Mercedes-Benz CLA 35 Shooting Brake revealed

Does Mercedes-Benz or AMG really need platform sharing when the CLA 35 Shooting Brake delivers AMG’s fifth car off its new small-car platform?

The bottom end of the Benz lineup is getting complicated in a hurry, so just to clear this up: the CLA 35 Shooting Brake is the wagon version of the sportier, design-oriented version of the A-Class hatch.

And to clear it up further, the CLA 35 is the AMG version of the wagon, complete with 225kW of four-cylinder, 2.0-litre, turbocharged power – and there are hints that AMG has a lot more four-cylinder power to come.

Mercedes-AMG claims a 4.9-second sprint to 100km/h for the Shooting Brake, which mates its 400Nm torque peak to a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission and fully variable all-wheel drive.

The twin-scroll turbocharger helps to deliver its torque peak at 3000rpm, while the die-cast aluminium crankshaft pulls down its weight.

It all sits inside a body that’s similar to the Mercedes-Benz donor, so expect it to be about 4688mm long, 1830mm wide and 1442mm high.

The most significant upgrade is probably that the opening for the 505-litre luggage area is now 871mm wide, or 236mm wider than the previous Mercedes-AMG CLA version.

The standard wheel and tyre package will employ 18-inch alloys, though 19-inch versions are also available, while the frameless passenger glasshouse emphasises the C-pillar.

The rear end scores a diffuser at the bottom of the bumper bar, with a body-coloured roof spoiler and a pair of round tailpipe trims (which is car industry code for not tailpipes at all).

There are AMG-specific pieces throughout the body, too, mostly for stiffening or improved handling.

The entire front of the bodyshell is strengthened with an aluminium plate that’s been bolted in beneath the engine to bump up its twist-resistance. There are also another two diagonal braces at the front.

It has its own springs and dampers to boost the MacPherson strut front end and the multi-link rear, with new geometry and a new aluminium wishbone and steering knuckle.

The brakes will focus around the 350mm front discs and four-piston, monobloc calipers, while the 330mm rear disc employs a single piston sliding caliper set.

There’s no official word yet on the Shooting Brake’s Australian prospects, but watch this space.