KUALA LUMPUR: Mercedes-Benz Malaysia is now taking orders for its all-electric CLA 250+ following an exclusive preview at the recently opened Stars@Mercedes-Benz Bangsar in Kuala Lumpur.
From now until Jan 18, the CLA electric vehicle (EV) is being displayed at the aforementioned venue.
It is open for pre-booking via www.mercedes-benz.com.my/cla-electric and the price is estimated from RM295,888 (including 10% sales tax) for Peninsular Malaysia, on the road, without insurance.
The CLA 250+ that's on display gives potential owners a glimpse at what to expect.
For starters, it boasts of LEDs for the integrated daytime runners, front and rear light bars, as well as the front headlights and rear light clusters that have taken on the appearance of the brand's unmistakable three-pointed star logo.
Meanwhile, the front "grille" will showcase a total of 142 three-pointed stars that provide an animated show upon locking and unlocking.
Additionally, its infotainment system now uses the brand's own proprietary Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS), which comes with AI-enhanced MBUX Virtual Assistant.
This allows owners to be connected to the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Cloud, enabling regular over-the-air updates for vehicular functions that include driving assistance systems for the first time - keeping the vehicle up-to-date for years to come.
The system is based on ChatGPT4o and utilises Microsoft Bing as its search engine, while Google Gemini is used as its virtual assistant that can provide answers to navigation-related queries by accessing information from the Google Maps platform.
The MBUX Virtual Assistant is always present on the Zero Layer as a “living” avatar in the form of the Mercedes-Benz star.
During an active dialogue, it recognises emotions and can respond accordingly.
Aside from that, the CLA's range is the most impressive - able to provide up to 792km - based on the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP).
This is thanks to a large 85kWh NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) battery pack, accompanied by an 800V architecture, which powers the rear axle-mounted electric motor.
The motor provides 200kW (268hp) and 335Nm of torque, allowing it to sprint from 0 to 100kph in about 6.7 seconds.
In terms of consumption, the CLA boasts of a lowly 12.2kWh per 100km while claiming to provide up to 325km within 10 minutes via a DC fast charger.
“The all-new electric CLA is our most intelligent vehicle to date and the first of a new generation designed around evolving customer expectations for performance, technology and design.
"We are pleased to have accelerated its arrival so customers can experience it up close as we begin the new year and celebrate Chinese New Year,” said Mercedes-Benz Malaysia CEO and president Amanda Zhang.
Zhang added that fans of the three-pointed star can expect a launch every six weeks for the year, with up to 11 vehicles incoming for Malaysia.
"This exclusive preview allows us to bring innovation closer to customers while showcasing how Mercedes-Benz is shaping the future of luxury mobility in Malaysia,” said marketing and sales vice-president Nadia Trimmel.
“As Mercedes-Benz commemorates 140 years since the invention of the automobile, we remain focused on building on our heritage while shaping the future," said Mercedes-Benz Cars vice-president for sales and financial services Jens Kunath.
Kunath added that the brand will be introducing new electric models and updates across the company's range-topping and performance portfolio before emphasising how Malaysia "continues to play an important role for the brand within the Asia-Pacific region", which is supported by a strong and loyal customer base.
In conjunction with the launch, Zhang took the opportunity to announce that the company will be looking to celebrate the loyalty of its customers with an special 100,000km Club, which entails exclusive offers and privileges.
