cars in the future. Statements by Mercedes boss Ola Källenius had already indicated this in mid-May. The car manufacturer only wants to continue four out of seven compact car series. Most recently, it leaked out from company circles that the compact car called “Baby Benz” would have no future. Ironically, in the year of the 25th anniversary, the series expires.
The start in 1997 was bumpy. The first Mercedes A-Class (168 series) had a high roof line and an underbody with a light sandwich construction. The downside was an elevated center of gravity. During the first press test drives in Sweden, the car failed during quick evasive maneuvers. The “moose test” caused the car to tip over at 60 km/h and its manufacturer to have a lot of negative PR.
Failed the “moose test”: the first A-Class from 1997 tended to tip over during quick evasive manoeuvres.
But Mercedes quickly found a remedy and installed stabilization electronics in the A-Class. The ESP (electronic stability program) – originally developed for the large S-Class – was born. Today there are hardly any vehicles that do not have comparable electronics on board. The failed moose test also had its good side. An older clientele developed who were concerned about safety and plenty of headroom, although the Baby Benz should have primarily attracted new, younger customers.
The next generation followed in 2004. The 169 series was somewhat more rounded and had a larger track width. This should make tipping the cart even more difficult. Again, Mercedes wanted to win young customers with the A-Class. The B-class built on the same platform should serve the older buyers. It was a bit bigger and had even more room comfort.
In 2012, the image of the Mercedes A-Class changed abruptly. The third generation (176 series) finally looked youthful. The sandwich floor and the high roof line disappeared, suddenly there was a car available to compete against the BMW 1 Series and the Audi A3. The average age of the customers was in no time 13 years lower than in the previous series.
Margins are falling for small cars
The A-Class was finally on the road to success. Year after year, the car gave the manufacturer record sales. The vehicle brought the group valuable profit margins at a time when the quality of the larger series was weakening. For Mercedes, the A-Class became something of an ambulance.
Generation four followed in 2018, retaining the format of the predecessor. The B-Class remained in the range for older customers. Furthermore, the chic compact drove from success to success. The range was continually expanded: from the notchback model to the Shooting Brake, along with the GLA and GLB off-road models and the CLA coupé, brought additional customer groups and sales.
But now the hour seems to have come for the A-Class. Mercedes wants to shorten its portfolio. The reasons: scarce raw materials, corona-related delivery bottlenecks, rising prices and dwindling margins for the smallest vehicles on offer. Even before the fifth generation of the compact car can be brought on the journey, Mercedes boss Källenius pulls the ripcord.
But that’s not the end of the series. The current and future most popular models are to remain, such as the SUV variants GLA and GLB and the electric vehicles EQA and EQB that have since been created. A touch of the former moose test failure and later successful model continues to blow through the Mercedes works.