In the meantime, AMG strategy for India has been paying rich dividends for Mercedes-Benz. As of date, GL 63 AMG, and CLA 45 AMG are sold out. It comes as no surprise then that the automaker will add another boost to its performance arm by introducing GLA 45 AMG this month, within a month of GLA launch.
The next big small car launch takes us straight to 2014 CLA, which was first unveiled at the 2013 Detroit Motor Show and comes to India at a time when Mercedes-Benz has done the groundwork for its small cars here. This entry level sedan will be positioned below the C Class and will in reality be a sedan version of the A Class.
Sharing some design cues from A Class in the form of its front grille, sculpted air intakes and chin spoiler, the CLA comes in with sculpted lines on sides and rear contributing to drag coefficient of 0.23 (only on the BlueEfficiency variant) which is the least among any series production vehicle.
Already launched abroad, engine specs on board the new CLA will include three petrol engines with outputs varying from 122 bhp, 156 bhp and 211 bhp. A single diesel engine will also be on offer producing 170 bhp mated to a 7 speed dual clutch gearbox. But in India, expect only one petrol and one diesel to be on offer. These will mostly be the same as the one’s already seen on the A Class and B Class – 2.2l diesel generating 109 hp and 250 Nm torque, along with a 2.0l petrol offering 122 hp power and 200 Nm torque.
In India, unlike the GLA Class SUV which is offered as a CBU, Mercedes Benz plans to offer the CLA as a CKD, in order to compete with the newly launched Audi A3 sedan, price of which starts at Rs 24 lakhs.
