Post by Mercedes-Benz AG

A journey through 140 years – part #16: The 1997 debut of the Mercedes-Benz A 160 represented one of the most “radical” departures from traditional automotive architecture in our history. The innovative design of the first A-Class with sandwich floor combined compact vehicle dimensions with a spacious and variable interior and excellent crash performance. This was made possible by arranging the drive system partly under the passenger compartment and from 1997 onwards we equipped the A-Class as standard with the pioneering ESP® driver assistance system, which has made its debut just two years earlier as an optional extra in the S-Class. This sets new benchmarks for driving safety in the compact car segment. A few years later, it becomes standard in most cars from all manufacturers. #MercedesBenz #WelcomeHome #140YearsOfInnovation