Merc estate A class act

The revolutionary Mercedes A-class is about to get a bigger brother, reports DAVID LINKLATER


The ground-breaking design and packaging work that Mercedes-Benz poured into the tiny A-class is reaping rewards in a new estate model. The Vaneo, shown here in what DaimlerChrysler calls pre-mass production illustrations, is said to offer spacious seating for five and an impressive 3 cu m of luggage space, all in a package that is shorter than a Toyota Corolla.

The Vaneo, scheduled to go on sale in Europe in 2001, is a significant car for DaimlerChrysler because it will be the first new model to adopt the revolutionary sandwich floor construction of the A-class - perhaps the first of many.

The strong twin-floor construction of the A-class and Vaneo provides crash safety comparable with a big sedan. The engine lies at 59 deg and sits partly underneath the cabin so that in a frontal impact it slides further down into the floor, rather than into the cabin.

The middle of the sandwich contains the front and rear axles, fuel tank, battery and exhaust system. This means that the driver and passengers sit about 200mm higher than in conventional vehicles, hence the high roofline and elevated driving position.

The floor is completely flat and it is likely that the Vaneo will share the A-class' removable seating arrangement, which means that it could serve as a one, two, three, four or five-seater.

Vaneo buyers will have a choice of a hatchback or split doors at the rear, and one or two sliding doors on the side. The car was developed by Mercedes' commercial division and will serve as a load-carrier in Vaneo Combi guise, but the passenger versions will have every conceivable comfort.

Engines will be shared with the A-class. The entry-level 1.4-litre four will not be offered in the larger Vaneo, but the new car will use the existing 1.6 and 1.9-litre units, as well as the 1.7-litre common rail diesel. The basic suspension design is also shared with the A-class, although there are enough changes to the stretched platform for the underpinnings to be considered all-new.

DaimlerChrysler says that it will produce 50,000 Vaneos a year in its Ludwigsfelde plant in Germany. The model may eventually replace the A-class, although the baby Merc will continue until at least 2003. It is thought that Mercedes wants to make its entry-level model bigger to make room for a new generation of Chrysler small cars, which may include a development of the A-class-style Java concept.

The A-class remains the ultimate in small-car space and comfort, and the Vaneo shows that the A-class' revolutionary design and construction methods can be applied to larger cars with equal success. The days of a one-box, super-spacious C, E or even S-class may not be so far away.