Mercedes says that with the Concept A Sedan at Auto Shanghai (April 20 to 27, 2017) it is providing an outlook of the next generation of compact vehicles and a potential, new body type, which “marks the dawn of an even more rigorous implementation of the design idiom of “sensual purity”.

“Our Concept A Sedan shows, that the time of creases is over”, said Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer Daimler AG. “With its perfect proportions and a sensual treatment of surfaces with reduced lines, it is the next milestone of Sensual Purity and has the potential to introduce a new design era.”

More than two million compact Mercedes vehicles have been sold around the globe since 2012, a category that includes the A and B‑Class, CLA and CLA Shooting Brake, as well as the SUV crossover GLA.

“Their success shows that our customers are absolutely delighted with the current generation of Mercedes-Benz compact cars”, says Britta Seeger, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes‑Benz Cars Marketing & Sales. “We are therefore extremely confident that the planned expansion will lead to a continuation of this success story.”

Mercedes says the Concept A Sedan (length/width/height: 4570/1870/1462 mm) has been designed with the proportions of a dynamic, coupé-like and simultaneously compact, premium sedan. According to the company, this aim is emphasized by the traditional three-box design featuring short overhangs, especially at the rear, as well as the slim greenhouse that has been offset towards the rear. Additional sedan characteristics are the relatively vertical C‑pillar, larger side windows and the higher beltline.

The wheel arch design featuring a reduced arch dimension emphasises the exclusive 20‑inch wheels. The door handles of the show car are flush with the body, while the outside mirrors, in a contemporary reinterpretation, stand proud of the beltlines.

The front features a deep Panamericana grille tilted towards the front, featuring vertical chrome inserts and a star in the centre, as well as the stretched bonnet with Powerdomes. The headlamps with their eyebrows are a typical feature of the brand.