2012 Mercedes B-Class: First interior photo

2012 Mercedes B-Class Interior - first photo

We’ve got the first interior photo of the 2012 Mercedes B-Class, showing a more upmarket look with cues from the C-Class and SLS.

We’re expecting the 2012 Mercedes B-Class to be a big jump on from the current car – certainly in quality and dynamic terms – when it arrives at Frankfurt. And if the photo we’ve had in this morning of the 2012 B-Class’s interior is anything to go by, we’re not going to be too disappointed.

We already know that the new B-Class is growing in size and that it will get all new engines with same direct injection as the BlueDIRECT (let’s just hope Mercedes now has the injector problems the C and E Class suffered under control) and a choice of either a six-speed manual or a new 7G-DCT ‘box, which will be a huge improvement on the dreadful rubber band box in the old B-Class.

The interior photo we’ve got of the 2012 B-Class doesn’t tell us anything about its versatility (the current B-Class isn’t exactly innovative in that area) but it does tell us that the interior seems to have grown-up and joined the rest of the Mercedes range, with similarities between the new B-Class interior and both the C-Class and even the SLS (at least as far as the retro-looking air vents are concerned – and the B-Class seems to have one more than the SLS).

The steering wheel seems to be a direct lift from the 2011 C-Class and the lack of a gear lever in this photo would tend to suggest that cars with new new 7G-DCT ‘box will get a column change rather than a floor change. Sadly, that would also suggest the new B-Class doesn’t have any sporty pretensions, although maybe that will change if we get a new B-Class AMG model.

Above the air vents (which, it has to be said, bear a remarkable resemblance to the rotary air vents in a 1970s Capri) sits what looks like a small tablet screen. Is this a removable item? Can you take it out to sync with your desktop/laptop or update software and mapping? We have no idea, but it certainly looks a possibility.

With the release a couple of weeks ago of a teaser image and a lot of technical stuff on the new B-Class, all that’s left is for Mercedes to release the official photos.

It won’t be long.