2011 Mercedes B-Class Patent Drawings Reveal Shapely Hatchback

Our friends at CarScoop happened upon these EU Patent Office photos of the 2011 Mercedes B-Class, the new line of Mercedes small cars possibly coming stateside.

Clearly inspired by the Mercedes BlueZERO Concept, this five-door hatchback is set to compete with the new Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3, both of which are sold into the US. The last small hatchback from Mercedes released in the US was the underwhelming C-Class coupe, but the economy and environment likely make the B-Class a possibility.

In addition to the hatch, seen here, there's the possibility of a three-door called the BLS and a small SUV model named the BLK (BLK is the new white).

[CarScoop]