The Aesthetics A sculpture from Mercedes-Benz previews the next generation of its products. Let's unpack the design language and see what the future holds.

At first glance, the design is unmistakably Mercedes-Benz, yet shows an evolution in terms of visual appeal. If you look closely, you'll see a variation of the Panamerica grille, first seen on the Mercedes-AMG GT R. It is claimed that this new language will be used on products for the next generation of A-Class, B-Class, CLA, CLA Shotting Brake and an all-new GLA. You can expect the AMG-powered versions of these new cars to all feature the Panamerica grille.

However, the sculpture's shape is that of a sedan, which hints to a potential Mercedes-Benz A-Class sedan. It would make perfect sense given the success of the Audi A3 sedan and the BMW1-Series sedan, particularlyin China. Underpinning the new A-Class and its siblings is an updated derivative of Merc's Modular Front Architecture (MFA) platform.

We'll have to keep an eye on the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show which takes places towards the end of April. While the vast majority of products unveiled are China-only models, there are often surprise global reveals. Given the magnitude of this show, rumors are already flying around. The biggest is that there will be another compact-sized SUVwhich will sit above the GLA. It'll have two wheelbase lengths with the option of 5 or 7 seats.

Further Reading

Read a review of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class here

Watch a video to see the differences between the old Mercedes-Benz A-Class and the new A-Class

See spy shots of the forthcoming Mercedes-Benz A-Class here

Interested in purchasing a Mercedes-Benz A-Class? Browse stock here