Mercedes CLA. The GT-inspired art piece
The Mercedes CLA is a series of compact prestigious passenger cars produced by Mercedes-Benz (Germany) since 2013. These vehicles are built on the A- and B-class platforms. There are sedan and estate bodies, as well as front- and all-wheel drive versions. In 2020, Israeli buyers could purchase the 2019 second generation Mercedes CLA Sedan.
The CLA series was first presented at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2013. Its official sales started in April, and it took only one year to sell 100 thousand cars, which certainly proved the popularity of this model. The Daimler AG representatives say that ‘this is the best start in the last 20 years’.
The letter ‘CL’ in the name indicates that this is a luxury coupe without a B-pillar, with powerful engines. The name is presumably an abbreviation of the words ‘Comfort’ and ‘Luxe’. The letter ‘A’ indicates that the vehicle belongs to the Mercedes A-class.
The first generation
It was produced from 2013 to 2019, while its restyling took place in 2016. The production version of the new Mercedes Coupe (C117) was based on the concept car first presented during an event at the Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art in 2012. The concept 4-door coupe was equipped with a 4-cylinder turbocharged engine, four-wheel drive, a DSG, a ‘diamond’ radiator grille borrowed from the A-class concept, red headlights in standby mode, as well as the side turn signals from sequentially illuminated individual points.
The first Mercedes CLA became something of a variation on the design of the CLS series, just more compact and lighter. Built on the Mercedes-Benz MFA (Modular Front-Wheel Drive Architecture) platform, just like the A-Class, B-Class and GLA SUV, the first CLA entered the market as a four-door coupe. And according to its creators, it had the best aerodynamic performance among production cars with an aerodynamic drag coefficient of 0.23, surpassing the previous aerodynamic performance leader, the Tesla Model S. Subsequently, the CLA 180 BlueEfficiency Edition model became the new record holder in aerodynamic drag coefficient, which was only 0.22. The CLA series was introduced as front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive sedans. In 2015, a shooting brake estate was added to the product range. That model could boast of an increased wheelbase and a B-pillar, which made the rear seats and the trunk compartment more spacious compared to the sedan.
The Mercedes CLA 180 BlueEfficiency Edition became the new record holder in aerodynamic drag coefficient, which was only 0.22.
After the restyling of 2016, the Mercedes CLA-class was equipped with new headlights, a signature black grille decorated with a scattering of diamonds, an upgraded front bumper, exhaust pipes of a different shape, redesigned alloy wheels and restyled taillights with optional LED lighting. Plus, the restyled version comprised numerous modern additional options, for example, a multimedia system with an eight-inch screen compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the Dynamic Select system that changed the operating modes of the engine, gearbox, power steering, adaptive suspension and climate control, and the adaptive taillights. In total, the company managed to sell approximately three quarters of a million models of the first generation Mercedes CLA.
The second generation
It has been produced from 2019 to present (as of 2020). The second Mercedes CLA was first presented at an electronics exhibition in the capital of the world gaming industry, Las Vegas, USA. The 4-door sedan with frameless doors, a sloping roof and a coupe-like silhouette is manufactured at the plant located in Kecskemét, Hungary. The new 2019/2020 CLA features a low center of gravity and a robust lateral stabilizer, a sub-frame equipped with vibration-dampening hydraulic supports and adaptive shock absorbers. Its traffic monitoring systems ‘see’ the space half a kilometer ahead. Compared to the first generation, the second CLA looks more formidable, but at the same time, more compact. It boasts of a muscular appearance, a streamlined, sculpted body and an elongated hood. The front face slopes noticeably downward, which is not only stylish, but also improves aerodynamic performance. The hood with several longitudinal protuberances smoothly ‘flows’ into a noticeable air intake, which only accentuates the predatory narrowed xenon optics and wheel arches with stylish and rather large discs. The new CLA is a true GT-inspired art piece.
The interior has a lot of elements borrowed from the new A-Class. There are two driver’s displays and stereos with an MBUX interface, as well as aircraft turbine-style air vents, a small multifunctional steering wheel, soft LED lighting, sporty front seats, and expensive finishing materials. The vehicle is equipped with the advanced systems and “smart” electronics, which not only supports the voice commands, but also the command gestures. The new ability to control gestures has become possible thanks to a special program, which responds to the corresponding combinations of the hand and/or fingers. An exclusive innovation for the 2020 Mercedes CLA is the Energizing Coach, which not only gives recommendations to the driver, but can independently turn on/off the massage and/or ventilation/heating of the seats, adjust the music, lighting or the climate in the passenger compartment that will be suitable for the particular time of day and outside temperature.
