[tbppjpr]

Originally Posted by KINI

A 1.8 Diesel with just 107 horses??Not really a hot hatch is it??

LOL I don't think anyone here called it hot hatch neither Mercedes is marketing it as a hot hatch. The engine and performance not gonna be selling point for this car. I think this car will be targeting different class of buyers in the market. Being expensive doesn't always mean 'hot' or 'sporty'.

There are super expensive cars like Rolls Royce and Bentley but those aren't known as performance sedans neither anyone buys them considering performance. Those serve different purpose.

[karan561]

Originally Posted by akshay1234

The 1.5 Renault engine only comes in the A180cdi with a manual transmission. The 7 speed dct gets a 1.8 but with the same power output.

Ok, thanks for the clarification

But what i meant was that i wouldnt mind buying this car with the 1.5 K9K too as its such a good looking car

[KINI]

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

LOL I don't think anyone here called it hot hatch neither Mercedes is marketing it as a hot hatch. I think this car will be targeting different class of buyers in the market. Being expensive doesn't always mean 'hot' or 'sporty'.

There are super expensive cars like Rolls Royas and Bentley but those aren't known as performance sedans neither anyone buys them considering performance. Those serve different purpose.

People with Rolls Royces will most probably have another car to satisfy their urge for performance. But Merc is probably dealing with a more value conscious crowd here.

I'm sorry but 107bhp is just Vento territory. I'm not expecting a tarmac scorcher but the car should atleast be able to keep up with its peers.The car looks great but I find it hard to digest a 20L+ price tag for this. The price is too great to pay for the brand value and quality IMHO. Sincerely wish this car fails to do well. A Car in this segment should have atleast 140 horses!!

[S2!!!]

A gorgeous looking hatchback no doubt. I was somehow wishing for a manual transmission petrol version (even though reports and speculations indicated otherwise) for a price around 17-18 lakhs on road Mumbai. This car would have been a perfect replacement for my current car at that price. Unfortunately I will have to re-look at my options now.

What I can't understand is why are the base versions of these premium offerings not being sold with manual transmissions. It would cater to a slightly wider market IMO due to a slightly cheaper price tag.

I may be just nit-picking now but are there no leather seats available on this 20L+ hatchback??

[vb-saan]

Thanks for the details Parrys!

I believe the power is quite sufficient for a car of this size. International reviews say that the A180 CDI can do 0-100 in less than 10 seconds.
Did they mention anything about the difference (in equipment) between regular A180 and A180 Sports?

Originally Posted by parrys

Exterior:
The front grille is quite the highlight. Mercedes calls it a diamond radiator grille. In that case, there's 302 diamonds here.

The promo video has a different grille shown. When questioned, we were told that all models will get the diamond grille. Lets wait and watch.

I doubt if the diamond grille will be standard across all models. In the A-Class brochure from the UK, they have mentioned that the diamond grille is exclusive to AMG Sportsline. But even the standard A-Class grille is quite attractive.

[apachelongbow]

looks like one more Chevy SRV in the making. Big engine, low power, beautiful bodywork, not so sensible pricing. Hopefully Merc brand will be able to pull through sales. I love the car in bright red.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by S2!!!

What I can't understand is why are the base versions of these premium offerings not being sold with manual transmissions.

Manufacturers will sell whatever the customer wants. At any price point >15 lakhs, manuals have been given a universal thumbs down in the market. Merc used to earlier sell a C-Class MT...eventually discontinued because of zero demand.

Originally Posted by apachelongbow

looks like one more Chevy SRV in the making. Big engine, low power, beautiful bodywork, not so sensible pricing.

If the BMW badge can sell the sub-par (IMHO, awful) X1, the Merc badge should be enough to push the A-Class out of showrooms. Top variants of the VW Jetta & Skoda Laura DSG cross 21 lakhs on the road in Mumbai. A self-driving potential customer for either of these cars could be lured by the three-pointed badge.

[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by GTO

If the BMW badge can sell the sub-par (IMHO, awful) X1, the Merc badge should be enough to push the A-Class out of showrooms.

I would love the A class to sell.
However I have my doubts, especially since the A class is a proper hatchback. The X1, however bad it is, is finally touted as a cross-over/small SUV and it is lapped up mainly because of the BMW batch and love for SUV in India. A X1 is not percieved as a lowly car or a chota Beemer, however the A class may get percieved so, considering how we Indians view hatchbacks. Not many buyers who buy a Merc for the three pointed star, will like to be associated with a small hatch IMHO.
At the extreme end of comparisons, its something which happened with the Nano. The one lac price association, actually put off several buyers from buying a 'not so proper' car. Funny market India is.

[indian21r]

Beautiful looking car. But at this pricing won't it compete directly with the recently launched B Class? I see few B Classes around my place, it is a pretty big car.

Hope Merc is sensible enough and launches it sub 20 lakhs. At that price point, it can eat into SUV sales and new hot hatch especially for self driving women if they launch some feminine colors.

[mohandasnikhil]

Attended the preview today. The fascia and the interiors of the car are top notch. Rear seats are cramped as expected and the boot isn't going to swallow my golf kit. But love the look of the car. The spare wheel doesn't have it's own depressed compartment and just lay in the boot. There was talk of the base petrol starting at18lakhs ex showroom. The first 100odd cars would be CBUs and then move onto CKDs.

[S2!!!]

Originally Posted by GTO

Manufacturers will sell whatever the customer wants. At any price point >15 lakhs, manuals have been given a universal thumbs down in the market. Merc used to earlier sell a C-Class MT...eventually discontinued because of zero demand.

to an extent but then the C-Class MT was sold at a time when the chauffeur culture was just about picking up and most of the people who bought these cars preferred automatics as that was a status symbol then (and obviously because the cars were mainly self driven then). Now with people hiring chauffeurs for all sorts of cars (including Nanos), a person would probably be concerned more with back-seat comfort and probably gizmos rather than an auto-tranny.

Also I'd like to point out that there are maximum cars in the 13-25 lakh range which come with a manual transmission alongside an automatic option and have been warmly welcomed by the masses - Altis, Cruze, Jetta, Superb, Fortuner, Passat to name a few. The manuals would be lighter on the pocket to run and maintain (DSG failures for example).

Hence, coming back on topic I'd still love to believe that somewhere in the distant future a manual option in either the A or the 1-series is introduced and the right list of features at the rights price would definitely bring them that much closer to the masses.

[Bluebeem]

Originally Posted by tbppjpr

There are super expensive cars like Rolls Royce and Bentley but those aren't known as performance sedans neither anyone buys them considering performance. Those serve different purpose.

Umm. Comparing with RR and Bentley? Really?

I think the point that he was trying to make was that most customers (leaving aside the RR & Bentley customers) usually look for good value for the money they are spending.

107 bhp hatchbacks are available in sub 10 lac category. At a price of over 20 lacs ex showroom, very few people will find any value at all considering There's almost no space for 4 large people and some luggage and the engine is only as good as a polo.

I think the only cars which'll feel a little bit of competition is similar hatches like the mini cooper or beetle, catering to exactly the same customer profile i.e customers who own much larger, expensive cars and are only buying a super expensive hatch as a lifestyle choice. Highly doubt people will substitute this car for a jetta, superb, Laura etc.

But hey. That said, it is just such a beautiful car! And as history is our witness, some of the most beautiful cars in the world have been failures.

[tbppjpr]

Originally Posted by Bluebeem

107 bhp hatchbacks are available in sub 10 lac category. At a price of over 20 lacs ex showroom, very few people will find any value at all considering

I had already expressed my opinion here : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post3109915

Engine and performance don't matter always. There are different type of classes who buy different type of cars to fulfill different type of purpose.

But now success of the A model depends on how the buyers take the 20L+ price. It would have been better if the car was priced at below 20L.

[crazyfordriving]

Thanks parrys for the review and awesome pictures. To be fair, people who are just looking to buy a new car from Mercedes Benz, might go for this.

[narayan]

Originally Posted by parrys

Rear seat back is a little too upright as evident in the picture. Decent legroom at the rear, though 5th passenger comfort is doubtful.
Attachment 1080407

The car is definitely a looker but those "stick type" door lock is so uncool. It looks out of place in a 5Lakh hatch these days - definitely avoidable in a 20 lakh+ hatch

As for segmentation, this car will find favour in existing premium car owning households where this could be the car for the college going kid or for the wifey for shopping outings ( sorry Im not trying to typecast any segment/sex )