2012 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Taxi Spy Photos

Back in March we brought you details and spy photos of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz B-Class AMG, and today we’ve got photos of yet another 2012 B-Class, this time in taxi form. The future generation B-Class was spied testing outside Mercedes’ test and engineering facility in Germany, clad in full camouflage, false body panelling and a roof taxi sign. Why exactly was their a yellow taxi sign on a testing vehicle? It may be a joke… it may be aerodynamics testing… or they may be offering taxi rides to help cover rising R&D costs. Your guess is as good as ours.

Commenting on the upcoming changes to their compact lineup, Dr. Joachim Schmidt, head of sales and marketing at Mercedes-Benz, has noted: “In the next couple of years, we will launch additional cars where we don’t currently have predecessors. Our current A-Class and B-Class will be replaced by a new platform for four totally different cars defining new segments for Mercedes.” Schmidt went on to state that “If you want young customers, you need to have a brand that is sexy and sporty. The reason we didn’t get this customer before was, in my opinion, not a brand issue, but a product issue.”
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dumpsty - 7/28/2010 9:45:52 AM

+2 Boost

That tester vehicle looks more like a Vibe/Matrix.

Are any of these smaller, more youthful Benzes coming to the US?

rubenkincaid - 7/28/2010 6:26:10 PM

+2 Boost

I love the current B200. Great little car. Wish they would bring it to the US market. All the talk of MB confusing their demographic with a smaller, cheaper car is ridiculous.

nguyenvuminh - 7/28/2010 10:00:37 PM

+2 Boost

Personally, I like the A and B cars from MB quite a bit. Living and working abroad have really me appreciate these small (but roomy inside) cars. But I fear the US market is just not receptive to small cars, let alone small cars from luxury car mfrs (exception being the Mini from BMW but that's targeted at a different demographic for the most part). We Americans have proven that we have short memories on fuel/economic shocks and at the first instance we'll revert back to the muscle cars, the large SUVs, etc. MB would be better off had they delivered the B class 3 years ago but now that fuel price has stabilised, I'm not sure the market for such vehicle is sufficient large (I am basing this theory on the small volume of Kia Rondos, Mazda 5, and the minivan morphing into large vans). I hope I'm wrong here.

EnnNorak - 1/11/2011 9:39:39 AM

+1 Boost

I woud gladly drive the tubo B-class is MB would get rid of the dreaded CVT and silly panoramic glass roof.