The design underlines the coupé character with a long, stretched bonnet with powerdomes, a compact greenhouse, a wide track with exposed wheel arches and a GT rear end with a strong "Coke-bottle shoulder". The rear licence plate which has also been moved down.
The combination of the long, stretched entry line above the windows and frameless doors give the CLA Coupé a sporty and elegant look.
The front section is raked forwards like a shark nose. Flat headlamps together with the low slung bonnet and the diamond radiator grille with central star create the vehicle’s sporty face. The two-piece, narrow tail lamps and the number plate housed in the bumper make the rear of the CLA look wide.
The interior is also designed to appeal to the young. All elements are arranged according to the design themes of "high tech" and "youthful avant-garde" – be that the steering wheel, the door handle operating module, the centre console or the seats.
As in the A-Class, the interior architecture is shaped by the trendy design of the dashboard: the designers dispensed with a cowl above the cockpit. As a result, the wing-shaped main body of the dashboard extends from one front door to the other with no visual discontinuity. The widescreen display is free-standing. The lower section is visually separated from the main body of the instrument cluster by a "trench", and it appears to float in front of the instrument cluster. The ambient lighting enhances this effect. The air vents in a sporty turbine-look are another highlight.
Performance
The CLA will be available from the start as the CLA 250 with a four-cylinder petrol engine making 225 hp/350 Nm) and mated to a 7G-DCT dual-clutch transmission By the market launch in May, there will be a broad range of diesel and petrol engines available featuring manual or dual-clutch transmissions and 4MATIC all-wheel drive.
A wide track (an extra 63 mm at the front and 55 mm more at the rear compared to its predecessor) and a lower centre of gravity are the two key features which give the CLA the sportiest driving characteristics of all models in the new generation of compacts from Mercedes-Benz.
The technical specification includes a decoupled multi-link axle at the rear for reduced noise and vibration, a Direct-Steer system as standard and hydromounts at the front. A stabiliser bar with a larger diameter reduces body roll. As an option, an active adaptive damping system is available, giving the driver the choice between comfort or a more sporty tuning. The range of wheels starts at 16 inches and goes up to 19 inches with tyre sizes starting at 205/60 R 16 and ending as standard at 225/40 R 19. The ESP® has been specially adapted to the CLA’s potentially high cornering speeds and handling performance.
MBUX enhanced
MBUX or the Mercedes-Benz User Experience comprises an onboard computer, brilliant screens and graphics, customisable display, full colour Head-up Display, navigation with augmented reality, software that can learn in response to the keyword voice command “Hey Mercedes”.
It has become smarter now and can answer more complex queries. Unlike before, the voice assistance no longer gets confused by other passengers conversing. Instead it only responds to the commands of the person who last said "Hey Mercedes" to activate the system.
Interior Assist is Mercedes version of gesture control. It operates in non-contact mode and functions both in sunlight and in complete darkness.
It enables the adaptation of screen content as soon as a hand approaches the touchscreen in the dashboard or the touchpad on the centre console, for example. Individual elements are highlighted according to the currently active menu. In addition, the system is able to distinguish between the driver’s and front passenger’s wishes and thus knows for whose seat the massage function is to be activated, for example.
A special feature of Interior Assist is the personal favourites function. It is accessed by holding a hand over the centre console with the index and middle finger spread in a V-shape. In this way, any command which is controllable via MBUX can be stored for simple access. One typical favourite command is "navigate me home". As the system is able to reliably recognise who is operating it, the driver and front passenger respectively can even assign different favourites to the same hand position.
S-Class driving assist tech inside
The CLA is loaded with the latest driving assistance systems with cooperative driver support, and provides the highest level of active safety in this segment with functions adopted from the S-Class.
For the first time, the CLA is able to drive semi-autonomously in certain situations. To do this, it keeps a close eye on the traffic situation. Improved camera and radar systems allow it to see up to 500 metres ahead.
The CLA also uses map and navigation data for assistance functions. For example, Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC as part of the optional Driving Assistance Package is able to provide route-based support to the driver in numerous situations, and to predictively adjust the speed, e.g. when approaching bends, junctions or roundabouts.
Also on board are Active Brake Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Active Lane Change Assist and Active Emergency Stop Assist.
It includes PRE-SAFE PLUS, which can recognise and mitigate an imminent rear-end collision.
The new CLA is equipped with halogen headlamps with integrated LED daytime driving lamps by default. Tail lamps are available with all-LED technology. The CLA can be optionally upgraded to MULTIBEAM LED headlamps or LED High Performance headlamps.
More comfort
For better comfort, one can specify ENERGIZING Package Plus which has the Energizing COACH, an all-new feature.
In general, the ENERGIZING comfort control uses the functions of the air conditioning system and the seats (heater, ventilation, massage) as well as lighting and musical moods, and enables a specific wellness set-up tailored to the mood and need of the customer.
This service based on an intelligent algorithm recommends one of the ENERGIZING packages’ programmes depending on the situation and individual.
The Mercedes-Benz vivoactive 3 Smartwatch has its world première at CES. If it or another compatible Garmin wearable is worn, personal stats such as stress level or quality of sleep optimise the accuracy of the recommendation.
The aim is for passengers to feel well and relaxed even during demanding or monotonous journeys. In addition, the pulse rate supplied by the integrated Garmin wearable is shown on the media display.
In its first year, the new CLA will also be available as an Edition 1. In terms of both the exterior and the interior, this limited edition special model has numerous visual accents which underline its exclusivity. The new CLA will be made at the Kecskemét plant in Hungary and comes onto the market in May 2019.
