Unofficial Picture: 2013 Mercedes A-Class

Yet again, the European Patent office has sprung a leak. Detailed drawings of the production-ready Mercedes A-Class have surfaced on the web, via French website automobile-magazine.fr. And they show every curve and crease of the premium hatch.

This comes only three weeks after the Concept A, a radically-styled concept that previewed the production A-Class, made its global debut simultaneously at the Shanghai and New York Motor Shows. And elements of the Concept A's styling can be clearly seen in the showroom-ready model.

While the concept was in sleek three-door form, the drawings depict a more practical five-door hatch, suggesting that both bodystyles will be offered. Predictably, the show car's psychedelic front grille and lower air intake have been substituted for a less-dramatic upright two-bar opening with a trio of air intakes underneath. The bulkier headlights appear to feature LED 'eyebrows'.

In profile, a truncated rear, long bonnet and roof spoiler give it a dynamic stance and a look reminiscent of its biggest rival, the BMW 1-Series - a model that's due to be replaced later this year. The inticate surfacing on the side of the car is neatly reinterpreted for production, while tt the rear the light clusters wrap around the corners of the car, but are deeper than on the concept and omit the horizontal linking bar.

Under the skin, the A-Class will feature an all-new front-wheel drive platform with McPherson struts at the front and a multi-link rear axle, while power will come from the latest C-Class engines with a line-up of four-cylinder petrol and diesel units. There will also be a new 2.0-litre turbocharged and direct-injection petrol motor, which the Concept A previewed in 204bhp hot hatch form, hooked up to a dual-clutch gearbox.

And Mercedes engineers won't stop there. At the Shanghai show our sources revealed that a four-wheel drive AMG version of the A-Class, producing around 350bhp from an unspecified engine, has already been given the green light. British designer Mark Fetherston also hinted that the firebreathing AMG variant would be based around the sportier three-door model. the five-door is expected to make its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and go on sale early next year, with the three-door variant following soon after. For more details click here.

Thanks to: Auto Express