Mercedes Unveils CLA Shooting Brake

Daimler AG will expand its CLA line of A-segment Mercedes-Benz cars in March with its smallest wagon yet, the sporty CLA Shooting Brake. The car won't be offered in the U.S.

The misnamed four-door ("shooting brake" connotes a two-door wagon) measures 15 ft 2 inches long, making it slightly shorter than an Audi A4 or Mercedes C-Class wagon.

2015 Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake

The 2015 model's elevated roofline gives rear-seat passengers about 1.5 inches more headroom than those riding in the similarly misnamed four-door CLA Coupe (coupes by definition have two doors). A long hood, swooping roofline and high beltline make the car look larger than it is. The wagon has a Cd of 0.26.

Mercedes says the CLA Shooting Brake is styled to attract buyers who want distinctive styling combined with high utility. The five-seater provides 17-48 cu. ft. of cargo capacity, depending upon rear-seat configuration.

Customers can choose from two diesel and four gasoline 4-cylinder engines. Displacing between 1.6 liters and 2.1 liters, the powerplants are rated from 120 hp to 355 hp. Automatic engine stop-start will be standard on all variants. All-wheel drive is optional with the front-drive car.

The top-of-the-line AMG edition comes with 18-inch wheels, two-pipe exhaust system, special sport seats and steering wheel, lowered suspension, blackout trim and a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine rated at 355 hp that can propel the car from zero to 100 kph in 4.7 seconds.

European reports predict the CLA Shooting Brake will range from $40,000 to $68,000.