2019 Mercedes B-Class enters series production in Germany

The 2019 Mercedes B-Class that made its public debut at the 2018 Paris Motor Show last month entered series production at the lead plant in Rastatt, Germany this month. In its third generation now, the three-pointed star's five-seat MPV features a new design, new engines, a more feature-laden interior and autonomous tech.

Also Read - 2020 Mercedes S-Class to offer eyes-off autonomous driving - Report

Speaking on the 2019 Mercedes B-Class, Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer of Daimler AG, has said -

"The latest derivative of the new generation of compact cars from Mercedes-Benz, the B-Class writes a further punchy chapter in the success story of the dynamic Mercedes-Benz Sports Tourer. With its emotional yet purist design, the new B-Class blends seamlessly into the design language of Sensual Purity."

The 2019 Mercedes B-Class looks a tad sportier than its earlier iteration and enjoys more than a passing resemblance with the fourth generation Mercedes A-Class. At the front, the third generation model features a wider grille and narrower and slimmer, low-profile headlamps. The engine hood is almost flat and ensures the B-Class no longer looks like an MPV. The side profile has a cleaner look, while at the rear, the slimmer tail lamps and a slightly bigger spoiler are among the key design details.

The interior of the 2019 Mercedes B-Class borrows plenty from the latest A-Class. That said, it features a distinct identity owing to the single-volume dashboard. The rear seats can be moved forward by up to 14 cm, which boosts the luggage space from 455 litres to 705 litres. The rear seats can be folded flat to achieve an impressive luggage space of 1,540 litres. The all-new model is capable of semi-autonomous driving, and to do so, it employs improved camera and radar systems.

Initially, the 2019 Mercedes B-Class will be available with five engine options:

• B 180 - M 282 1.3L petrol engine (136 PS/200 Nm), 7G-DCT dual-clutch transmission, FWD
• B 200 - M 282 1.3L petrol engine (163 PS/250 Nm), 7G-DCT dual-clutch transmission, FWD
• B 180 d - OM 608 1.5L diesel engine (116 PS/260 Nm), 7G-DCT dual-clutch transmission, FWD
• B 200 d - OM 654q 2.0L diesel engine (150 PS/320 Nm), 8G-DCT dual-clutch transmission, FWD
• B 220 d - OM 654q 2.0L diesel engine (190 PS/400 Nm), 8G-DCT dual-clutch transmission, FWD

Also See: Mercedes Benz A-Class Sedan - 2018 Paris Motor Show Live

In Europe, the new model will launch in February 2019. Its India launch could take place in the latter half of the same year.