2019 Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 and CLA 45 spotted testing in near production form
The Mercedes-Benz CLA will debut at the 2019 CES, meanwhile, Mercedes-AMG is working on its hopped up iterations for the entry-level four-door coupe. The Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 and CLA 45 has been spotted testing internally and should come with drivetrain and aero packages from its A-Class cousin.
The CLA 35 will be derived from the A 35 that was unveiled recently. Noticeable exterior features which will set this car apart from the regular CLA-Class will be a diamond pattern grille, aggressive bumpers with the small fins on the edges and a prominent rear spoiler. These design traits will most likely be accentuated by a front splitter, side skirts, diffuser and 18-inch AMG alloy wheels.
The A35 is powered by a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder which pumps out 306PS and 400 Nm. This is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. The A35 can get from 0 to 100 kmph in 4.7s and onto an electronically limited top speed of 250 kmph. Expect its four-door coupe cousin to mimic these figures closely.
This car is also expected to come with the other improvements that were made to the A35 over the standard A-Class like the new AWD system that can send up to 50% power to each axle. There should be larger brakes, adaptive dampers and brake-based torque-vectoring
The interiors should be the now regular AMG fair. There will AMG-spec steering wheel. Additional drive modes and an in-built GPS-based lap timer is present. The usual AMG trimmings like sportier seats and interior trim can be expected
The CLA 35 will be the halfway AMG model in the CLA-Class line-up in the same vein as the C43 is for the C-Class. The CLA 45 and CLA 45 S models will join it at a later date. These should bump up power to over 400PS. There will also be more aggressive aero on these cars, the Panamerica grille inspired by the GT R and a stiffer set up can be expected too.
The Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 and CLA 45 are expected to debut by the middle of 2019. These cars will bring the mini-AMG experience the previous-gen cars offered in a package that should be easier to live with that the peaky nature of the earlier cars.