Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4Matic and CLA 45 S 4Matic Shooting Brake: extra of everything, please

The new Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 and CLA 45 S have arrived in the Shooting Brake body style with more power, more technology and more radical handling.

We recently got to know the intermediate version between the most modest and the wildest range of the CLA Shooting Brake, the Mercedes AMG CLA 35 Shooting Brake, a car that manages to combine sportiness with family use. However, the brand with the star has taken little time to present its two new versions, and this time with an extra spoonful of pepper: the Mercedes AMG CLA 45 4Matic Shooting Brake and the even more radical S variant.

The Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake manages not to lose one iota of appeal compared with the Coupé version and the recently presented A-Class. This becomes even clearer after it has been touched by the AMG magic wand, since this body style could not suit the small saloon from the German manufacturer any better.

The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4Matic Shooting Brake gains a lot in appeal

The first feature by which we can tell that we are looking at the sportiest version of the Mercedes-Benz CLA is its vertical-slat grille. However, it is also not hard to see that this version is more muscular, with widened wheel arches and air intakes so that its engine can breathe. In addition, a front bumper with small appendages to improve aerodynamics makes it clear that this is serious business.

If we stop at the rear of the new Mercedes AMG CLA 45 4Matic Shooting Brake, two round trims for the exhaust outlets stand out (larger on the S) and a rear skirt that is also wider. In addition, a four-way rear diffuser channels the air under the car.

The main advantage of the Shooting Brake body style compared with the three-box version is its load capacity. The Mercedes AMG CLA 45 4Matic Shooting Brake has a 505-litre boot, so it offers 45 litres more load space than the Coupé.

In addition to the elements we can see at first glance, the brand’s new sports car has others that are not visible at first. One of these is the so-called “thrust plate”, a lightweight plate that is bolted under the engine and increases the rigidity of the front end. If we open the bonnet, we can see a strut brace and reinforcement plates that link the side members with the A-pillar to avoid understeer.

The engine of the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4Matic Shooting Brake is the most powerful 4-cylinder on the market

Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 Shooting BrakeThe new Mercedes AMG CLA 45 4Matic Shooting Brake has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine fed by a large turbo. Thanks to this, the manufacturer has extracted 387 and 421 horsepower. This power figure makes it the most powerful four-cylinder engine on the market.

This engine is a work of craftsmanship, since it is assembled entirely by hand at AMG’s craft plant in Affalterbach, where a new production line has been created just for it.

The Mercedes AMG CLA 45 4Matic Shooting Brake uses the 387-horsepower configuration of the engine, so it does 0 to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds and has a top speed limited to 250 km/h. On the other hand, the CLA 45 S has the 421-horsepower engine under the bonnet, so it does 0 to 100 km/h in 4.0 seconds and has a top speed limited to 270 km/h.

In both versions the engine is paired with the eight-speed AMG Speedshift DCT gearbox. This transmission adapts to the driving programme chosen through AMG Dynamic Select. This offers six settings: Wet, Comfort, Sport, Sport +, Individual and Race. In addition, the Race Start function lets you squeeze out every horsepower from a standstill, achieving spectacular acceleration.

A package studied down to the millimetre to deliver great dynamic behaviour

Associated with these driving programmes is AMG Dynamics, a system focused on varying the intensity of the ESP. For example, when the car is taking a bend, the system brakes the rear wheel on the inside of the bend, so the car follows the line better. However, depending on the driving mode activated, it acts at four different levels:

• Basic: linked to the Wet and Comfort programmes, with very intrusive behaviour.
• Advanced: activated when Sport mode is selected. With the system in this position it is more permissive and neutralises the brake touches on the rear wheels.
• Pro: active in Sport+ mode. The system provides greater assistance in dynamic driving manoeuvres, so the car increases its agility and conveys what is under the wheels.
• Master: associated with the Race programme (standard on the CLA 45 S and optional on the base model). This programme is designed for track driving, adjusting the car so that it tends towards oversteer, so with it, drifts are guaranteed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6GgsDzln3Q

Common to both variants is the 4Matic all-wheel drive, which is combined with the AMG Torque Control system, capable of variably distributing the drive force across both axles. Thanks to this torque control system, the “Drift Mode” is possible, which lets you play with the rear of the car and achieve good slides.

The new Mercedes AMG CLA 45 Shooting Brake has a new chassis with specific suspension elements and new variable dampers that deliver great stability when taking bends. In addition, greater ride comfort has also been sought when needed than in the previous generation of the model.

This new suspension system called AMG Ride Control lets the driver choose between three settings that regulate firmness to make it sportier or more comfortable. However, it can also work automatically, adapting the firmness according to the condition of the road and the driving conditions at each moment.

The MBUX infotainment system could not be missing

However, a car so oriented towards high performance cannot forget to offer good technological equipment, something in which Mercedes-Benz is a true expert. For this reason, the new Mercedes AMG CLA 45 4Matic Shooting Brake has the MBUX infotainment system.

In this model it can be configured in three styles: Classic, Sport and Supersport. The latter, as its name suggests, is the one that gives the system a sportier character. When activated, the rev counter is placed in the centre and the rest of the information is shown as bars on both sides of it.

So, here we have the new Mercedes AMG CLA 45 4Matic Shooting Brake, the most aspirational variant of the model from the brand with the star. The brand has not released the price of this version nor the exact date of arrival at dealerships (although it will be soon).