SPY PICS: Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA 35 and 45 revealed
Close-to-production CLA 35 and CLA 45 AMG variants show promise of big power increases when they are launched later this yearWith the Mercedes-Benz A-Class-based CLA four-door sedan and Shooting Brake wagon to be launched at this month’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the potent AMG CLA 35 versions are reportedly due to make their debut not long afterwards, at the Geneva motor show in March this year.
The images captured here by spy photographers show the meatier Benz models in close-to-production form, with plenty of cues to be seen lurking behind what is really basic disguise cladding.
While the fundamental shape hasn’t changed, there’s a general cleaning-up around the front and rear of both CLAs, along with revisions to the aerodynamic side skirts.
The base CLA 35 shows off its dual, ovalised tailpipes flanking the central splitter in the rear bumper assembly, with oversize rotors peeking from behind the multi-spoke alloy wheels. Both cars feature squared-off, lower-set grille treatments and revised headlight lenses, with the CLA 45’s (egg crate?) grille looking significantly more aggressive.
Power output for the CLA 35 is said to be 228kW/400Nm which is quite a jump over the current, second-string CLA 250’s 160kW/350Nm and enough to propel the cars to 100km/h in reputedly less than 5.0sec.
The CLA 45, which is rumoured to employ hybrid technology – and possibly an electric supercharger – in the 2.0-litre turbo engine to boost output to around 300kW (currently 280kW), comes with a quad exhaust system and employs what appear to be bigger, thicker-spoked alloys.
The CLA-class Benz models both come equipped with AMG SPEEDSHIFT seven-speed dual-clutch transmissions and 4MATIC AWD.
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