Mercedes’ move to a completely new, front-wheel-drive architecture or MFA (for Mercedes Front wheel Architecture) is a tectonic shift for the company. This new engineering direction, driven by the need to save fuel and costs, has wide-ranging implications for future Mercedes models.

Gone is the expensive sandwich construction of the current A and B-class. From now on, all small Mercs will be based on the flexible MFA platform that can support a wide range of wheelbases and configurations. The MFA has also been designed to support a fuel-cell power train and clearly green technology can easily be incorporated. The MFA will spawn a wide range of models. The next-gen A and B-class, expected in 2010/11, will use the MFA and be made in Hungary. Other body styles on the MFA include a coupé, cabrio, MPV and a small SUV.

The move to MFA will dramatically cut production costs and enable the company to bring models that are cheaper than even in the A-class. Dr Bharat Balasubramanian, vice-president, Group & Advanced Engineering, Daimler AG,  confirmed that the “MFA will usher in a new era of affordable Mercs.” He also confirmed that models spun of the MFA platform “would be more suitable for India”.

Mercedes has long toyed with the idea of introducing the A-class in India but it was working out too expensive. With the introduction of the MFA models, Mercedes will take another look at its portfolio. What’s certain for India is a baby SUV, the size of a CR-V, that is expected in 2013. In fact, the Merc SUV on the MFA platform will be a direct challenger to the BMW X1 and is likely to be similarly priced as well.
 
At present, many luxury car makers sell what are called ‘corporate editions’ of luxury models that come with fewer luxury features that help cut the final retail costs for the buyer. But with MFA, it pretty much means that a feature-filled Mercedes will be far more affordable than it has ever been before.