Mercedes to Expand Small-Car Lineup

Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz unit plans three new compact cars to expand its lineup in the segment to eight models.

Marco Ebler, product manager for Mercedes compact cars, announced the plan at a media event in Hungary this week. But he offered no timetable for the rollout.

The carmaker will preview the new models with a concept car to be unveiled later this month at the Shanghai auto show, Ebler says. Media reports speculate the concept will lead to a sedan variant of the current A-Class car.

Mercedes' current compact lineup consists of the A-Class, B-Class, CLA-Class sedan, CLA Shooting Brake and GLA-Class. More than two million of the pint-size vehicles have been sold globally since 2012, but only the CLA and GLA are offered in the U.S.

The two CLA-Class models were updated last year. And a refreshed GLA, which debuted in January at the Detroit auto show, is due later this year.