Mercedes is making a sedan version of the new A-Class, so you'd think there's not going to be a need for the CLA. But no, both are under development at the same time.
This latest spy video from Stuttgart spotter Walko depicts the V177 A-Class sedan... limousine. Mercedes wants us to call it that, just like Audi with the A3. But come on, it looks like a fancy Jetta, not a shrunken S-Class.
The initial reports suggested the CLA would be much larger and create its own separate niche. But we're not so sure. It looks like yet another case of CLS vs. AMG GT 4-door.
Mercedes is going to ask a lot of money for the A-Class sedan and a ludicrous amount for the CLA, setting them apart in weird ways, some of which seem like backward steps. For example, most V177 models will have a semi-rigid rear axle, which is not as sophisticated or comfortable on the road.
As far as the outward appearance is concerned, the A-Class sedan pretty much looks like a four-door coupe already - it's got the sloping roof and everything. The CLA will add a butch front end and frameless doors. But the MINI Cooper has frameless doors too, and that doesn't make it a coupe in our book. With the Shooting Brake gone, I feel like all the good ideas have been sucked out of Mercedes.
The engine range should be identical to that of the hatchback, starting with a new 1.4-liter taking the place of the old 1.6. A Renault-sourced 116 HP 1.5-liter diesel will make for a great company car with sub-100 CO2 emissions. For a lot more money, Mercedes will also offer a 224 HP 250 model and an A35/A40 with around 300 HP. A six-speed manual will be available in base-spec sedans, but most cars will be ordered with the 7-speed auto.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News