Tuesday 25th November 2014

Mercedes CLA45 AMG Shooting Brake

CLA too cramped? GLA too mumsy? Mercedes has another AMG solution!

---

Oh goody, another fast estate. Who doesn't love the concept of a really quick wagon? Or shooting brake. Or sportbrake. Or sport tourer. Whatever they're called, a new one is an exciting story. And here we are with Mercedes' latest addition just a week after the Golf R estate: the CLA45 Shooting Brake.

Shooting Brake has the same 360hp as saloon

If you're familiar with the ever-expanding Mercedes range then the name will be easy to figure out. It's a CLA45 just like the four-door version of the A45 and then Shooting Brake as in the big, bad CLS63. So not quite a wardrobe-and-sink estate like the E- and C-Class but a rather more practical version of the four-door coupe saloon. Make sense?

AMG boss Tobias Moers says there is "continued high demand" for the '45 range of AMG models and therefore the decision to add the Shooting Brake was a simple one. According to him it is an "enthralling blend of supreme power and dynamic handling... plus efficiency and everyday practicality".

Mechanically the Shooting Brake is identical to the A-, CLA- and GLA- models with the same 2.0-litre 360hp turbo, four-wheel drive and dual-clutch gearbox. There isn't a kerbweight yet confirmed but the Shooting Brake is only a tenth slower to 62 than the CLA (now 4.7 seconds) so it can't be far off the 1,585kg claimed for that car.

Hmm, that's quite a slope

As an estate (well, sort of), we probably should discuss practicality too. Mercedes says no compromises have to be made for practicality despite 'sporty, progressive looks, featuring a roof line that slopes down gently towards the rear, low-set greenhouse... and a dynamically styled tail end'. It claims a maximum luggage capacity of 1,354 litres, which is a useful gain over the hatch's 1,157 litres. However, when you bear in mind that a Golf estate can take up to 1,620 litres it becomes clear that the CLA SB has sacrificed a bit of outright load-hauling ability. Still, the name kind of implies that. There are plenty of other Mercedes to choose from after all!

The CLA45 AMG will be shown in public for the first time at the Geneva show in March alongside the rest of the Shooting Brake range. It will be launched at the same time with prices to follow soon. For reference the CLA45 saloon is £42,270 so a figure around £44K would seem likely.

 

[ED209]

That is probably my next car (If i don't wrap in work making me skint soon).

I currently drive a mk2 octavia estate and I have been hankering after something a bit more premium, the Mrs has been banging on for months about wanting an A class but having 2 labradors made that a bit of a ropey option. This car probably with one of the low powered engines looks idea for me.

Enough space, more refined with the nice interior i am after but probably a bit cheaper than the c class i had been considering as an option.

[rob.e]

Looks interesting, but tbh unless you really want the badge, it seems to make the 30k that vw want for the golf r wagen look good value.

For me, the "seats down" space is largely irrelvant - i rarely carry wardrobes. Its the "seats up" measurement that matters.

[vescaegg]

Who are these aimed at?! £40k+ for a strange tiny estate?

[Raman Kandola]

Not a shed load more practicality but it does look awesome

[kambites]

Looks nicer than the hatch or saloon, to my eye. Not that that's saying very much.

[ash reynolds]

So, when does an estate become a shooting brake?
Or vice versa for that matter...

[andy-xr]

What the fk is a shooting brake??

[Uncle John]

Mmmmm,with that sloping rear hatch I think you'll even struggle to get a couple of medium sized Dogs or boxes in there TBH.

So definitely a "Lifestyle" estate then.

[Frimley111R]

andy-xr said:

What the fk is a shooting brake??

An estate car without any space, or just enough for a couple of shotguns. Probably.

[Spuffington]

Looks lovely and the best looking variant of the "A" but too small for me, sadly.

[kambites]

ash reynolds said:

So, when does an estate become a shooting brake?
Or vice versa for that matter...

When departments get their hands on it, usually.

[NickZ4]

I always felt the CLA as a saloon was too small and not very nice to look at, and the CLS Estate too big, this just seems the right size.

Although I'm single and dont have any children, so not sure I need one, but I might swap my SLK in for one.

[sorrel]

Much nicer looking than any of the other A class derivatives IMO. Could be one for the future, maybe a 250 if they produce one.

[rob.e]

NickZ4 said:

I always felt the CLA as a saloon was too small and not very nice to look at, and the CLS Estate too big, this just seems the right size.

Although I'm single and dont have any children, so not sure I need one, but I might swap my SLK in for one.

Their market researchers must have spent a bunch of time talking to people like you

[jonnM]

The roofline looks more hatchback than estate. Great looking thing though.

[Axionknight]

I like it, far better looking than the saloon - I'm not quite sure if I could find any use for it though, probably too small for when the kids arrive.

[sturney]

Good god is that thing ugly from behind!

[Hamsternator]

ED209 said:

That is probably my next car (If i don't wrap in work making me skint soon).

+1, provided it doesn't lose too much in de-AMG'd form.

[Johnnytheboy]

vescaegg said:

Who are these aimed at?! £40k+ for a strange tiny estate?

Me, really.

Don't want a huge car, like a fast car, need a boot for the dog.

And no, I don't want a daily and a toy.

But this is a big premium over a Golf R for an extra ~50 hp.

I like the look of it more than I expected to, but I wish they hadn't glued an iPad to the dashboard.

[vladcjelli]

Are these likely to come in four wheel drive with normal powered engines?