On the way back to work from dropping Greg off at the airport (he's on his way to Laguna Seca as we speak), I almost rear end a small little, weirdly shaped econo-box looking car. It's labelled "A190" and is an a familiar silver tone that I cannot place.

Anyway he's moving too slow and is in the far left lane (a pet peeve of mine)....I pull out to the right and take off. As I get back in the left lane, I notice the badge on the front of this lunchbox is Mercedes (WTF!!!)!!!! I have to slow down to take a second look....man this guy was driving so slow, I must have shrunk at least half an inch aging while trying to get him to catch up to me.

Low and behold, the car was a Mercedes silver, had small 13-14"-ish Mercedes-Benz wheels, and support pillars angled on the body lines paralleling the Mercedes SUV. Where the hell did this come from, how'd it get in Chicago, and I thought cars like this were only available in Europe?!

 

it's only available in europe, but i've seen a few here too with dealer license plates on them. i've asked Mercedes (corporate) before, and they said they had no intention of selling the A class here.

 

Yep its a Mercedes-Benz A190 it looked like this:

the A190 is the top end version of the A Class

 

I've only seen one before. I was out in LA last summer and I saw a bright green one on hwy 1 north of Santa Monica. They've never sold them here that I know of and I don't know how that guy had one, but it still doesn't give him an excuse to poke along in the left lane.

Mark

 

They make good sense in European cities which are very tight. Can't see a market for them here.

 

You may be wrong - it has more interior space than the C class. It would be perfect for NYC...

Mini MPV's have been a big thing here in Europe the last few years - Renault led the way with the Megane Scenic and there has been a host of clones from GM, Mercedes, Citroen and Audi. As you say, I cant see the American market going a bundle on them though...

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by douglasr
[B]

You may be wrong - it has more interior space than the C class.

 

This is what people here would rather buy to move their groceries:

 

yuk!

 

Mercedes A Class 190 ... 1.9 litres, and comes with an optional clutchless manual. It's a very good car, but the price tag is a bit overpriced. It handles better than most cars of it's class in displacement but of course not a Type R to compare and it's plenty of torque, the car is quite light, and can handle very well on winding and twisting roads in stock configuration ... No joke, it looks impossible but I'm afraid it's very much up to par with most FF configured cars.