Next-gen Mercedes A-Class development continues at Nurburgring

We have already seen prototypes of the next-gen Mercedes A-Class in action and like the previous cars, this prototype at the Nurburgring is nearly covered up by the wrap except for some areas like the hood and the roof. 

Nearly all new cars launched in Europe in the past years are larger than their predecessors and this holds true for the A-Class as well. It will be noticeably wider than the outgoing W176 model launched in 2012. The prototype doesn't appear to be much longer, but it should be roomier thanks to all the engineering work that's going into the new MFA platform. 

By moving the engines slightly or placing the seats lower down in the car, Mercedes will be able to create more headroom. Also, the boot will likely have a larger capacity and it certainly presents a wider opening.

There’s been no word yet on the engines that will be offered, but we don't see the base 1.5-litre diesel or 1.6-litre petrol going anywhere. Mercedes flaunted a huge development budget for its next-gen powertrains, which could result in a brand new 2-litre turbo diesel finding its way under the hood. A plug-in hybrid version of the A-Class is reportedly under development, though it hasn't been seen yet.