Sharp premium for Benz CLA wagon

Mercedes-Benz's smallest wagon and the fifth model from the German marque’s small-car family has officially been launched Down Under.

Brought forward from an expected debut in the third quarter of this year, the CLA Shooting Brake arrives in dealerships before the end of this month (March 2015) but is officially on sale now.

And you’ll only need to ante up $1500 to step from the four-door CLA sedan to the new five-door sports wagon ‘looker’.

Officially, the Shooting Brake range kicks off at $52,400.

Echoing its ‘big brother’ CLS Shooting Brake in terms of silhouette, the smallest Shooting Brake is essentially mechanically identical to the CLA-Class 'coupe', which was launched Down Under in late 2013.

It will parallel its four-door counterpart with turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel 200s opening the line-up and 4MATIC all-wheel drive 250 Sport and 45 AMG topping the range.

However, the CLA wagon brings useful increases in rear-seat headroom and access compared to the coupe thanks to its wagon ‘conversion’.

Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific (MBAu) has announced an Australian starting price of $52,400 plus on-road costs for the CLA 200 petrol five-door. As noted above, this is a premium of $1500 compared to its coupe equivalent.

Powered by a idle-stop equipped 115kW/250Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine coupled with seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the 200 consumes 6.0L/100km and accelerates to 100km/h in 8.8 seconds.

Equipment levels across the CLA Shooting Brake range mirror their coupe counterparts but in addition include powered rear hatch and load area rails. Other changes include a ‘cargo’ bracket which allows the 60/40-split folding rear seat to be locked in a more upright position to increase luggage space.

The entry-level CLA 200 offers 18-inch five/twin-spoke alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlights, a black diamond grille, power-folding mirrors, LED tail-lights, active park assist with parktronic (90-degree and parallel self-parking), twin exhaust outlets, Artico-trimmed sports seats, Becker MapPilot navigation, Audio 20 media interface, colour TFT screen, a leather-clad steering wheel, thermotronic climate-control and blind spot assist.

Nine airbags, a reversing camera and autonomous emergency braking via Benz’s Collision Prevention Assist Plus are all standard.

The CLA 200 CDI costs $500 more at $52,900 plus ORCs but is identically equipped to its petrol counterpart. Its 2.1-litre turbo-diesel four pumps out 100kW and 300Nm. Combined fuel economy is rated at 4.4L/100km and the 0-100km/h time is a claimed 9.9 seconds.

The all-wheel drive, AMG-fettled CLA 250 Sport 4MATIC costs $66,400 plus on-roads and, says MBAu, will likely be the top-seller of the range.

It features a 155kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four, which in this case consumes 6.8L/100km and sprints to 100km/h in 6.8 seconds.

A six-speed manual version of front-drive A 250 Sport hatch has been mooted but the CLA sedan and wagon will remain dual-clutch equipped for the foreseeable future.

AMG-badged goodies in the 250 Sport include 18-inch AMG wheels, an AMG body kit including silver diamond grille, AMG interior trims and an AMG sports steering wheel.

Also standard are a panoramic sunroof, intelligent lighting system, rear privacy glass, red brake callipers, anti-theft alarm, sports seats in black red-cut leather, Artico upper dash and electric heated memory front seats.

Sitting at the head of the CLA Shooting Brake range is the 265kW/450Nm CLA 45 AMG 4MATIC at $89,900 plus ORCs. Want fast freight? It can hit 100km/h in just 4.7 seconds – only 0.3 slower than AMG’s mental A 45 hot hatch.

Rated at 6.9-7.1L/100km, the top-shelf CLA scores all of the equipment outlined for the 250 Sport plus 19-inch multi-spoke AMG wheels, the AMG Driver’s Package (with derestricted 270km/h top speed), AMG night (black-out) package, AMG Performance exhaust, a twin-blade grille, distronic plus radar cruise, lane keep assist, metallic paint, AMG performance seats in black red-cut leather, AMG performance steering wheel, COMAND navigation and Harman Kardon Logic 7 audio with digital radio.

Compared to the A 45 and CLA 45 coupe, the 250 Sport and 45 AMG Shooting Brakes also get a useful retune of their suspension settings front and rear.

Mercedes-Benz says extra production capacity has fast-tracked the Shooting Brake’s arrival Down Under.

In 2014 it sold almost 2700 CLA-Class coupes Down Under, but it believes the new mini-wagon will yield incremental growth for its small-car line-up.

“The experience we’ve had with C -Class Estate bodes well for the Shooting Brake,” MBAu’s David McCarthy told motoring.com.au.

“There’s probably an extra 1000 cars a year or more in the model,” he stated.

As part of the introduction of the Shooting Brake, MBAu will also offer a special OrangeArt edition.

The dress-up package incorporates orange highlights throughout, says MBAu: “from the NEON ART design on the seat upholstery and stitching, to the dramatic AMG alloy wheels with orange flange detailing”.

The OrangeArt Edition will be available to order in CLA 200 and CLA 200 CDI Shooting Brake guises for a premium of $4990, and in CLA 45 AMG spec for a $4490 premium.