It wasn't too long ago that luxury cars were just that - cars. Shoppers interested in a Cadillac had choices consisting of sedans, coupes, and convertibles. Want a BMW? That'll be a sedan, coupe, or convertible (though offered in small, medium and large). And for those looking at the Porsche brand, sedans obviously had to be scratched off that already short list of options. But, times they are a changin', and nowhere is that more apparent than at the recent auto shows.

Those costly luxury badges have been affixed to a growing variety of vehicles over the past several years. Lincoln will soon be offering its second attempt at a luxury pickup, and Porsche has seen huge sales gains with its Cayenne SUV. The most recent example of this expansion is in the compact hatchback segment, with introductions including the Audi A3 and the upcoming Volvo C30. Not wanting to skip the party, Mercedes-Benz debuted its updated compact wagon concept, the Sports Tourer Vision B, for the 2005 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Looking much like its bigger Grand Sports Tourer Vision R sibling, the Vision B concept measures in at 168 inches long, making it roughly ten inches shorter than the current C-Class sedan. In addition to the similar profiles, both the Vision concepts also use an ALU-BEAM paint process, which coats the car in a silver paint that looks more like aluminum.

Unlike the potent, V8-powered Grand Sports Tourer Vision R, however, the Mercedes-Benz Sports Tourer Vision B's front wheels are powered by a transversely-mounted, four-cylinder diesel engine, though its platform has been designed to handle a variety of powerplants. The engine and transmission have been mounted at a 60-degree angle, the purpose of which is to allow the entire powertrain to crush under the car in the event of a serious frontal impact, rather than intruding on the passenger cabin. Other safety features include adaptive front airbags, as well as head-thorax side airbags.

Inside, the design is typical Mercedes-Benz, including generous use of aluminum trim and a sporty new interior fabric that Mercedes claims lends an "airy lightness" to the Vision B's interior. Bucket seats accommodate front seat passengers, while a 66/33 split folding seat is standard in the rear. With that seat in its upright position, cargo capacity comes in at 15 cubic feet; with the rear seat folded, cargo capacity crests at 48 cubic feet.

According to Mercedes-Benz officials, this compact sport tourer will be available in Europe this year, but no final decision has been made on whether it will be offered here in the U.S. We're betting it will be.

By Thom Blackett

Photos by Erik Hanson