CLASSE A

Klaus BusseKlaus BusseIn early 1998, for the occasion of the upcoming Turin Motor Show on April 24, Mercedes decided to have Stola spa make a special version of the Mercedes A-Class W168.
This was to be a tribute to the Turin show, and so was called "Turin".
It was to be a simple refinement of the bumpers,wheel arches and wheel rims, plus interor trim by the Gavinas of Salt.
These discreet improvements were penned by the young Klaus Busse, who worked with the Stola modellers on their realisation.

02March 1998 Rivoli The modeling of the Turin A-Class.03March 1998 Rivoli The modeling of the Turin A-Class.

15 aprile 1998 Rivoli. La Mercedes Classe A edizione Turin a fine montaggio nell'area di lavoro della Stola spa.April 15, 1998 Rivoli. The Mercedes A-Class Turin edition at the end of the assembly in the Stola spa work area.

055 April 1998 Rivoli. The Mercedes A-Class Limousine W168 Turin edition a few days before being presented at the Turin motor show.065 April 1998 Rivoli. The Mercedes A-Class Limousine W168 Turin edition a few days before being presented at the Turin motor show.

07April 1998 Photograph of the A-Class Limusine Special Edition for the Turin motor show.08April 1998 Photograph of the A-Class Limusine Special Edition for the Turin motor show.

Aprile 1998 Salone dell'auto di Torino, Klaus Busse e Michael Mauer con la A Class Turin Edition.April 1998 Turin Auto Show, Klaus Busse and Michael Mauer with the A Class Turin Edition.

Mikka Hakkinen Sulla MP4/13Mikka Hakkinen on the MP4 / 13At the time of Mikka Hakkinen's victory in the 1998 Formula One championship with the MP 4/13, Mercedes AMG decided to build first one, then four, high-performance A-Classes.
The name of the project was "A190 Twin Study", and the first prototype was previewed at the end of November at the Mercedes-Benz Museum on the occasion of the celebrations of the historic victory in Formula 1.

11January 1999 Rivoli. The stages of preparation for modeling the bumpers.12January 1999 Rivoli. The stages of preparation for modeling the bumpers.

Febbraio 1999 Rivoli. Nella fase di assemblaggio finale, in piedi a destra è riconoscibile Lucio Giarolo.February 1999 Rivoli. In the final assembly phase, standing to the right is Lucio Giarolo.

Marzo 1999 Ginevra. La Mercedes A 190 Twin-Engined A al salone di Ginevra.March 1999 Geneva. The Mercedes A 190 Twin-Engined A at the Geneva Motor Show.

The timescale was very short, obviously the Mercedes managers predicted the victory a few months ahead of time in order to prepare the AMG and its sophisticated mechanics.
Il secondo motore ubicato nel vano bagagli.The second engine located in the luggage compartment.In fact there were 2 engines, one at the front and the second in the rear luggage compartment. Of course, brakes, suspension and steering and much more had to be modified as well.
The power output reached 250 Hp with a speed of over 230 km / h, all transmitted through four-wheel drive. Obviously testing was performed by the new champion.
Time was so tight that the Stola modellers had to make changes directly on the car, including painting and the upholstery realised by Salt.
New parts realized through models and soft tools included the two bumpers and side skirts, all being made in hand-layed carbon fiber.
The first example was built by Stola, whilst the following three were assembled in Germany by AMG using body parts moulded and shipped from Rivoli.

Mika Hakkinen testa la prima Classe A W168 targata S MZ 1144 il cui primo esemplare la Stola spa a contribuito alla realizzazione dei modelli, degli stampi e dei particolari dei due paraurti e delle minigonne laterali.Mika Hakkinen tests the first A-Class W168 with the S MZ 1144 license plate, the first model of which Stola spa contributed to the creation of the models, molds and details of the two bumpers and side skirts.

Foto ufficiale Mercedes della prima A Class W168 presentata a novembre del 1998 al Mercedes-Benz Museum.Official Mercedes photo of the first A Class W168 presented in November 1998 at the Mercedes-Benz Museum.