Cape Town - It's vehicle testing season in South Africa as some automakers test their future models in our hot climate.
This week we reported on the Mercedes-Benz G-Class spotted by Tessa Gallon in Mpumalanga and it seems like there are more Mercedes testers around as another three-pointed star car was discovered.
Larger A-Class
Alwyn Botha sent us images 'regarding an interesting find over the weekend.'
He said: "I've spotted about 6 test mules in Lydenburg on Saturday 25 February 2017 at the Shell fuel station at the Heads shopping centre – not too sure what make and model this is."
Wheels24 can confirm that camouflaged cars are the 2018 Mercedes-Benz A-Class. The photographs point towards a longer wheelbase which will increase legroom.
The Golf rival will continue to be powered by its front-wheels and use an updated version of the current MFA structure. Inside, the new A-Class will steal bits from the C and E models to offer a more sophisticated interior and infotainment system.
View the images below, click on the right arrow to scroll through the gallery:
Botha said this of his encounter with the test mules: "I stay quite close to this fuel station that is located at the start of the Long Tom pass (on route to Nelspruit) and I can tell you that I get to see this a lot – there is constantly disguised cars making their way up and down the pass each year.
"I could not even begin to imagine what make this is – very confusing with all the add-ons in the front, so I took a stab at trying to identify the wheels because they usually make use of standard OEM wheel, and I agree, it is only Mercedes that makes use of this type of design (keeping in mind it originates from Germany).
I assume it would look much better once they remove the plastic bin added on the nose and the fake bumpers and lights at the rear.