Mercedes-Benz B-Class First generation

(2005–2011)

The vehicle was introduced in March 2005. It was released in Europe in the late spring of 2005 and in Canada in the autumn of 2005.

Japan model went on sale in 2006-01-23. Early models include B 170, B 200, B 200 TURBO.

B 170 EDITION ONE (2007-)

It is a limited (250 Cosmos Black body, 200 Calcite White body, 150 Polar Silver body) version of right drive B 170 for Japan market. It included Sports package (17-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, chromed 3-fin silver front grill, body-coloured rear bumper with punching mall, chrome exhaust tip (square), leather-wrapped sport steering wheel with aluminium, stainless shift, leather-wrapped silver shift knob, stainless acceleration and brake pedals), bi-xenon headlight and headlight washer, active light system, cornering light, HDD navigation system, EDITION ONE side emblem, unique design floor mat.

The vehicle went on sale in 2007-01-23.

B 170 Special Edition (2008-)

It is a limited (400 Cosmos Black body, 200 Mountain Grey body) version of right drive B 170 for Japan market. It included black interior colour (with seats centre and headrest centre upholstered in fabric, others upholstered in leather), Sports package (17-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, chromed 3-fin silver front grill, bi-xenon headlight and headlight washer, active light system, cornering light, body-coloured rear bumper with punching mall, chrome exhaust tip (square), leather-wrapped sport steering wheel with aluminium, stainless shift, leather-wrapped silver shift knob, stainless acceleration and brake pedals), 20GB HDD navigation system, unique aluminium interior trim, SPECIAL EDITION side emblem, fog lamp chrome trim, under-seat tray, unique design floor mat, 12-volt power socket at luggage compartment, metallic paint.

The vehicle went on sale in 2008-01-24.

Design

The B-class is what’s known as a two-box design: one box for the drivetrain and another the passenger and luggage compartments. The B-Class gains much of its comparatively large interior volume through its height, a configuration that makes the most of the vehicle’s footprint.

Having evolved from the even smaller A-Class, a car that was originally intended to have a battery-powered version that would meet California’s since-rescinded zero-emissions mandate. The sandwich floor concept—the structure of the car under the floor where the batteries were supposed to go—was retained in the B-Class.

Sandwich floor concept

The powertrain (engine and transmission) moves beneath the passenger cell (located at high seating position) in the event of a big frontal impact. According to a study: "the front section of the A-Class would have to be considerably longer in order to offer the same impressive level of occupant safety in the event of a heavy frontal impact".

These are two innovations, patented by Mercedes-Benz as:

1. DE 43 26 396 C 2: motor car with drive unit tilted at an acute angle against the horizontal
2. DE 44 00 132 C1: Firewall construction for a motor car with front-mounted drive unit

As a secondary benefit, because the seats have been raised by 20 cm, the passengers are taken away from the more common area of lateral impact in accidents.

Driving assistants

The B-Class presents a wide interior, basically due to the Sandwich floor.

The multifunction steering wheel (standard feature) allows the driver to use his/her thumbs to control the radio, telephone and other systems. The power assisted steering (standard feature) aids in the control of the automobile, varying according to the speed.

The COMAND APS is a system where Route instructions are given to the navigation system, and the information is provided via TMC. The car radio, DVD and telephone controls are combined into a single unit with a 6.5 inch screen. The options are: standard Audio 20 radio/single CD, Audio 50 APS or COMAND APS.

Parktronic emits warning tones and uses multiple LEDs to indicate how far the car is from an obstacle.

W245 defines the Light & Sight package with several benefits:

• Bi-xenon HID headlamps (optional feature) with gas-discharge bulbs for the dipped beam
• Cornering lights (standard feature) where the main-beam dips at road junctions and tight corners
• Active light system (standard feature) where the beams follows the steering movements
• Headlamp Assist (standard feature) is a sensor on the windscreen monitoring ambient light levels to automatically switch on the headlamps as required
• Rain sensor (standard feature) smoothly adjusts the wiper speed, depending on the intensity of the rainfall.

As a standard addition, when entering a tunnel or an underground garage, the Tunnel Mode closes all windows and the panoramic sliding sunroof.

Inside comfort

The multicontour seat (optional feature) is composed of a set of small air cushions individually adjusted to the driver's body, as he/she wishes.

Reliability

Breakdown statistics reported by the German Automobile Club in May 2010 placed the Mercedes B-Class at the top of the lower middle-sized car class in respect of the low break-down rates achieved for cars aged between 0 and 4 years, narrowly beating the Audi A3 and the BMW 1-series. However, the car review website dogandlemon.com gave the B-Class a 'not recommended' rating, citing multiple problems with the manual transmissions, CVT transmissions, air conditioning and interior fittings such as door locks.

Safety

High-strength and ultra-high-strength steel alloys are combined with high-strength bonded joints.

Gearboxes

Most of them are manual transmissions, but as an option there is an Autotronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) in which the ratios are changed continuously by means of a pulley-wheel variator and a steel thrust belt. This allows the car to accelerate with no interruption of tractive power and attains the maximum output more quickly. This is adjustable according to driving style: economical or sporty.

Wheel axles

The B-Class is a front-wheel drive car.

In the W245 the dynamic handling was powered in precision tracking and anti-roll support, with the Parabolic Rear Axle (standard feature) that grants a pivotal role in the driving. The car has a Selective Damping System (standard feature), where the shock absorber forces are administered differentially, in example under normal conditions (soft absorption) and while cornering at speed (full damping force).

The W245 presents light alloy wheels. With the run-flat feature (continuous mobility or zero-pressure tyres can be driven at normal speeds). There is Tirefit tyre sealant and a tire-pressure-loss warning device by ESP technology (standard feature).

2008 model year update

Changes include:

• Front end: restyled bonnet, radiator grille and bumper
• Side profile: new-look exterior mirrors and new light-alloy wheels
• Rear: tail lights in new high-brilliance look and remodelled bumper
• Interior: new seat fabrics and diagonally brushed aluminium trim
• Body-coloured exterior mirror housings, door handles and skirt panels
• Headlamp Assist as standard
• ESP® with automatic hill-start assist as standard
• Steering column manually adjustable for reach
• Flashing brake lights as standard
• Crash-responsive emergency interior lighting as standard
• Advanced engines with fuel savings of up to seven percent
• ECO start/stop function as an option for B 150 and B 170
• New B 170 NGT BlueEFFICIENCY with bi-fuel petrol/natural-gas drive system
• Active parking assist as an option
• New infotainment systems including many extra functions
• Surround sound system as an option
• COMAND APS with standard features including voice control
• Interactive media interface for linking up external audio devices

B 170 NGT BlueEFFICIENCY supports running natural gas and premium grade petrol. It includes five natural gas reservoirs whose total capacity of 16 kilograms equates to a range of over 300 kilometres.

Early models include B 180 CDI, B 200 CDI, B 150, B 170 BlueEFFICIENCY, B 170 NGT BlueEFFICIENCY, B 200, B 200 TURBO, with B 150 and B 170 BlueEFFICIENCY went on sale in autumn 2008.

Japan model went on sale on 2008-08-20. Early models include right drives versions of B 170, B 200, B 200 TURBO. B 170 was renamed to B 180 in 2009-08-24.

B 170 Limited (2009-)

B 170 Limited Black is a limited (300 units) version of right drive B 170 for Japan market. It included Night Black body colour, black interior (with seat centres and back rest centres in fabric, others in synthetic leather), Sports package (bi-xenon headlight and headlight washer, chrome exhaust tip, leather wrapped steering wheel and silver shift knob, steering shift, stainless acceleration and brake pedals), 17-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels, sports suspension, unique carbon tone centre console panel, rear arm rest, PARKTRONIC.

B 170 Limited White is a limited (200 units) version of right drive B 170 for Japan market. It included Calcite White body colour, Ocean Beige interior in fabric, package option (16-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels), bi-xenon headlight and headlight washer, unique exterior chrome package (chromed silver front grill, chrome exhaust tip, chrome bumper protection mole?, chrome side protection mole?, stainless tailgate sill plate), myrtle wood rim, power seat (front), PARKTRONIC.

The vehicles went on sale on 2009-01-28.

B-Class F-CELL (2010-)

It is a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle with fuel cell from F 600 HYGENIUS, electric motor rated 136 PS (100 kW; 134 hp) and 290 N·m (214 lb·ft), lithium-ion rated 35 kW and a capacity of 1.4 kWh, sandwich floor architecture from A-Class and B-Class vehicles, bonamite silver body colour, light-alloy wheels in a 10-spoke design. The vehicle has driving range of 400 km (249 mi).

Production began in 2009, with first of around 200 vehicles delivered to customers in Europe and the USA at the beginning of next year.

The vehicle was unveiled at two special exhibition sites in Vancouver.

B 180 Limited, B 200 Limited (2010-)

B 180 Limited is a limited (55 Cosmos Black body, 25 Lotus Blue body, 220 Calcite White body) version of B 180 for Japan market. It included black interior colour, 16-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlight and headlight washer, active light system, cornering light, metallic paint (Cosmos Black/Lotus Blue), stainless steel talgate sill plate, unique ragesshi room? mat, unique emblem, PARKTRONIC, media interface.

B 200 Limited is a limited (35 units) version of B 180 for Japan market. It included Calcite White body colour, black interior colour (with seat centes and back rest centre in fabric, others in artificial leather), 18-inch AMG 5-spoke alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlight and headlight washer, active light system, cornering light, stainless foot rest cover with rubber stud, unique ragesshi room? mat, unique emblem, PARKTRONIC, media interface.

The vehicles went on sale on 2010-04-26.

B 55 (2010)

It is a custom version of B 200 CDI with 5.5-litre V8 engine, built at the Rastatt plant. Other features include rear axle of an older W 210 series E-Class, seven-speed G-Tronic transmission, C32 AMG brake with 345 x 34 mm front discs, 300 x 30 mm perforated and internally ventilated rear brakes disc, 8.5 x 18-inch AMG sports front wheels in a five-spoke design with 235/40 ZR 18 Y tyres, 9 x 18-inch wheels with 255/35 ZR 18 Y rear tyres, limited maximum steering angle, Alcantara linings for the A, B and C-pillars and roof liner; seats in a leather/Alcantara from Johnson Controls, white with dark-painted radiator louvres and smoked headlamp lenses.

B 180 125! Edition (2011-)

It is a limited (300 units) version of right drive B 180 commemorating 125th anniversary of Karl Benz inventing automobile, for Japan market. It included Sports package (chromed silver front grill, chrome exhaust tip, leather twin seat, leather wrapped sport steering wheel with aluminium, leather wrapped silver shift knob, sterling shift, stainless acceleration and brake pedals with rubber stud, chrome side protection mole?, stainless steel gate sill plate), unique 17-inch 5-double spoke alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlight and headlight washer, cornering light, active light system, power seat (front), unique floor mat.

The vehicles went on sale on 2010-02-16

B 180 125! Grand Edition, B 180 125! Grand Edition Sports, B 200 125! Grand Edition (2011-)

B 180 125! Grand Edition is a version of B 180 commemorating 125th anniversary of Karl Benz inventing automobile. It included a choice of 5 body colours (Calcite White, Jupiter Red, Cosmos Black, Polar Silver(optional), Lotus Blue(optional)), black interior (fabric), 16-inch alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlight and headlight washer, active light system, cornering light, light and sight package (anti-glare room mirror, sun visor with illuminating mirror, rain sensor, elevator light, reading light(rear), locator lighting, outside vehicle lamp shutdown delay).

B 180 125! Grand Edition Sports is a version of B 180 commemorating 125th anniversary of Karl Benz inventing automobile. It included a choice of 5 body colours (Calcite White, Jupiter Red, Cosmos Black, Polar Silver(optional), Lotus Blue(optional)), black interior colour (leather), sports package, bi-xenon headlight and headlight washer, active light system, cornering light, power seat (front), light and sight package (anti-glare room mirror, sun visor with illuminating mirror, rain sensor, elevator light, reading light(rear), locator lighting, outside vehicle lamp shutdown delay), media interface.

B 200 125! Grand Edition is a version of B 200 commemorating 125th anniversary of Karl Benz inventing automobile. It included a choice of 5 body colours (Calcite White, Jupiter Red, Cosmos Black, Polar Silver(optional), Lotus Blue(optional)), black interior colour (leather), bi-xenon headlight and headlight washer, active light system, cornering light, PARKTRONIC, power seat (front), media interface.