Mercedes-Benz has just unveiled the all-new third-generation Mercedes-Benz B-Class at the 2018 Paris Motor Show. The BMW 2 Series Active Tourer competitor gets the brand’s new design language as well as the latest advanced driver assistance systems.
The Sports Tourer (as MB calls it) has its wheelbase stretched by 30 mm to 2,729 mm while the width is now 1,456 mm (+33 mm), giving occupants a roomier cabin. The designers have tried their best to mask the car’s bulk by giving it a lower roofline and a fascia taken from the A-Class. This collectively reduces the drag coefficient to 0.24 (0.25 on its predecessor) for better aerodynamics and lower wind noise.
Additionally, customers can also dress the B-Class with the AMG-Line exterior pack which dresses the B-Class with a sportier body kit, diamond front grille and larger alloy wheels (up to 19-inch). Forward illumination ranges from halogen units to Multibeam LED items for the higher spec models.
Like all new-generation Mercedes-Benz models, the interior is in a class of its own. Three display options are available: two 7-inch displays; one 7- and one 10.25-inch display; two 10.25-inch displays that makes up the Widescreen Cockpit. The cabin is further highlighted by the turbine style air vents inspired by jet turbines.
The cabin is not merely a carbon copy of the compact A-Class, besides seated 90 mm higher in the B-Class, the designers have improved the seat geometry and lower beltline to give off a more spacious feeling. The rear seats can be adjusted up to 14 cm fore-and-aft and reclined to allow the boot space to span between 455 to 705 litres.
Other equipment you’ll find in the B-Class include MBUX multimedia system with natural sound control, MBUX Augmented Reality, powered tailgate, 64-colour ambient lighting with 10 colour themes, heads-up display, powered front seats with massage function as well as Energizing seat kinetics that support orthopaedically beneficial changes of posture by regularly making minute adjustments to the angle of the seat cushion and backrest.
Powertrain options for the B-Class consist of two petrol engines and three diesel mills. The petrol-powered B-Class gets an M282 1.33-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine available in two states of tunes: 136 hp/200 Nm for the B 180 and 163 hp/250 Nm on the B 200. Both are paired to a seven-speed 7G-DCT dual clutch transmission to drive the front wheels.
The B 180 d is powered by a 1.5-litre turbodiesel with 116 hp and 260 Nm paired to the same 7G-DCT while the B 200 d and B 220 d spots the OM654q 2.0-litre turbodiesel unit with 150 hp/320 Nm and 190 hp/400 Nm respectively. The larger diesel units are equipped with a new eight-speed 8G-DCT dual-clutch.
The B-Class comes with some of the best-in-class advanced driving assistance systems found on the S-Class such as Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC, Active Emergency Stop Assist, Active Lane Change Assist and Active Brake Assist to allow the B-Class to drive semi-autonomously when conditions allow.
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Mercedes-Benz B-Class AMG Line
Mercedes-Benz B-Class
