They have hopes that this same model or one even better will make its way to the United States. William Craven – the general manager for the regulatory affairs for Daimler’s Washington office told Automotive News that they want to test it for the U.S. market. “We’re testing the market” he said.

Using compressed natural gas usually has bad gas mileage and has slower acceleration. But Mercedes believes that the price for it will be much lower than that of petrol – which will help to offset the mileage problems. This and the fact that it has cleaner emissions could make it very appealing to consumers.

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Sources report that the BLK will receive four-wheel drive and possibly even a FWD eco version. The eco version might just be a micro-hybrid, if they opt out for a direct hybrid. The micro-hybrid has start/stop technology to improve fuel consumption when the car is not moving.

A range of four-cylinder direct-injection petrol and diesel engines are being lined up, sized between 1.6 liters and 2.2 liters. Mercedes is still in the process of finding a partner, if they find one at all, to co-develop the engine and platform for the new range of front wheel drive vehicles.

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Mercedes is throwing the ‘basic’ design out the door and has promised that the new line up for the 2011 model year will be different. They are going to be completely re-designing the cars and giving them a front wheel drive system – which will save on the cost of production and will save consumers money. There are even rumors that they will be given a 230 horsepower engine. For now the most powerful engine is the 193 horsepower 2 liter turbo.

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The B-class, which has been available in Europe since 2005, is ready for redesign in 2011 or 2012. The prototypes include a model that would meet North American regulatory requirements, Ernst Lieb, chief executive officer of Mercedes-Benz USA, told Bloomberg.

The B-Class will join Daimler’s Smart car among smaller, higher-mileage autos being offered as rising gasoline prices prompt U.S. buyers to consider more fuel-efficient models. “Logically, it would be a pretty good idea to carefully consider the vehicle for the U.S.,” said Michael Schmall, managing partner for Planning Edge, a Birmingham-based market-research firm. “I question whether it would be successful because of the difficulty luxury manufacturers have in that segment.”

Needless to say we are all looking forward to seeing the changes that will be made, but even more so we are glad that Mercedes is thinking of us Yanks. As added bonus, we get yet another fuel efficient vehicle added to the market. The more the merrier!

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Design, dynamism, dimensions, these are the shared hallmarks of the Sports Tourers which make them individual and distinctive. The design lines with their striking front ends emphasise the muscular and active nature of the Sports Tourers, which are equipped with high-torque CDI diesel engines.

In the Grand Sports Tourer “Vision R” a new V6 power unit ensures effortless performance, thanks to 218 hp and 510 Nm from 1800 rpm. Generous seating space, exemplary comfort and a high level of practicality are other attributes shared by the Mercedes-Benz Sports Tourers, providing first-class conditions for relaxed and enjoyable touring.

The idea of the Sports Tourer, which Mercedes-Benz first presented in 2002, combines the advantages of familiar vehicle concepts such as a sporty saloon, estate, van and “Sport Utility Vehicle” (SUV) to create a new category in its own right. Accordingly the show cars impress with their size, comfort and practicality while meeting the highest expectations in terms of performance and dynamic handling.

The Sports Tourers are the Mercedes-Benz answer to the wishes of forward-thinking people for an automobile with an exciting design and a striking character which is equally suitable for family, recreational and professional use. Both concept vehicles provide this versatility. The Grand Sports Tourer “Vision R”, which Mercedes-Benz is presenting in its European version with a wheelbase of 2980 mm in Paris, is designed as a 4+2-seater. The passengers have the benefit of comfortable, single seats and a level of spaciousness which exceeds that of many a luxury saloon.

Thanks to four-wheel drive, air suspension and the powerful new V6 diesel engine, the large Sports Tourer has everything needed for dynamic driving pleasure. Equipped with the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission, the 218 hp six-cylinder powerplant manages more than 32 mpg. The exhaust emissions meet the EU-4 standards, and the particulate filter system developed by Mercedes-Benz also reduces soot emissions.

Thanks to its intelligent concept, the Compact Sports Tourer “Vision B” is likewise in a class of its own. Arranging the engine and transmission partly in front of and partly beneath the passenger cell, according to the sandwich principle, gives this all-new touring car the interior spaciousness of larger saloons and estates despite its compact external dimensions. The compact Sports Tourer is powered by a new four-cylinder diesel engine with an output of 140 hp and a highly respectable torque of 300 Nm. Other equally impressive attributes are a fuel consumption of over 47 mpg and exhaust emissions at EU-4 levels. A diesel particulate filter is also included.

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The Vision B is billed as a compact sports tourer by Mercedes and is likely to be called the B-class when it goes on sale. Essentially a longer version of the A-class, the car is only a little shorter than MPVs like Volkswagen’s Touran. Mercedes won’t say whether it’s a five- or a seven-seater, or what folding tricks the seats may be able to perform. As a rough guide, prices should start in the region of £18,500.

Mercedes will also pull the wraps from the Vision R. Described as a Grand Sports Tourer by the manufacturer, the Paris concept car is the latest in a line of Mercedes concepts and will become the R-class next year. The new arrival uses a wheelbase as long as the S-class luxury car and offers luxurious accommodation for six passengers over three rows. Price tags are likely to be high, starting between £40,000 and £45,000.

Both of the concepts feature a new type of paint, which Mercedes describes as ‘extremely shiny’ and says ‘surrounds the body like a metallic skin’. The high-gloss finish is a development of the manufacturer’s nano-particle paint, which it introduced late last year. It is more durable than normal coatings and will eventually be offered as an option.

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