Mercedes-Benz consistently produces some of the most aerodynamically efficient new cars on sale. The new 2018 A-Class Saloon has jumped straight to the top of the pile with an unbeatable set of aerodynamic efficiency stats.
The new four-door A-Class boasts a Cd drag factor of just 0.22 which, when combined with a compact frontal area of 2.19 metres squared, gives it the lowest drag of any production vehicle in the world.
It beats the previous record-holder, also a Mercedes-Benz: the CLA Coupe.
The new record shows just how much more aerodynamic saloons, with their smooth and elongated rears, are than comparable hatchbacks. The Mercedes-Benz A-Class hatch has a Cd of 0.25.
There haven’t been any particularly special tricks to cheat the wind, says Mercedes-Benz, just a series of tireless detail engineering. It has, for example, meticulously sealed the headlamp surrounds and almost the entire underbody, and tuned front and rear wheel spoilers to direct air around the wheels.
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It tuned both the shape of the wheels and, impressively, the tyres themselves. Also offered will be an active grille, which can shut off when extra engine cooling is not required, so air passes smoothly around the engine bay rather than being dragged into it.
And the benefit of such excellent aerodynamic efficiency? Excellent real-world fuel consumption, particularly for those cruising up and down the motorway. We’ll find out just how impressive it is in the real world when the new A-Class Saloon goes on sale towards the end of 2018.
