And it’s arguably the more stylish option, in our opinion.
Mercedes-AMG, the slightly-manic bunch of Germans that Daimler likes to keep near-enough to control but far enough not to catch insanity, have revealed their new entry-level 4-door coupé in the form of the CLA35. Like the A35 hatch on which it’s based, the CLA35 packs a slightly more stoked four-cylinder mill than the a 250-model, in addition to the usual AMG-demanded aesthetic & aerodynamic addenda.
There’s nothing here to arrest you visually, with the baby AMG coupé showing a touch more restraint than its 5-door sibling. Yes there are more aggressive bumpers, the signature AMG grille, widened wheel arches and a bonnet with not one, but two powerdomes. There’s even a ducktail spoiler at the rear, underscored by a diffuser and twin exhaust pipes. But somehow when viewed as a whole, the CLA35 demonstrates a stiffer upper lip than its borderline-leery hatchback stablemate, and we rather like it.
Step inside and you’re greeted by a very familiar cabin, with the twin MBUX screens sitting atop the dash taking centre-stage, followed by the 64-hue ambient lighting system that to us makes the interior of the CLA-Class look truly special. Of course there is a faux-leather/faux-suede upholstery arrangement throughout the cabin, as well as a chunky AMG steering wheel.
MBUX is broadly similar here when compared to other applications, but small changes have been made to underline the CLA35’s position as a true AMG car. To that end there is now a ‘Supersports’ mode to the displays & drive-selector, with the former putting the rev-counter front-and-centre, flanked by all sorts of performance-related nonsense. The steering is now a speed-sensitive fully-electric system, while the brakes have been upgraded to fatter, higher-performance units front and rear.
In terms of firepower, it’s the same powertrain as found in the A35 hatch and A35 saloon. So a 2.0-litre 4-pot turbo engine has been massaged to produce an impressive 225kW and 400Nm, with power sent to all-four wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch auto. 100km/h can be hit from rest in just 4.9-seconds, and the CLA35 will go on to a top speed of 250km/h. The 4Matic AWD system here features a rear-axle bias, and notably, the CLA35 receives no mild-hybrid 48V electrification. It’s rumoured that those goodies will be reserved for the proper ’45’ models that’ll come later on.
The CLA35 is expected to arrive on our shores in the 4th-quarter of this year, joining the A35 hatch that’ll land a little sooner. Pricing & specifications will be announced closer to launch, so stay tuned to CarShowroom and we’ll bring you updates as they come.
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