we would love to direct the attention of those who’s in the market for a compact SUV to the Mercedes-Benz Concept GLA, but as its name implies, the Concept GLA is, well, still a concept. billed as a compact premium class SUV, the Concept GLA will take to the floor this week at the 2013 Shanghai Motor Show. driving the concept is a 1991cc 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit, pumping out 211 horses (155 kW) to all four wheels via the 7G-DCT dual clutch automatic gearbox. as with most concepts, the focus of the Concept GLA is largely on its visual design, for which the innovative laser-based headlamps with video-projection capability stands out the most. the projector can throw any photos or videos from sources such as smartphone, the Internet, or a hard drive onto any surface as long the sources can work via the COMAND Online.
interestingly, there are cameras (two, to be exact) fitted on the roof rail which can be used to produce live video and displayed on the COMAND Online screen or projected on a surface for everyone to enjoy. the cameras also double as action cams and can be taken with you on whatever adventures you are embarking. the rest of the external lightings, such as the daytime running lights, signal lamps are composed of LEDs. inside the cabin, it is the usual Mercedes luxurious appointment, in what the marque dubbed as the ‘saddle theme’, which includes leather upholstery with over 20 meters of hand-stitched seams, illuminated insert on the head restraint on all four sports seats, multilayered instrument panel, and accents of matt and polished aluminum. visually, the Concept GLA looks like a B-class bumped taller (not a bad thing, actually) and the sports car meets SUV design is nothing short of amazing.
check out more pretty images of the Mercedes-Benz Concept GLA in the gallery after the break.
