Daimler always vowed the A-class family would expand to a whole range of small cars. And today we can see further proof: witness the freshly unveiled, new 2015 Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake.
It’s Merc’s smallest estate, nominally based on the CLA four-door coupe version of the A-class saloon. That means a choice of front-wheel drive or 4wd on Daimler’s new global MFA small-car platform.
And that in turn means that CLA Shooting Brake prices will start at around £25,500 in the UK, or around £900 more than an equivalent CLA four-door. That’s for an entry model in 180 Sport guise; the madcap CLA45 AMG Shooting Brake version – also confirmed today – is likely to top £43k. Cripes!
Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake: the rivals
Here’s where it gets a bit confusing. The CLA wagon may be the smallest estate in Merc’s oeuvre, but it’s treading perilously close to the C-class Estate, which kicks off at £28,000 in base petrol spec.
Daimler says that the new, more overtly styled CLA Shooting Brake will attract a different type of customer, although it lists the Audi A4 Avant, BMW 3-series Touring and Volvo V60 as rivals. Surely the same batch of competitors as the C-class wagon, no?
Don’t forget, Merc has created a new sub-genre with the Shooting Brake label. The CLS S/B is arguably the gangsta-choice next to the more sober E-class Estate, too. This offers a similar vibe, in microcosm.
Talk us around the new 2015 CLA Shooting Brake in detail
The new baby Shooting Brake measures 4630mm long, a scant 72mm shorter than the C-class Estate. That swooping roofline is actually raised a smidgeon compared with the four-door, offering 4cm extra headroom.
It even does a decent stab at being an estate, says Merc. It quotes 495 litres of bootspace, growing to 595 if you move the rear seats into the more steeply raked ‘Cargo’ position. Play removal man, and you can lob in 1354 litres of clobber with the rear seats folded entirely.
Expect a choice of two diesel and four petrol engines in the new CLA Shooting Brake:
CLA 200 CDI Shooting Brake 134bhp 2.1-litre, from 101g/km CO2
CLA 220 CDI Shooting Brake 175bhp 2.1-litre, from 105g/km CO2
CLA 180 Shooting Brake 120bhp 1.6-litre, from 128g/km CO2
CLA 200 Shooting Brake 154bhp 1.6-litre, from 130g/km CO2
CLA 250 Shooting Brake 208bhp 2.0-litre, from 128g/km CO2
CLA 45 AMG Shooting Brake 355bhp 2.0-litre, 161g/km CO2
The rabid AMG version is capable of a shocking 4.7sec 0-62mph sprint, but is limited to 155mph to speed.
Sales begin in March 2015. Early-bird customers – if they’re feeling brave enough – can even pick the OrangeArt Edition, which has amber headlamp surrounds, orange alloy rings and striped sports seats. Yep, it’s You’ve Been Tango’ed spec.