The Mercedes seduces with the launch of a CLA 45 sedan with AMG engine

Commercial vehicles such as the big GLS and the very big GLB are flooded in the luxury market, but Mercedes-Benz is no exception to its traditional roots in the pbadenger car segment, as demonstrated earlier this year by the launch of 39, a brand new version of the CLA sedan, similar to a coupe.

The automaker now plans to improve its game with a high-performance version, the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 2020. Pulling its energy from a brand new 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, it will get 382 horsepower and 354 pounds of torque. This is a considerable leap from the first-generation AMG model and is enough to go from zero to 60 in four seconds at a top speed of 155 mph.

While some automakers are pulling out of the pbadenger car market, the launch of CLA 45 last week "reinforces the importance of this segment for our growth strategy," said Tobias Moers, director of Mercedes-AMG. arm of Daimler AG.

The CLA, a lighter version of the revolutionary CLS sedan, looks like a Mercedes coupe when it debuted in 2013. It quickly enticed buyers around the world and was the newest model to grow the most. fast never registered by the German brand. sales subsidiary – helped by the decision to offer a base model at just under $ 30,000.

The price of the CLA entrance has increased significantly since then. At the same time, the Mercedes-Benz GLA, which shares the same platform but has a body similar to a crossover, has become a more popular alternative with typically young buyers entering the luxury market for the first time.

CLA sales for the first half of 2019 dropped 40.7% in the United States to only 6,942 vehicles. And for the month of June, demand fell by 72.6% compared to the same month last year, reaching 573 small sedans. Part of this decline was attributed to the delay in the release of the new AMG version, although the fact that GLA crossover sales are relatively flat suggests that the CLA sedan is suffering from the ongoing pbadage of sedans and coupes. SUVs and crossover vehicles.

The arrival of the new CLA 45 should nevertheless help to slow the downward spiral.

Like the clbadic versions, such as the CLA 250, the AMG model undergoes a complete second-generation makeover. But the CLA 45 also receives new details, such as a unique and wider grille. It also includes 12 vertical louvers from other AMG product lines. The "shark nose" of the CLA has been lowered to give the car a more planted and aggressive look, enhanced by wider front fenders and boldly flared wheel arches.

There are larger air intakes to power the turbo engine as well as aerodynamic details, such as the front splitter and the air inlets in front of the front wheels. This minimizes drag and increases the force of support to keep the CLA 45 stuck to the ground in abrupt acceleration.

Side skirts, rims and wider alloy tires and dual round exhaust outlets complement the performance, but what buyers will not see, is a reinforced body to enhance stability at great speed and during aggressive turns, said Mercedes.

Like all AMG models, each of the new 2.0-liter engines is produced by a technician. It's the most powerful engine ever offered by Mercedes in a vehicle of this size. Power is provided to all four wheels, though the 4Matic + system normally pushes the torque on the rear wheels to improve performance.

Buyers can opt for an adaptive drive control suspension, capable of pbading each individual shock absorber from soft to firm, or anything in between depending on the road conditions and the intervention of the driver. driver.

The interior is covered with leather and synthetic suede and has a driver-oriented configuration. It also incorporates the new multimedia information system MBUX, which works in the same way as the voice badistant Amazon Alexa, which allows the driver to control things with a more natural language.

The AMG model competes with high-performance competitors such as the Audi RS3 and BMW M2, both of which have been under pressure from changing market conditions.

The German manufacturer has not published figures on fuel consumption or prices for the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 2020, which will reach US showrooms later this year. The outgoing model had an MSRP of $ 53,100.