RE: Mercedes-AMG launches CLA 45 Shooting Brake

[Dave Hedgehog]

Krikkit said:

Wtf is happening with niche-filling these days?

It's the "estate" of the "saloon" of a hatchback...

nothing new, AMG have been sticking silly engines in just about anything

modern production line methods allow for a lot of flexibility on options, engines and body styles so some manufacturers take advantage of this

[Jonno02]

I really like this.

[loveice]

British Beef said:

The proportions of these models is wrong. I think it is down to too much over hang front AND rear.

Then too much bodywork above the wheel arches, even with HUGE 19/20 in alloys.

Why they cannot proportion it more like an old C- class from 80s / 90s and style it with its current flair, they always looked great to my eyes and size wise are probably similar.

Perhaps these small engines still require vast engine bays for anciliaries, cooling and crash protection, which drives front end bulbous proportions?

I still think the saloon, four-door couple and shooting brake versions of the any C-Segment cars, in this case the latest A-Class should be based on their long wheel based model. A-Class has a long wheel based model for the Chinese market already (only about 10cm longer between the wheels). And it was introduced before the European short wheel based version. So why didn’t they simply use the existing Chinese version of the A-Class Saloon for all the market? If people want short wheel base, then there’s the proper A-Class hatchback for them. Because of the A pillar and C pillar positioning, in order for any hatchback based saloons/estate to look remotely acceptable, the original wheelbase has to be increased. What’s more, if people really care about the length of the car, then they should just simply choose hatchback anyway. A good example is the saloon version of the current A3 which looks just about right, because of the longer wheelbase.

[Mothersruin]

Baldchap said:

Well I'm sure it'll never be mistaken for an attractive car!

...or a shooting brake.

It's an estate.

[pb8g09]

Want to like this but I can’t- it just looks so droopy.

Would you really buy this over a BMW 340i touring or an Audi (R)S4 estate?

[Alex_225]

It's not pretty but I do quite like it. It's doing a better impression of being a CLS than the new CLS is.

I stand by my views that the old CLA was a dog egg in terms of styling but I actually think the new one looks well proportioned.

Intrigued to see how the 'shooting brake' version looks in the flesh but I like the saloon.

[Baldchap]

pb8g09 said:

Would you really buy this over... an Audi (R)S4 estate?

No.

[DKL]

It reminds me of our old fabia vrs estate. It just looks a bit odd from a lot of angles. I like amg estates but I think I'd have a c class instead.

[TurboDicky]

Just seems to have become a pissing contest between all the 'hot hatch'(?) manufacturers as to who can pack the most horsepower into their model

[Otispunkmeyer]

Mabbs9 said:

Baldchap said:

Well I'm sure it'll never be mistaken for an attractive car!

I like most cars. But I agree that the CLA is one of three strangest looking things around. More so in this guise.

Reminds me of one of those stunted, munchkin cats. The ones with the short stumpy legs.

The vehicle seems like its too small for what the designer wanted to do, so its all crushed in there and looks over-wrought.

[Harry_523]

TurboDicky said:

Just seems to have become a pissing contest between all the 'hot hatch'(?) manufacturers as to who can pack the most horsepower into their model

Yes, thats what pretty much all new hot hatch owners want.

I like this, from a new car perspective it could be one of the great all rounders. Id take this over an RS4 because drift mode, but not over a nearly new c63 Wagon.

[Turbobanana]

Harry_523 said:

Id take this over an RS4 because drift mode, but not over a nearly new c63 Wagon.

I'm sure I'm missing something so happy to be enlightened, but does anybody actually use drift mode on the road? As a counterpoint, would anybody buy this to do track days?

I kind of get the impression drift mode is just for the Chris Harris-type, sensationalist hooning that Top Gear / Grand Tour pass off as journalism.

[PhantomPH]

To my eye, this is actually a really good looking vehicle - I can see why it's divisive, but I like it! It's a bit different.

As for the engine, I dread to think what the effect on MPG is when you actually put your foot down. I suspect this will be one of those cars where the 'real world' consumption is eye-wateringly bad for anyone who dare use any of that performance.

As much as I hate myself for mentioning MPG, this surely has to be targeting people who need a bit more space that they can use on a regular basis...and if I'm using it for work (as per a poster earlier) I don't want to be spending endless time at the local Shell station hosing V-Power into the thing at £1.30 per litre....

[Harry_523]

Turbobanana said:

Harry_523 said:

Id take this over an RS4 because drift mode, but not over a nearly new c63 Wagon.

I'm sure I'm missing something so happy to be enlightened, but does anybody actually use drift mode on the road? As a counterpoint, would anybody buy this to do track days?

I kind of get the impression drift mode is just for the Chris Harris-type, sensationalist hooning that Top Gear / Grand Tour pass off as journalism.

well in my last 2 cars, "drift mode" was just switching tc/esp off. On a quite roundabout late at night, hell yes I use it. To be honest, its more about feeling pushed out of corners and opening the lock a bit, rather than big smokey skids.

You'd never buy this car just for track work, but if you needed the boot/length, did a few trackdays a year, and couldnt run 2 cars for whatever reason, you could probably have a lot of fun in this.

[Turbobanana]

Harry_523 said:

Turbobanana said:

Harry_523 said:

Id take this over an RS4 because drift mode, but not over a nearly new c63 Wagon.

I'm sure I'm missing something so happy to be enlightened, but does anybody actually use drift mode on the road? As a counterpoint, would anybody buy this to do track days?

I kind of get the impression drift mode is just for the Chris Harris-type, sensationalist hooning that Top Gear / Grand Tour pass off as journalism.

well in my last 2 cars, "drift mode" was just switching tc/esp off. On a quite roundabout late at night, hell yes I use it. To be honest, its more about feeling pushed out of corners and opening the lock a bit, rather than big smokey skids.

You'd never buy this car just for track work, but if you needed the boot/length, did a few trackdays a year, and couldnt run 2 cars for whatever reason, you could probably have a lot of fun in this.

Fair enough: never driven anything new enough to have it so, like I said, I don't know.

[Reark]

Looks stunning to me, apart from the exhausts...

I thought the rectangular exhausts, AMG models used to have, were a snug fit and a nice USP (if I'm not mistaken?)!

However saying that, they were fake and these new ones are real right? If so, please ignore the above comment...

[mikey k]

TurboDicky said:

Just seems to have become a pissing contest between all the 'hot hatch'(?) manufacturers as to who can pack the most horsepower into their model

That was the whole ethos of the hot hatch market, right from the mk1 Golf GTi nearly 45 years ago

[Gandahar]

The grill is big but does not look goppin like the one on the front of the new M135i .

[BFleming]

Krikkit said:

Wtf is happening with niche-filling these days?

It's the "estate" of the saloon of a hatchback...

Strictly speaking it isn't. The A Class is also available as a saloon - a saloon which isn't the CLA. It's prettier, but less trendy for people who actually find the CLA attractive. But on the flipside, they don't do an estate (or shooting brake) version of it yet.

[cowboyengineer]

Krikkit said:

Wtf is happening with niche-filling these days?

It's the "estate" of the saloon of a hatchback...

You’re wrong. It’s the shooting break of the coupe of the saloon of the hatchback.