Sadly the A-Class is no more but we do have a new B-Class variant and some reduced pricing to keep things interesting.
As a result of Australia’s new vehicle import duty reduction – down from ten to five percent from January 1 this year – the German luxury car maker has elected to provide additional standard equipment to a number of its new passenger car models. At the time of this announcement (1 December 2009), the managing director of Mercedes-Benz Cars in Australia, Mr Horst von Sanden, said: “Our customers have told us that they prefer increases in equipment levels over any short-term price reductions or resale-damaging discounting.”
These important revisions are part of Mercedes-Benz’ ongoing value strategy – a long-term programme specifically designed to offer Australian customers the best possible value. Critically, the equipment enhancements chosen to become new standard features are the most popular optional extras; this ensures customers receive specific equipment they actually want.
The first Mercedes-Benz model to receive these value-enhancing revisions in 2010 is the popular compact sports tourer, the B-Class. The specific product revisions are detailed below.
Additional standard equipment for the 2010 Mercedes-Benz B-Class
The 2010 Mercedes-Benz B-Class range receives the following additional standard equipment:
– B 200 & B 180 CDI – Each with more than $9,000 of additional value
– Leather upholstery
– AMG 17-inch alloy wheels
– Metro Package – comprising CVT transmission and Active Parking Assist – Parking Guidance System
– Sports package
– Heated front seats
– B 200 Turbo – $16,000 in additional value
– Leather upholstery
– AMG 17-inch alloy wheels
– Metro Package – comprising CVT transmission and Active Parking Assist – Parking Guidance System
– Sports package
– Heated front seats- COMAND APS navigation and entertainment system
– AMG 18-inch alloy wheels
– Metallic paint
All-new model: The Mercedes-Benz B 180
An all-new variant has been added to the Australian B-Class: the petrol-powered B 180. Introduced for the first time to local buyers, the newest sibling in the B-Class is now the marque’s most affordable, making it the new entry model in the Australian Mercedes-Benz catalogue.
The arrival of the B 180 coincides with the exit of the A-Class compact from the Australian Mercedes-Benz range, the result of the B-Class sports tourer’s popularity with customers.
The new B 180 five-door boasts a Manufacturer’s List Price (MLP) of $36,990 – $910 less than the outgoing A 180 five-door.
It features a comprehensive standard equipment list, which includes:
– 5-speed manual transmission
– 17-inch twin-spoke alloy wheels
– AUDIO 20 sound system with six-disc in-dash CD changer
– Cruise control with SPEEDTRONIC (speed limiter)
– Exterior chrome package
– UCI media interface (for iPod and other music devices)
The B 180 1.7-litre 4-cyl. petrol model is down $910 compared to the outgoing A 180 five-door model and has a list price of $36,990*
*That price is the manufacturers list price and does not include statutory charges or dealer deliver charges.
4 thoughts on “Mercedes-Benz – a New Model, New Pricing, New Equipment”
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OK, now let me get this right: the federal government reduced tariffs by 5%, from 10% to 5%. That’s potentially a $2000 saving on that MB B180 Diesel I was interested in buying this year. But what you are telling me is that it will actually cost me $2000 MORE, because MB has decided that I want a heap of options I’m not interested in paying for. That’s called “spin” when it happens in politics, and it’s what makes consumers very cynical about those companies that do it.
Well to be fair to MB they did include in their press release a list of prices for the other B 180 variants and that did clearly show that the price of the B 180 CDI was up $1790 but to justify that they say that there’s $9000 worth of extras been added.
But I see your point … heated seats are hardly a ‘must-have’ for most parts of Australia and after living with leather seats for 10 years we recently went back to cloth upholstered seats in our replacement vehicle and couldn’t be happier. Leather is definitely over-rated.
And as for spin … well you should see some of the press releases that come out of the auto world. Some years ago I regularly wrote press releases for the industry I was involved in and if I’d included that amount of tinsel in them I would have been shot.
What I don’t understand about all that spin in press releases is that it goes out to journalists, motoring writers and people like me and we then spend hours stripping the crap out of them … it seems that the car makers are just wasting their money on bits no one believes and they would do better if they just gave us the facts.
Sorry Peter … you obviously just touched one of my sore spots 🙂
Stuart