Mercedes-Benz CLA
luxury subcompact executive cars
The Mercedes-Benz CLA is a series of luxury subcompact executive cars manufactured by Mercedes-Benz since 2013. The first generation was a four-door sedan based on the platform of the W176 A-Class and W246 B-Class compact cars, marketed as a four-door coupé. In 2015, Mercedes-Benz expanded the CLA family to include a station wagon configuration which it markets as a Shooting Brake.
The CLA is Mercedes-Benz's first front-wheel drive vehicle offered in the American market. The CLA range is positioned above the A-Class and it is nearly on the level of the C-Class in the Mercedes model range, and models tend to be less practical than the A-Class it is based on.
The CLA first went on sale in Europe in April 2013, and was subsequently introduced in the United States in September 2013. Its largest markets are Western Europe and the United States. Global cumulative CLA sales reached 100,000 during its first year, cited as "our best launch in 20 years" by Mercedes-Benz. Worldwide, Mercedes-Benz sold about 750,000 units of the first generation.
First generation (C117; 2013)
Development and launch
The design of the C117 CLA is based on the Concept Style Coupe concept unveiled by Mercedes-Benz at the 2012 Avant/Garde Diaries event in Los Angeles, followed by the 2012 Auto China, and Huashan 1914 Creative Park.
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