A-Class E-Cell

With MINI and Fiat taking the retro approach and Mazda and Ford going for youthful and fun, how do you make your new small car stand out in the marketplace? If you're Mercedes-Benz about to sell the latest generation of A-Class compact in the U.S, you go down the high technology route and cut a dash with sleek styling, scalloped curves and an interior full of gadgets. Of course, the A-Class line itself has been on sale in Europe since 1997, and the latest car will mark the third generation. The first A-Class was a novel concept let down in execution. At little over an inch longer than the...