New Mercedes A Class: A 180 BlueEFFICIENCY Edition models launch

Mercedes are launching two new eco versions of the new A Class – the A 180 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Edition and A 180 BlueEFFICIENCY Edition.

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Not content with mopping up more sales for the new A Class than they could ever have expected, Mercedes are launching a couple of new eco BlueEFFICIENCY A Class models – the A 180 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Edition and A 180 BlueEFFICIENCY Edition – offering even more fuel and emissions parsimony than the current BlueEFFICICENCY A Class.

Mercedes has had a play with the aerodynamics on the new A Class to lower the Cd value from an already very low 0.27 to 0.26 by partially covering the upper section of the radiator grill, adding aerodynamically shaped spring link coverings that improve the flow of air along the underbody at the rear axle and lowering the suspension by 15mm.

Mercedes has also tweaked the generator management for more efficiency and had a play with the gearbox to make the ratios longer (which will help economy, but won’t do much for responsiveness).

All that fiddling adds up to a 5 per cent improvement in official economy (and therefore emissions levels) with the diesel A 180 CDI BE Edition now emitting just 92g/km and the petrol A 180 BE Edition 120g/km.

Both the diesel and petrol versions of the A Class BlueEFFICIENCY Edition are going on sale in Europe next month, with first customer cars arriving in March, but Mercedes UK is still mulling whether to bring the Edition models to the UK.

If they do, which seems likely, it will be later in 2013 before Mercedes buyers in the UK can grab the most frugal A Class models.