Daimler Reveals Sporty Crossover Concept

Daimler AG will use this weekend's Shanghai auto show media day to present the Concept GLA, a coupelike crossover vehicle reportedly heading for production in 2014.

The sporty compact is intended to attract young buyers to the company's Mercedes-Benz brand and is likely to be priced at about $32,000, according to Automotive News. With a profile reminiscent of the Infiniti FX35 crossover, the GLA will compete with that model and such rivals as the BMW X1 compact crossover.

The GLA concept shares its platform and powertrain with Daimler's front-drive CLA sport sedan that went into production in Hungary in January. The crossover is 14.4 feet long, 6.5 feet wide and 5.2 feet tall. That makes it about three inches wider but 5 inches shorter and lower than a Mercedes-Benz GLK crossover.

The GLA concept is powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that delivers 211 hp through a seven-speed automatic transmission. The model is equipped with 20-inch wheels and Daimler's 4Matic all-wheel-drive system.

One feature unlikely to appear in the production GLA is the concept's laser headlamps. They make light to drive by but also are capable of projecting images, including movies, onto a surface. Daimler notes that the system could be used as part of a turn-by-turn navigation system to display directional arrows on the road ahead.