Sense And Sensibility Mercedes-Benz A-Class Do reason and emotion always have to be at odds with each other? Can the practical and the fantastical ever be reconciled, or do we always have to choose one or the other? With the new Mercedes-Benz A200, you can have both practicality and fantasy in one. The new A200 rejects the restraints of an either/or situation, and instead lets you have it all. It is designed to appeal to the heart, yet every bit of it is truly rational. It is compact, yet feels spacious. It is as delicate and refined as a piece of art, yet it caters to every practical requirement for daily usage. Unifying all these contradicting ideas may have been impossible in the past, but the new A200 successfully weaves them into a single harmony. Safe And Unique In combining both the practical and the fantastical, the latest A200 utilizes a number of Mercedes-Benz's most advanced technologies. One example is the sandwich platform first seen on the original A-Class. Should the car be involved in a frontal collision, this unique structure prevents the drive components from penetrating the cabin, thereby raising the passive safety of compact cars to an unforeseen level. The sandwich platform also protects the passengers if there is a side impact, since the seating position is higher than in a conventional saloon and allows more room for the impact to be absorbed. Safety is a paramount requirement in a saloon, and the new A200 is fully equipped with extra safety measures, both active and passive. These include the four wheel disc brakes working hand in hand with ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) and BAS (Brake Assist System), ESP (The Electronic Stability Programme) and ASR (Acceleration Skid Control) that stabilise the vehicle in critical conditions. Other safety measures also include the tyre pressure loss warning system as standard option on the Avantgarde model, and the standard airbag system that allows two-stage inflation according to the severity of the impact. In addition to addressing universal needs such as safety, the new A200 also caters to individual desires. The AUTOTRONIC transmission is a good example. While CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) is not a new idea, AUTOTRONIC does have something to make it stand out from the crowd - under the Standard Mode, this gearbox feels what you are feeling. Once it senses that you want a sportier drive, AUTOTRONIC will adapt to your style by changing gears in higher engine revolution for powerful acceleration. Contrarily, if you hint at a more relaxing style, it will slow down its pace to ensure a smooth drive. The system also has a Comfort Mode to further enhance the ride quality. If you want to do some serious driving, you'll particularly like Manual Mode, for it provides seven gear ratios for maximum driving pleasure. And this is exactly the time when you will truly appreciate the multi-function steering wheel and the crystal clear instrument display. Besides this highly intelligent and flexible capability, AUTOTRONIC also retains the biggest advantage of CVT - through its continuously variable gear ratio changes, AUTOTRONIC makes sure the engine power is transferred without a break. This ability not only guarantees a smooth ride undisturbed by sudden changes in power output, but also helps to reduce the fuel consumption and emission of the 136 hp engine onboard the robust A200. Comfortable And Practical The technology of the new A200 is not confined to enhancing the driver's journey only, the passenger also benefit. THERMOTRONIC, for instance, is a sophisticated climate control system that allows each passenger to decide the temperature around them. And while they sit snugly, they can also enjoy a sense of the outdoors by opening the louvred panoramic sliding sunroof over the cabin. The seats of the new A200 are newly designed to ensure full passenger comfort on even the longest journey. And if you need more room for transporting luggage or equipment, you can simply fold down the rear seat to open up a roomy, full flat luggage compartment. Like the original A-Class, the new A200 provides a choice of two trimming levels - the Avantgarde and the Elegance. Each of them has its exclusive choice of leather, panel trimming and colour coordination, not to mention a whole range of new alloy wheels with a diameter up to 17 inches. Style, Inside And Out Once upon a time, an automobile was simply a tool to get us from one place to another. Now, we require much more from our vehicles, and we expect to arrive at our destination in comfort and style. This style begins the moment you start walking towards your A200. Whatever the trimming level is, the new A200 has a more dynamic appearance than its predecessor, with a backward lifting waistline and a parallel edge running through the side doors and joining the angle of the tail lamp to form an arrow. Before you even open the door, you are already witnessing the unification of technology and aesthetics that is the A200. If you had to describe the new A200 in a single sentence, you could borrow the words of Confucius: "absolute freedom within the frame". The true meaning of this phrase is embodied in the new Mercedes-Benz A200. click to enlarge click to enlarge click to enlarge click to enlarge click to enlarge click to enlarge click to enlarge