Updated on
Summary Mercedes-Benz unveiled a radical redesign of its A-Class vehicles Tuesday.
The sleek, sporty look of the new A-Class contrasts sharply with its dowdy predecessor, favored by the over-50s since it was launched more than a decade ago.Were looking for younger and more female customers, said Dieter Zetsche, the CEO of Mercedes parent company Daimler.The customer reaction so far had been positive, he said, calling the new design strategy on which the A-Class is based an exclamation point.It visualizes how we are changing the company, Zetsche told reporters at the Geneva Motor Show. Dont expect the premium brand to dive into the mainstream just yet, though.Mercedes also rolled out seven other new models that resemble more closely the companys cool, conservative style.These include the E-Class 300 BlueTEC, a business vehicle with diesel-hybrid propulsion, and the powerful SL 63 AMG.All vehicles tout greater fuel efficiency, with the A-Class coming in at just under 99 grams of CO2 per kilometer. Zetsche said the company is aiming to get its fleet average down to 125 grams of CO2 per kilometer by 2015.The Daimler CEO was upbeat about his companys prospects in a challenging global market for automobiles.Worldwide sales for the industry are expected to grow by about 4 percent, said Zetsche. We very much believe that we will be better than that.
