Mercedes-Benz A-Class breaks down at debut, pushed on stage by execs
 

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/conceptcars/" rel="tag">Concept Cars</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/china/" rel="tag">China</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/etc/" rel="tag">Etc.</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/mercedes-benz/" rel="tag">Mercedes-Benz</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/shanghai-motor-show/" rel="tag">Shanghai Motor Show</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/luxury/" rel="tag">Luxury</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-mercedes-benz-a-class-concept-fail/"><img alt="2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Concept Fail" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/04/2012-mercedes-benz-aclass-l.jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; margin: 4px 0px;" /></a><br />
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2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Concept Shanghai Fail - Click above for high-res image</div>
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The <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/2012+mercedes-benz+concept+a/">2011 Mercedes-Benz Concept A</a> appears to be, quite literally, all show and no go. At its big debut at the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/shanghai-motor-show/">Shanghai Motor Show</a>, the car eschewed its 200-horsepower BlueEfficiency powerplant in favor of a four-suitpower unit, courtesy of Mercedes brass. After a star-studded introduction, including a version of Janis Joplin's "Mercedes-Benz" by rapper David Banner and English pop singers Estelle and Daley, the car broke down before hitting the stage.<br />
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That made for a seriously awkward few seconds, as four <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/mercedes-benz/">Mercedes</a> execs, dressed to the nines in designer suits, had to push the car onto the stage. That embarrassing spectacle put a bit of a damper on the hype surrounding the highly-anticipated premium compact.<br />
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The 2011 Concept A is likely to donate around 85 percent of its styling to the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/14/first-sketch-of-2012-mercedes-benz-a-class-leaks-out/">2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class</a>, which is slated to debut next year. There's <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/19/pocket-rocket-amg-reportedly-working-on-350-hp-mercedes-benz-a">even talk of a 350-horsepower AMG version sometime thereafter</a>. We have to admit we're excited to meet the all-new A-Class, but that's based on the assumption that it will move under its own power. <em>Top tip, Pieter!</em><br />
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[Source: <a href="http://cdnlive.cardesignnews.com/index.php/2011/04/mercedes-concept-a-class-fail/">CDNLive</a> | Image: <a href="http://cdnlive.cardesignnews.com/index.php/2011/04/mercedes-concept-a-class-fail/">CDNLive</a>]<p style="padding:5px;backgr ound:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/19/mercedes-benz-a-class-concept-motivated-by-suits/">Mercedes-Benz A-Class breaks down at debut, pushed on stage by execs</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblo g</a> on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://cdnlive.cardesignnews.com/index.php/2011/04/mercedes-concept-a-class-fail/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/19/mercedes-benz-a-class-concept-motivated-by-suits/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19917816/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/19/mercedes-benz-a-class-concept-motivated-by-suits/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>

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