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Old 01-31-2013, 12:12 AM   #1
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Mercedes-Benz' all-new 2014 CLA-Class, which debuted earlier this year at the Detroit auto show, will arrive at U.S. dealers later this year with a starting price under $30,000.

Mercedes-Benz released its full-length Super Bowl ad on Wednesday, with the commercial containing pricing for the all-new CLA sedan. When the CLA hits dealers this September, it will carry a starting price of $29,900, undercutting the C-Class by more than $5,000.

With a gently sloping roofline, swept-back taillights and flowing character lines on its flanks, the CLA’s styling draws heavily from the latest iteration of the original “four-door coupe,” the CLS-Class. Notably, the sleek look isn’t a mere stylistic trompe l'oeil – with a drag coefficient of just 0.23 Cd, the CLA is the most aerodynamic series production car ever created, according to Mercedes.

Underneath the sheetmetal, the CLA rides on Mercedes’ modular MFA front-wheel-drive architecture, which also underpins the European-market A-Class hatchback and B-Class MPV. Dimensionally, the CLA is within spitting distance of the C-Class sedan: while the C-Class has a 2.5-inch longer wheelbase, the CLA is about 1.5-inch longer overall. The two are nearly identical in terms of width and height.

When it first hits the market this fall, the CLA will be available in one form – the CLA250 – with a turbocharged and direct-injected 2.0-liter inline-four plucked from Mercedes’ European engine cupboard. The mill will send 208 horsepower and 258 lb-ft to the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

In the spring of 2014, Mercedes will add an optional 4Matic all-wheel-drive system to the options list. An efficient new design specifically intended for the automaker’s smaller, transversely-engined vehicles, it sends 100 percent of torque to front wheels under normal driving situations, while up to 90 percent can be shunted to the rear wheels when extra traction is needed.

Another efficiency-boosting feature is an electromechanical steering system, which Mercedes ambitiously claims will feature “improved feedback” compared to a traditional hydraulic-assist setup.

Luxury Trimmings
Save for minor details such as the instrument cluster, the CLA's interior is identical to that of the A-Class. The air vents are round and adorned by chrome trim, a feature that is becoming increasingly common on Mercedes vehicles, and a display screen is mounted on top of the dash. Measuring 5.8 inches as standard, it can be upgraded to a 7.0-inch screen by selecting the Multimedia package, which includes navigation and Mercedes’ COMAND system among other goodies. Burl walnut wood, black ash wood and aluminum can be specified as trim options, although an anthracite finish is the default trim.

As with other Mercedes models, the CLA comes standard with the mbrace2 connectivity system, which provides access to a variety of concierge services and apps.

Numerous options are available for those seeking an extra dose of luxury, with highlights including a panoramic sunroof, a harmon/kardon sound system and a Sport package (pictured above) that upsizes the standard 17-inch wheels to 18-inch AMG units and adds an aggressive body kit.

On the safety front, the CLA features the radar-based Collision Prevention Assist system, which can warn the driver of potential collisions and, when necessary, apply the brakes to prevent or mitigate the severity of a crash.

During its first few months on the market the CLA will essentially be in a class of its own. However, that situation won't last long - Audi is putting the final touches on a four-door variant of the A3, and BMW is said to be grafting an extra set of doors onto its entry-level rear-wheel drive 1-Series.

Look for Mercedes to release fuel economy data closer to the 2014 CLA250’s launch this fall.




http://www.leftlanenews.com/new-car-...enz/cla-class/

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Old 01-31-2013, 07:49 AM   #2
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That beautiful car ...<siffle> is going...<sniffle> to be FWD or AWD only...<sniffle>

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Old 01-31-2013, 07:49 AM   #3
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Sub $30K...wow.
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Old 01-31-2013, 08:14 AM   #4
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Front? Georgeous. Side? Great profile. Those tails? NOTAFAN.

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Old 01-31-2013, 08:17 AM   #5
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Look at how much they rounded off the nose to try to hide the front overhang. This car is going to be a major hit in poorer urban neighborhoods in 2-3 years.
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Old 01-31-2013, 08:42 AM   #6
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Full of sad, full of fail; will sell like gangbusters because general public doesnt know which wheels drive anyways. I'ts nice looking though.
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Old 01-31-2013, 08:50 AM   #7
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Better than expected. I'll take an amg version please.
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Old 01-31-2013, 09:04 AM   #8
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Better than expected. I'll take an amg version please.

for 50 thousand dollars.
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Old 01-31-2013, 09:56 AM   #9
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Looks like a helluva car for just under $30k. That's WRX Limited money.
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Old 01-31-2013, 10:01 AM   #10
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That's 60,000 miles old S550 money! Though seriously, is a $30k merc considered a good deal? I know nearly nothing about luxury car markets.
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Old 01-31-2013, 10:54 AM   #11
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Look at how much they rounded off the nose to try to hide the front overhang. This car is going to be a major hit in poorer urban neighborhoods in 2-3 years.
Might have more to do with the .23 Cd, best for any production car
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Old 01-31-2013, 11:04 AM   #12
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Might have more to do with the .23 Cd, best for any production car
Doubtful.. those angles don't have much to do with Cd... (a Prius still has a rather square front end.. pushing air to the side isn't much better than pushing it over the top) and the way they pulled the scoops and headlights back certainly don't do the Cd any favors... it's a styling technique to make the car seem less gangly.
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Old 01-31-2013, 12:09 PM   #13
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Full of sad, full of fail; will sell like gangbusters because general public doesnt know which wheels drive anyways. I'ts nice looking though.
Would you anti-FWD fanatics just give it a rest already. Almost all the people out there don't really give a **** about what wheels make the car go and more concerned with starting price points and, increasingly more, MPG.
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Old 01-31-2013, 12:12 PM   #14
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I disagree. I think what drive the car is important to a lot of people. People dont drive rear wheel drive cars in Alaska for a reason. People in my region are quite familiar with awd as its a huge plus in most peoples eyes.

And fwd is crap when you have a lot of power. Its called torque steer.
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Old 01-31-2013, 12:13 PM   #15
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Mercs are overpriced anyway. This thread is pointless. Go with the Audi.
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Old 01-31-2013, 12:26 PM   #16
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Performance-wise, FWD makes sense for a low end MB, most people buy Mercedes for comfort and luxury anyway. It's a tougher sell for BMW, but even they are doing it with the FWD 1 series.

My problem is that FWD cars have a certain body proportion that is also evident in this car, despite the effort to hide it with fancy curves. Overall it doesn't look all that expensive to me. Now it ISN'T all that expensive, but it should still LOOK expensive right? Also, $5K difference between this and the C class may not be big enough unless this thing comes with more standard features than the C.
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Old 01-31-2013, 12:33 PM   #17
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Performance-wise, FWD makes sense for a low end MB, most people buy a low end Mercedes for comfort and luxury the emblem anyway.
FTFY.
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Old 01-31-2013, 04:49 PM   #18
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Pretty good looking, well equipped and the price is right. I doubt most buyers would know if it was FWD or not.

I've always thought the c class looked boring.
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Old 01-31-2013, 05:34 PM   #19
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I wouldn't automatically go "OMG MERCEDES" for it, but I'd definitely consider one if it comes in below $30k.
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Old 01-31-2013, 08:52 PM   #20
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Originally Posted by scoutisimo View Post
I disagree. I think what drive the car is important to a lot of people. People dont drive rear wheel drive cars in Alaska for a reason. People in my region are quite familiar with awd as its a huge plus in most peoples eyes.
Paging chanomatik...

Also, there's a lot of the country that doesn't give a **** about AWD.

Quote:
And fwd is crap when you have a lot of power. Its called torque steer.
There are ways around that. But you say "a lot people" and then say torque steer, which most people don't know or care about. Make no mistake, hardcore car enthusiasts (even moderate enthusiasts wouldn't be a FWD Nazi) are a very small minority. And the CLA isn't targeted at them.
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Old 01-31-2013, 09:15 PM   #21
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Originally Posted by scoutisimo View Post
Mercs are overpriced anyway. This thread is pointless. Go with the Audi.


Quote:
Originally Posted by rob1n1 View Post
Paging chanomatik...

Also, there's a lot of the country that doesn't give a **** about AWD.



There are ways around that. But you say "a lot people" and then say torque steer, which most people don't know or care about. Make no mistake, hardcore car enthusiasts (even moderate enthusiasts wouldn't be a FWD Nazi) are a very small minority. And the CLA isn't targeted at them.
Dumb people who spend their lives on internet car forums don't realize the average buyer doesn't know wtf a "torque steer" or "Nordschliefe" is and thinks LSD is just a drug.

As someone who has a track car, I'm getting really tired of people who drive to the supermarket and back bemoaning the lack of RWD (or AWD since it's a Subaru fanboi site). You people don't enjoy your cars anyways, so you have no right to complain. See how that works?
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Old 01-31-2013, 09:36 PM   #22
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for 50 thousand dollars.
I was thinking $49,990. Fo shizzle.
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Old 01-31-2013, 09:42 PM   #23
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I picked up a TopGear magazine in Barnes and Noble...it had a comparo of the hatch version of this, the 1 series, the Volvo V40 and the Audi A3. All diesel manual hatches. It was taunting me.
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Old 01-31-2013, 09:59 PM   #24
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Waiting patiently for this - Mind you this is for the Mercedes A-class AMG, but they state clearly that the same mechanics will go into the CLA

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Mercedes-Benz has confirmed limited details about its most affordable performance model to date, the A45 AMG.

Set to go on sale in Europe in early 2013, the rival to the Audi RS3 and the BMW M135i sits at the top of the third-generation A-class lineup. The price, although not yet officially revealed, is expected to start at about 50,000 euros, or $62,400 at current exchange rates).

One of three new compact models confirmed by AMG boss Ola Kallenius, the A45 AMG is not planned to be sold in North American. Its mechanical package will, however, appear in upcoming CLA45 AMG and CLA45 AMG Shooting Brake models that are set for U.S. sale in 2014.

The A45 AMG is the first series-production AMG model with a transversely mounted engine. The A45 AMG runs a heavily tuned version of Mercedes-Benz's turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine from the standard A250 Sport, which goes on sale in Europe in September. With a specially developed free-flow cylinder head and unique induction system the engine, designated M270 Evo, is claimed to deliver 330 hp and what AMG describes as "maximum torque significantly above 400 Nm (295 lb-ft)."

Developed at AMG's Affalterbach engineering headquarters on the outskirts of Stuttgart, the new engine is the most powerful four-cylinder ever placed in a Mercedes-Benz production model.

"Our goal right from the very start was to match the output of the larger turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine used by the RS3," says Tobias Moers, head of development at AMG. At just 375 pounds, the engine is also said to be significantly lighter than rival four-cylinder performance engines.

For comparison, the Audi RS3's engine delivers 335 hp and 332 lb-ft torque, while the BMW M135i, which is powered by an uprated version of the N55 turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder unit, pushes out 316 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque.

The A45 AMG channels its drive through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and, in a layout that mirrors that of the RS3, a specially tuned Haldex-style multiplate clutch to all four wheels. To provide the car with rear-wheel-drive AMG handling traits, the engine's torque is delivered primarily to the rear wheels under load.

No performance claims were made in a secretive media preview of the A45 AMG in Affalterbach on Tuesday. But Mercedes-Benz insiders suggest that the car will match the claimed 0-to-62-mph time of the M135i, which BMW puts at 5.1 seconds for the six-speed manual version. Top speed is limited to 155 mph.

The inclusion of fuel-saving features such as stop/start and brake-energy recuperation has Mercedes-Benz claiming that the A45 AMG will be the most economical car in the hot-hatch ranks.

In a bid to provide the A45 AMG with class-leading dynamics-including what one AMG insider described to Autoweek as "the highest corner speeds among its rivals"-the AMG engineering team devised a largely unique chassis setup and tested it extensively on the road and at the Nürburgring.

The basic components of the MacPherson-strut front and multilink rear suspension are carried over from the A250 Sport, but items such as the bushings used to attach it to the body structure have been greatly altered. Other changes include wider tracks, firmer springs and dampers, larger-diameter antiroll bars and a reduced ride height. The standard electromechanical steering system was reworked for added on-center sensitivity and a meatier feel, while the brakes were upgraded with larger cross-drilled and vented discs and more powerful calipers.

As with other recent AMG models, the A45 AMG also receives a three-stage electronic stability program (ESP) that includes a sport-handling mode that allows you to turn the electronic safety net off completely.

"Our goal is to build the most dynamic, most powerful and at the same time most efficient four-cylinder series production compact car," says Kaellenius.

The A45 AMG is differentiated from other A-class models by an extensive body kit. Included is a deeper front bumper, an altered grille, widened front fenders, carbon-fiber-look exterior mirror housings, wider sills underneath the doors, a prominent spoiler atop the rear hatch and new rear bumper with an integrated diffuser element and characteristic chromed tail pipes. Inside, the car receives an upgraded interior with unique front sport seats and more upmarket trims, including a carbon-fiber-look panel for the dashboard.

The A45 AMG, whose name celebrates the 45th anniversary of Mercedes-Benz's performance-car division, forms an integral part of a new model strategy mapped out by Kaellenius.

Named "AMG Performance 50," the plan will see at least eight, possibly nine, new models added to the AMG lineup within the next five years.

Along with the A45 AMG, Mercedes-Benz is also putting the finishing touches on the mechanically identical CLA45 AMG, a swoopy sedan previewed by the Concept Style Coupe revealed at the recent Beijing motor show.

Other new AMG models include the recently revealed G63 AMG, SLS AMG Black Series, CLS63 AMG Shooting Brake, CLA45 AMG Shooting Brake, a possible GLA45 AMG and two new S-class-based models set to based on the new W222 model due out in 2013.

Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012...#ixzz2Jc2l5FAp
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Old 01-31-2013, 10:59 PM   #25
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Aaww shucks no RWD? Would have been a great option for a RWD car. But not sure I want to deal with maintanence on a Merc. No matter entry price.
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