2012 Mercedes-Benz B-Class unveiled ahead of Frankfurt

August 26, 2011August 26, 2011 Chris Chin 2011, 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, B-Class, Compact Cars, Mercedes-Benz B-Class

Mercedes-Benz unveiled its latest entry-level model yesterday: the 2012 B-Class. Thanks to a new design, new engines, Mercedes-Benz’s new dual-clutch automatic cog swapper, Mercedes-Benz is calling the B-Class to be far more agile, efficient, comfortable and more spacious than the B-Class before it.

The new B-Class will be offered with a modicum of four-cylinder engines. The gas engines are a 1.6L four pot for the B180 that’s good for 122-hp and 148 torques, while a more powerful 156-hp/184 lb-ft version is available for the B200.

And of course, you can’t expect Mercedes to offer a model without a diesel version, all of which have Mercedes-Benz’s latest technology with common rail direct-injection systems. The base B180 CDI gets a 1.8L diesel that produces 109-hp and 184 lb-ft of torque while the next level B200 CDI produces 136-hp and 221 lb-ft of torque.

Both engines can be mated to either Mercedes-Benz’s new 7G-DCT dual clutch automatic or Mercedes-Benz’s new 6-speed manual.

For more information, check out the press release after the jump. Final prices and launch dates have yet to be released, but we could expect those to pop up closer to or at the Frankfurt Motor Show in just a couple weeks time.

– By: Chris Chin