Mike Sinclair•7 Feb 2013
NEWS
Front-drive Mercedes to top sales Down Under
Benz muses A and CLA family may top C-Class as local bestsellersMercedes-Benz's new generation of front-drive compact modes could soon be the brand's best-sellers Down Under. That's the musing of Benz insiders on the eve of the local launch of the all-new A-Class.
Speaking at today's first local media drive of the 155kW A 250 Sport hot hatch variant, Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesperson Jerry Stamoulis conceded that combined sales of the A-Class hatch and upcoming CLA-Class compact sedan could pass C-Class as the company's top-selling model family Down Under.
The A-Class goes on sale across Australia on March 1. The CLA arrives Down Under later this year. A-Class models kick off with a well-equipped A 180 petrol five-door version at circa $35,000.
Though Benz will not publish details on pre-orders for the new front-drive hatch, Mr Stamoulis suggested interest was very strong. He stated paid deposits on the new compact car significantly exceeded the levels of C-Class on pre-release.
According to Mercedes Australia, half of the deposits down on new A-Class were for the A 250 Sport. With AMG tuned suspension and powertrain, the Sport variant targets cars like Volkswagen Golf GTI and kicks off at $49,900.
Mr Stamoulis said the company didn't expect A-Class to cannibalise C-Class or, indeed, B-Class sales. He stated around 60 per cent of early buyers of the new car were new to the Mercedes brand.
He conceded, however that the new CLA sedan could be more problematic.
"Once we see CLA [arrive] I think there might be some customers that might have considered a C-Class [decide to buy the smaller car]," he stated.
"A-Class alone in the next couple of years, it's hard to say... [whether it will outsell C-Class]. The other issue we have is C-Class is, over the next two years, being replaced... [But] We might see A and CLA combined overtake C-Class," he stated.
Stay tuned for our first local drive of the A 250 Sport tomorrow.
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Mercedes-Benz
A-Class
CLA-Class
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Hatchback
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Written byMike Sinclair
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