The facelift will debut at the New York Auto Show later this month, and will be available in dealerships from mid-summer.
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No prizes for guessing what this is: a year after the Mercedes A-class hatchback family had a middle-aged spruce-up, its cousin – the baby banana Benz CLA – has succumbed to a mid-life facelift. The petrol green highlights on the front and rear bumper trim and the rim flanges of the AMG light-alloy wheels strong resonant the Formula 1 racing cars.
Exterior revisions have been minor, comprising tweaked bumpers, a new grille, new alloy wheels and optional LED headlights, and the internal update has been similarly subtle.
Inside, the new CLA features a revised 8-inch freestanding COMAND infotainment display that offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
A 13-speaker, 590-watt Burmester surround sound system is also included, along with an Active Parking Assist (also on the C 180) feature, a reverse camera, keyless entry, remote boot lid closing and an Air-Balance perfume package. New at the rear and similar to the design of the new GLC 43, is the design of the diffusor insert that now shows four vertical fins.
Mercedes-Benz is making some modifications to the CLA coupe and Shooting Brake, writes Brian Byrne.
There are now a total five wheel designs that all come in 18-inch sizes.
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The interior has been similarly upgraded and interiors are given an exclusive finishing touch of red contrasting topstitching. Interestingly, it’s usually a Volvo that people immediately think of when it comes to safety, and not a high-performance Mercedes-AMG. Vehicle experts believe that when the speed limiter is turned off, the latest AMG E43 can probably reach a top speed of at least 200 miles per hour considering its powerful engine specs. It also works with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission but is only available with all-wheel drive. It will be followed by a full-blown, range-topping model called E63 that’s expected to pack a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 tuned to develop at least 600 horsepower. The independent experts were impressed by the trailblazing engineering and outstanding characteristics of this high- end four-cylinder unit.
