Tag: CLA45 AMG

If you thought the Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG was pretty cool, you’re going to love this Racing Series concept. At this stage it’s little more than a litmus test to see how interested the customer racing market responds to the car.

Technical specs for the CLA 45 AMG Racing Series are being kept deliberately flexible for now, but it starts with the same 265kW/450Nm 2.0 litre turbocharged four cylinder engine from the road car, along with the 7-speed DCT gearbox.

It can be prepared with all-wheel drive or brought back to front-wheel drive if category restrictions applied. As an example, the car could race in the VLN series around the Nürburgring.

The body panels of the Racing Series are made from CFRP and the wider track results in aggressively flared wheel arches along with the handling benefits that come with such geometry changes. The interior of the car is fully race prepped, including racing buckets seats and a roll cage.

AMG brand ambassador Bernd Schneider was involved in the development of the concept and we hope to see this model flying around the world’s racetracks very soon. If nothing else, we’d expect Mercedes to enter a couple in next year’s Nürburgring 24 hour race.

Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific has today announced pricing and basic specs for its CLA range, the saloon version of the A Class. We’ll be seeing three models in Australia and here is the manufacturer’s list pricing:

• CLA 200 – $49,900
• CLA 250 Sport – $63,400
• CLA 45 AMG – $86,900

In the case of the CLA 45 AMG, the model of most interest to AUSmotive readers, that represents a $12,000 premium over its hot hatch sibling. While CLA 250 Sport and CLA 200 buyers are asked to fork out an extra $13,500 and $9,000 respectively compared with corresponding models from the the A Class range.

The CLA 200 is powered by a 115kW/250Nm 1.6 litre turbo four-cylinder, the CLA 250 Sport has a 155kW/350Nm 2.0 litre turbo four. When AMG gets their skilled engine-makers on the case they produce 265kW/450Nm from the 2.0 litre turbo found within the CLA 45 AMG.

The CLA 200 comes with the following standard equipment:

• 18” Wheels
• Thermotronic climate control
• Becker® MAP PILOT Navigation
• Reversing camera
• Collision Prevention Assist
• Blind Spot Assist
• Pre-Safe
• Attention Assist
• Active Bonnet

In addition, the CLA 250 Sport features:

• Heated electric leather sports seats with memory function and AMG styling

While the CLA 45 AMG also includes:

• AMG Driver’s Package
• AMG Night Package
• AMG Performance Steering Wheel
• Comand Navigation
• Harmon Kardon Logic 7 surround sound system
• Distronic Plus (Adaptive cruise control)
• Lane Keeping Assist

We ask, is the addition of a boot and a supposed boost in style really worth the price premium Mercedes-Benz demands?