Benz CLA from under $50K

Mercedes-Benz has announced an Australian starting price of $49,900 plus on-road costs for its CLA-Class compact sedan, making it at least $9000 pricier than the A-Class hatchback upon which it’s based

Opening the batting for the all-new three-variant small sedan line-up is the sub-$50,000 CLA 200, which will be a direct rival for the cheapest version of the first Audi A3 sedan that arrives here priced from about $45,000 in January.

Like the A 200 hatch, the CLA 200 is powered by a 115kW/250Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine with fuel-saving idle-stop function, which in this case reduces consumption to 5.7L/100km despite an 8.5-second claimed 0-100km/h acceleration figure.

Standard equipment across the CLA range will include a seven-speed dual-clutch automated transmission, nine airbags and a reversing camera.

The 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.

Moving up to the hitherto unseen CLA 250 Sport costs $63,400 plus on-roads -- $13,500 more than the A 250 Sport – but brings the same 155kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four, which in this case consumes an estimated 6.6L/100km and sprints to 100km/h in 6.7 seconds.

Australians will be among the first in the world to have access to the CLA 250 Sport, which will come standard with a host of AMG-badged extras from the A 250 Sport, including 18-inch AMG wheels, an AMG body kit including silver diamond grille, AMG interior trims and an AMG sports steering wheel.

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

Rounding out the range is the piping-hot CLA 45 AMG sports sedan at $86,900 plus ORCs ($12,000 more than the A 45 AMG), which brings all-wheel drive and a 265kW/450Nm 2.0-litre twin-scroll turbo petrol four that consumes 7.0L/100km and can hit 100km/h in just 4.6 seconds – the same as the A 45, AMG’s first four-cylinder model.

The top-shelf CLA scores all of the above, 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.

First examples of both the CLA 200 and CLA 45 AMG will be available from October 1, while the CLA 250 Sport arrives here on February 1 and a CLA 200 CDI diesel will join the range by mid-2014.

Mercedes-Benz says it will deliver about 200 A 45 AMG and 100 CLA 45 AMG vehicles this year, to an order bank that stretches out to at least February 2014.

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