Breezy Island Life
WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE LOCALLYASSEMBLED MERCEDES-BENZ A 200 SEDAN PROGRESSIVE LINE, AN EXCITINGLY DYNAMIC AND COMPACT SEDAN
One of the perks of living on an island paradise is the breezy and easy dress code. Lift your resortwear game with bold, vibrant, geometric prints then ease it up with an all-white classic look.
F ollowing the launch of several Mercedes-Benz models assembled at the brand’s production facility in Wanaherang, Bogor, West Java—namely the new A-Class, C-Class, E-Class, and S-Class sedans and the new GLA, GLC, GLE as well as GLS SUVs—PT. MercedesBenz Distribution Indonesia introduced the Mercedes-Benz A 200 Sedan Progressive Line at Mercedez-Benz Star Drive 2021 exhibition at Senayan City, Jakarta. Essentially, what we see here is a sedan model with all the familiar virtues of the A-Class while offering great utility as well. FIRST IMPRESSIONS At first glance, we can see that the new A-Class Sedan has the proportions of a dynamic and compact sedan with short front and rear overhangs. The front-end design looks very progressive with the low, elongated bonnet, the slimline headlamps with chrome elements, the torch-like daytime driving lights as well as the single-louvre diamond radiator grille with the central star.
Another highlight is the greenhouse, which sits far back and the compact rear end, lend the vehicle a formal dynamic boost. Moreover, thanks to the 17-inch wheels with 5-twinspokes and the pronounced wheel arches, the A-Class Sedan has a sporty stance on the road. That being said, with its puristic design emphasizing surfaces, the A-Class Sedan is hot and cool at the same time.
Moving inside, Mercedes-Benz has taken a completely new approach, revolutionizing the compact class from the inside with a new feeling of spaciousness. The unique interior architecture is shaped, in particular, by the avant-garde design of the dashboard along with its completely free-standing widescreen display and also the air vents with a sporty turbine look.
To top it off, the new model also features the MBUX or Mercedes-Benz User Experience multimedia system. The defining feature of this system is its ability to learn thanks to artificial intelligence. As it adapts and customizes to the user, MBUX basically creates an emotional connection between vehicle, driver and the passengers.
The MBUX also offers touch operation of the media display and the navigation display, plus intelligent voice control with natural speech recognition, which can be activated by saying the magic keywords: “Hey Mercedes.”
ON THE ROAD
At its core, the A 200 Sedan Progressive Line is endowed with power under the hood: 163hp and 250Nm of torque, to be exact. This is enough to propel the A 200 Sedan Progressive Line to 100km/h from zero in only 8.1 seconds with a top speed of 230km/h. This level of performance is produced by the 4-cylinder turbocharger engine and the 7G-DCT dualclutch transmission. With this kind of power, the Mercedes-Benz engineering team has ensured that the new A-Class is balanced on the roads as well as manoeuvrable in town.
Aside to the additional comfort, the new A-Class is also at the top of its class when it comes to driving assistance systems. Of particular note is the expanded Active Brake Assist, which effectively helps to mitigate the consequences of rear-end collisions with slower-moving, stopping or stationary vehicles ahead, and even with crossing pedestrians and cyclists—or prevent them altogether depending on the situation. Besides making driving easier, it also enhances comfort during long journeys. In a nutshell, the new model provides the highest level of active safety in this segment with functions adopted from the S-Class.
FINAL THOUGHTS
All in all, the new generation of compacts has made a key contribution to the rejuvenation and image change of the Mercedes-Benz brand. Mind you, the A-Class established today’s compact car segment of Mercedes
Benz in 1997, and since then, more than six million compact car models have been delivered worldwide. The Mercedes-Benz A 200 Sedan Progressive Line further expands the range of compact cars from Mercedes-Benz. And this is a logical addition, to say the least. Because at the end of the day, with the C, E and S-Class, Mercedes-Benz has more premium sedan competence than most other manufacturers.
Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, the sedan model also has all the familiar A-Class virtues. These include modern and efficient engines, the high level of safety thanks to state-of-the-art driving assistance systems with S-Class functions as well as the the intuitively operated and learning MBUX infotainment system. Along with the interior of the new A-Class that’s completely redefined with its modern, avantgarde look, the Mercedes-Benz A 200 Sedan Progressive Line embodies the development and modernization of the brand, clear enhanced emotional shape, giving proof that MercedesBenz once again sets design trends.
Specs:
Mercedes-Benz A 200 Sedan Progressive Line Engine: 4-cylinder turbocharger engine Power: 163hp Transmission: 7G-DCT dual-clutch transmission
“MERCEDESBENZ HAS TAKEN A COMPLETELY NEW APPROACH, REVOLUTIONIZING THE COMPACT CLASS FROM THE INSIDE WITH A NEW FEELING OF SPACIOUSNESS”