Mercedes-Benz CLA250 News

Mercedes has announced Australian pricing and specifications for the new CLA Shooting Brake compact wagon.Priced from $52,400, the CLA-based model will be the cheapest Benz wagon ever sold in Australia, and priced below the Holden Calais V Sportwagon local hero.Your $52,400 will get you a 115kW/250Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine in the base model CLA 200, capable of returning 5.7L/100km combined.An additional $500 brings the 2.1-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder engine producing 100kW/300Nm in the $52,900 CLA 200 CDI. Combined fuel consumption for the diesel model listed as 4.3L/100km.The CLA-based model will be the cheapest Mercedes-Benz wagon ever sold in Australia.Standard features on both 200 models include power tailgate, satnav, 18-inch alloys, keyless start and a reversing camera.Both entry-level models are front-wheel drive and fitted with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox as standard.The mid-spec $66,400 CLA 250 4MATIC Shooting Brake is powered by a 155kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine. The 250 also scores AMG styling pieces, diamond grille, sports suspension, panoramic glass sunroof, heated electric leather front seats, and 4MATIC four-wheel drive.The range-topping CLA 45 AMG Shooting Brake is the performance model in the line up, powered by the 265kW/450Nm turbo four-cylinder engine from the A, CLA and GLA 45 AMG models.It can sprint from 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds – a tenth slower than the CLA 45 sedan – and is fitted with upgraded suspension, brakes, wheels and tyres and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic with launch control. The AMG performance model also comes with extra standard equipment, including upgraded satnav, Harmon Kardon sound system, cruise control with auto brake functionality and lane keep assist.The Shooting Brake features an additional 25-litres of cargo space over the CLA sedan at 495-litres VDA, while folding the rear seats flat sees that swell to 1354-litres VDA.The CLA Shooting Brake is expected to arrive in Australia before June.

Mercedes-Benz has revealed its newest member of the expanding A-Class family, the CLA Shooting Brake.As indicated over a year ago by Mercedes-Benz design boss Gordon Wagener, the new Shooting Brake will enter production in January 2015 becoming the prestige marque’s second coupe-come-wagon model after the larger CLS Shooting Brake.Mercedes describe the Shooting Brake as a more practical and spacious version of the stylish CLA sedan, for those buyers who don’t want to compromise style for usability, or plump for a more expensive C-Class Estate.From the A-pillar forward the design mirrors that of the standard CLA with the same headlight and grille design, the doors also feature the same swooshing character lines that have been adopted by most of the Mercedes passenger lineup in recent times.The roofline and D-pillar are new however, and there’s a sleek tailgate that exaggerates the length of the car giving almost yacht-like proportions in a similar fashion to the CLS Shooting Brake.Inside, the CLA Shooting Brake features the same youth-orientated interior design as the CLA four-door coupe, though the new roof design is said to give rear passengers greater headroom.Boot space has also swollen by 25-litres to 495-litres VDA. With the rear seats folded flat a total of 1354-litres VDA is available.Mechanicals for the wagon mirror the rest of the CLA range with a choice of turbocharged petrol and turbodiesel engines available with front-drive or 4MATIC all-wheel drive.In overseas markets a manual transmission will be offered, but Australia’s love affair with autos will likely see the 7-speed double-clutch automatic the sole gearbox for locally delivered models.International turbodiesel options include the 100kW/300Nm CLA200 CDI and the CLA220 CDI with the same 2.1-litre turbodiesel unit in 130kW/350Nm tune. Both models can achieve around 4.2L/100km combined on the European cycle.The petrol range kicks off with the 90kW/200Nm CLA180 followed by the 115kW/250Nm CLA200 with both models capable of using around 6.0L/100km combined.The CLA250 uses a 2.0-litre turbo four-pot producing 155kW/350Nm and can hit 100km/h in 6.8 seconds in all-wheel drive 4MATIC form. Combined fuel consumption for the all-paw Shooting Brake is 6.6L/100km.Mercedes is also launching a CLA45 AMG version of the Shooting Brake which gets the same 265kW/450Nm 2.0-litre turbo unit as the performance arm’s other '45' models.Mercedes has carved yet another niche in the marketA 4MATIC all-wheel drive system and double-clutch transmission with launch control function helps the new model reach 100km/h in just 4.7 seconds – a tenth off the slightly lighter CLA45 sedan, but a tenth quicker than the GLA45 SUV with the same powertrain. The AMG model also features bigger brakes, more track-focused suspension and tyres and a number of styling pieces to give a sportier look. The new CLA load lugger won’t have any direct rivals when lands in Australia next year, as Mercedes has carved yet another niche in the market.Though Australian pricing and specifications are unconfirmed, expect the CLA Shooting Brake to be slightly more expensive than its sedan sibling, which starts at $50,900.

Mercedes-Benz has changed its plans for adding a CLA250 to the local line-up. The German prestige brand had originally confirmed we’d get the two-wheel drive version in March, but has now switched to the all-wheel drive 4MATIC – although there’ll be a few extra months to wait for it.Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesperson, Jerry Stamoulis told Carsguide the opportunity to get the 4MATIC had only recently arisen. “When we announced the CLA pricing back in October last year the 4MATIC wasn’t available to us and so we only had the option of two wheel drive,” Stamoulis said “Recently we were informed that we could take the 4MATIC and due to the cost of only a $1500 increase we decided to go for the 4MATIC.”Mercedes has confirmed that the CLA 250 Sport 4MATIC will be sold in Australia from July, joining with another incoming variant to raise the line-up to four. Currently the CLA range consists of the CLA 200, priced from $49,900, and the tarmac-eating 265kw CLA45 AMG, priced from $86,900.Next month the CLA 200 CDI will land on our shores, packing a frugal 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine that produces 100kW of power and 300Nm of torque. Priced from $50,400, the CLA200 CDI can return a combined fuel consumption figure of 4.7 litres per 100km.When it lands here in July, the CLA250 will be priced from $64,900. It is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that sends 155kW and 350Nm through Mercedes’ 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system. The sprint from zero to 100km/h takes 6.6 seconds -- 0.1 seconds quicker than the front-drive CLA 250 variant that was previously planned to enter Aussie showrooms.The CLA-Class’ 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system drives the front wheels alone during normal driving conditions but can send up to 50 per cent of the engine’s power rearwards in more demanding situations. The CLA250 also features electrically operated and heated front leather sports seats, plus AMG body kit and performance ‘enhancements.’Stamoulis told Carsguide he expects the 250 will be the most popular CLA variant when it goes on sale. Given the 12- month wait time for the CLA45 AMG, Stamoulis also believes that some AMG customers will purchase the 250 Sport to use until their 265W weapon arrives. 

The car's coupe design gives it the most efficient aerodynamics on a mainstream production car. Kick off point is the CLA 200 with a 115kW/250Nm 1.6-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine. It sips fuel at a combined rate of 5.7L/100km.Next up the ladder is the CLA 250 Sport u with a 2.0-litre, petrol, four cylinder, direct injection, turbocharged engine achieving 155kW/350Nm. This car's appearance is characterised by AMG styling, depicted by the diamond grille, intelligent light system, 18-inch' AMG wheels, sports pedals, AMG tuned suspension and sports steering wheel.Top of the range is the Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG with 265kW/450Nm from a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine along with performance oriented 4matic all-wheel drive. This model is capable of extremely dynamic performance, clocking a 0-100kmh time in 4.6 seconds. A host of features are standard on the CLA-Class including 18-inch wheels, Becker Map Pilot Navigation, and a reversing camera.The 250 Sport gets heated electric leather sports seats with memory function and AMG styling. The 45 AMG includes AMG driver's package, AMG night package, AMG performance steering wheel, COMAND navigation and a Harmon Kardon Logic 7 surround sound system as standard. The CLA-Class will also arrive with exceptional safety features as standard. 

The "shooting brake" has captivated the car-loving consciousness almost since the introduction of the automobile, but in recent years, it has risen to a new level, with cars like the Ferrari FF pushing the concept into unexplored territory.Mercedes-Benz has done its own work with the idea, although not meeting the strictest definition of the "shooting brake" term.The four-door CLS Shooting Brake has two more doors than is typical for the body style, but claims it over the "wagon" moniker due to the sloping roof line that preserves a bit of the four-door coupe's shape.Now, it looks like the CLA Class four-door coupe may get the shooting brake treatment as well. According to a report from WhatCar? Mercedes-Benz design boss Gordon Wagener has indicated the CLA Shooting Brake is in the works. Previous reports had hinted that Mercedes was planning to build two shooting brakes as much as two years ago.Perhaps even more enticing than the standard CLA Class getting the shooting brake treatment is the possibility that it will extend to the CLA 45 AMG as well, much like the CLS Shooting Brake has its CLS 63 AMG variant.www.motorauthority.com

Prestige cars will continue to cost us less than ever with a Mercedes-Benz sedan that's priced at less than a Subaru Liberty going on sale in December.With a price tag to be a little over $50,000 the CLA is the least expensive Mercedes of its type ever sold in Australia. It will be some $2000 more than the top priced Mazda6, less by  the same sum than an upper bracket Subaru and almost $10,000 below the popular Mercedes-Benz C-Class.Unlike the C-Class, the country's best-selling mid-size imported car, the CLA enters showrooms well under the luxury car tax threshold, which takes effects from $58,000.The traditionally premium cost German luxury brands are fighting a price war that has already seen Mercedes, BMW and Audi market family-sized hatchbacks for as low as $34,900. Last month Mercedes released the A-Class hatch at $36,000, less than a basic Commodore.Mercedes-Benz spokesman Jerry Stamoulis said the CLA was another move toward broader acceptance. The world's oldest carmaker has the world's oldest buyers with an average age of 55, among the highest of any auto brand."People who buy the CLA will very likely never have even considered a Mercedes-Benz," he said. "We want to get into people's lives earlier. We think they'll continue to buy Mercedes."Billed as a "four door coupe", the CLA is closely related to the A-Class, which has become the best selling car of its type with demand threatening to outstrip supply.The unprecedented plunge into affordability by the prestige brands is placing pressure on Japanese brands and Volkswagen, whose new Golf is released next month.WHAT $50k BUYS YOU - the sedans being squeezed from aboveHonda Accord Euro - $43,140Mazda6 Atenza diesel - $49,690Subaru Liberty Premium - $52,990Toyota Aurion Presara - $49,990Volkswagen CC - $54,990 

Fashionable Gen-Y buyers and the “young-at-heart” are the targets of Mercedes-Benz’s new four-door coupe, which will be priced in the $50,000s when it goes on sale in Australia late this year.The CLA looks like a scaled-down version of the CLS but is based on a stretched platform of the front-wheel drive A-Class. All-wheel drive is optional across the line-up but Australia will only take all-paw grip in the high-performance AMG version. Similarly, Aussie-spec cars will use a dual-clutch seven speed as standard rather than opting for the six-speed manual.Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman David McCarthy says customers will care about the features and how the car drives, rather than which wheels are providing the traction. “If a car drives as the customer expects, they don’t care whether it’s push or pull,” he says. “We don’t see it (AWD) as a big issue for us.”Three versions of the CLA will be sold in Australia: a 1.6-litre turbo petrol, 1.6-litre turbo diesel and an AMG 2.0-litre performance turbo petrol.All cars will be highly specified, with a radar-based “Collision Prevention Assist” system that warns drivers of imminent crashes at speeds above 7km/h. Linked to the adaptive cruise control, the CLA will auto brake if the driver fails to respond.Telematics are also a major focus to woo Gen-Y buyers and include internet connectivity with Facebook and Twitter, Siri voice control and location sharing. The CLA is the third model spun off Mercedes-Benz’s modular front-drive MLA architecture, following the A and B-Class cars.Another two versions are planned: one has been confirmed as the GLA baby SUV and the other is expected to be a shooting brake version of the CLA. The car is bigger than the current C-Class sedan, giving a good indication the next-gen C will also grow in size to differentiate itself from the front-wheel drive model.The interior look is similar to the A-Class, with extensive use of alloy finishes, the SLS-style round air vents (though three vents in the centre of the dash is probably overkill) and a stand-alone touchscreen. The exterior design is edgy and stylish, with strong contour lines along the flanks and over the bonnet that pictures don’t do justice to. Mercedes-Benz sales and marketing head Dr Joachim Schmidt says the CLA is “a real Mercedes, but not as you know it”“Our new CLA-Class has everything to attract new customers and it’s one of the few new cars to turn heads. But at the same time it comes packed with all of the traditional values which are typical for a Mercedes,” he notes.

Though we’ve been spying prototypes for the upcoming CLA Class from Mercedes-Benz, the sedan version of the German automaker’s new compact range, for more than a year, so far all of these have been heavily camouflaged. Now the first official images of the new compact sedan have been revealed, showing off the car's design ahead of its debut next month. The images confirm Mercedes’ design team has managed to retain the distinctive look of the Concept Style Coupe unveiled at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show, for the production version. The front of the CLA Class is almost identical to the latest A Class hatchback launched overseas, while the body gets four-door coupe styling that makes it resemble the CLS Class, albeit on a smaller scale. Under its pretty sheet metal is a version of Mercedes' latest front-wheel drive platform, code-named MFA (Mercedes Frontwheel Architecture). This new platform is flexible enough to spawn a variety of models including hatchbacks, coupes and even a crossover, and it will offer the option of 4MATIC all-wheel drive. U.S.-delivered cars are likely to come with 4MATIC as standard. The car’s overall length will stretch just over 4.5 meters, and inside there should be ample space for four adults. A fifth-seat option may be available. The interior design, as expected, is identical to that found in the A Class hatchback. A performance-tuned 4MATIC system will be standard in the AMG version of the new CLA Class, which is likely to be called the CLA45 AMG and come with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine rated at more than 245 kW. www.motorauthority.com  

We've already got the all-new A and B-Class hatches. And the CLA becomes a CLS-style four-door coupe for people who want a bit more luxury in a compact package.  

The luxury carmaker has a big push into the more affordable end of the market. It has announced the A-Class hatch for Australia from 2013 with prices around $30,000 and this week unveils a pre-production four-door sedan version, called Concept Style Coupe by Mercedes but simply dubbed the CLA. But Mercedes Australia says we won't see the new sedan until 2014. Based on the A-Class platform, the CLA is a mini-CLS with a low-roof profile, tapered roofline and long overhangs.  Mercedes plans the CLA to share drivetrains with the A-Class but has dropped a clanger by announcing the possibility of an all-wheel drive version with a 156kW four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine.  The head of Mercedes-Benz Cars and chairman of parent company Daimler AG, Dr Dieter Zetsche, says the CLA will become "the model against which sporty vehicles in the executive segment will have to measure themselves in future''.  The CLA has its official world premiere on April 23 at Auto China in Beijing. The show car wears 21-inch wheels with perforated pins on the spokes to follow the diamond-theme of the radiator grille.  It has frameless side windows and no B-pillar. It also has four individual seats with integrated head restraints that are shared with the sports version of the A-Class.