Mercedes A-Class Sedan Caught In The Buff In Iceland

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt


The New Mercedes A-Class should be at dealers in Europe any day now. In the U.S., it is expected to go on sale in the United States in 2014. Not that many people are dying to see an overpriced hatchback. A sedan probably would sell better. One was spotted halfway between Germany and America, in Iceland.

Bernhard Kohlmeier did what used to be en vogue with hippies in the 70’s: He flew Iceland Air from Frankfurt to New York, with a stopover in Iceland. From his room at Northern Light Inn near the Blue Lagoon at Grindavik, he observed Daimler personnel testing a sedan version of the A-Class.

Officially, the car will be called CLA, writes Der Spiegel. At the Beijing Motor Show in April, Daimler showed the Concept Style Coupe, the car caught by the Iceland traveler is closer to reality.

The magazine believes that the CLA will be unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show. The fog is steam from the geothermal power plant in Grindavik. The sedan should sell quite well in the U.S. and China, where hatchbacks have a very limited market.

While on Iceland’s public roads, the car was wrapped into this chastity foil.

Back at the hotel, they took it all off.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • MeaCulpa MeaCulpa on Sep 12, 2012

    In somewhat related news, yesterday I passed a large car import port, there where about 10 or 20 cls shooting brakes parked there.

  • Stuntmonkey Stuntmonkey on Sep 12, 2012

    The 190 lives! Shrunk down, the car looks like it's all hood and trunk,cabin looks small.

  • Ronin It's one thing to stay tried and true to loyal past customers; you'll ensure a stream of revenue from your installed base- maybe every several years or so.It's another to attract net-new customers, who are dazzled by so many other attractive offerings that have more cargo capacity than that high-floored 4-Runner bed, and are not so scrunched in scrunchy front seats.Like with the FJ Cruiser: don't bother to update it, thereby saving money while explaining customers like it that way, all the way into oblivion. Not recognizing some customers like to actually have right rear visibility in their SUVs.
  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
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