Mercedes-Benz A-Class LWB (V168) · A-Class LWB
V168
Long-wheelbase A-Class — roomier without losing agility.
- Production
- 2001–2004
- Built
- 204,207
- Body
- Hatchback
- Chassis
- V168
A tall hatchback with a hidden secret — the V168 A-Class packed its engine and transmission into a sandwich floor that could slide beneath the occupants in a frontal impact, and then proved its stability the hard way in an infamous Swedish moose test that nearly ended the program.
Mercedes-Benz launched the first-generation A-Class in 1997 on the V168 chassis, creating an entirely new entry point for the brand with a front-wheel-drive platform, tall greenhouse, and flat-floor packaging that delivered surprising interior space from a sub-four-meter length. The elk-test incident of 1997 forced a rapid chassis redesign with wider track and lower center of gravity; the revised A-Class survived and thrived, offering four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines and, in A 160 and A 190 form, genuinely accessible Mercedes-Benz ownership.
Produced from 1997 to 2004, the V168 A-Class was the car that brought front-wheel drive and compact dimensions to the Mercedes-Benz mainstream — a controversial beginning that established a nameplate now central to the brand's volume strategy.
Every model.
5 model designations across 2001–2004 — engines, chassis codes and production figures for the V168.
| Model | Lata modelowe | Zbudowano | Podwozie | Silnik | Skrzynia biegów | Razem |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A 170 CDI L | 2001–2004 | 03.2001–04.2004 | 168.109 | 668.942 | 716.500 | 95,820 |
| A 140 L | 2001–2004 | 03.2001–04.2004 | 168.131 | 166.940 | 716.501 | 38,113 |
| A 160 L | 2001–2004 | 03.2001–04.2004 | 168.133 | 166.960 | 716.501 | 52,979 |
| A 190 L | 2001–2004 | 03.2001–04.2004 | 168.132 | 166.990 | 716.506 | 14,239 |
| A 210 Evolution L | 2002–2004 | 01.2002–04.2004 | 168.135 | 166.995 | 716.506 | 3,056 |
* Opublikowana liczba produkcji obejmuje każdą serię tego modelu; źródło nie rozbija jej dalej.
Year by year.
The long-wheelbase A-Class from launch through the A 210 Evolution and final production.
- 2001
- The V168 launched with the W168 facelift, adding 170 mm to the wheelbase and overall length while retaining the sandwich floor and front-wheel-drive powertrains.
- A sliding rear bench provided 60 to 170 mm more rear legroom than the short car or additional luggage space; maximum cargo volume reached 1,530 litres with the rear seats removed.
- A 140 L, A 160 L, A 190 L and A 170 CDI L versions were offered; the lower-powered A 160 CDI was not available with the long body.
- 2002
- The A 210 Evolution L added the 2.1-litre M166 petrol engine, AMG-influenced body trim, firmer suspension and 17-inch wheels.
- 2004
- V168 production ended in April after roughly 204,000 long-wheelbase A-Classes; the W169 successor returned to a single wheelbase.
