Behind the curtains of the breathtaking CLA-Class
24 Mar 2013|7,635 views
The all new Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class is set to establish a new segment, with world-leading drag coefficient of just 0.22 for the CLA180 BlueEFFICIENCY Edition, breathtaking coupe design and sporty drive. As a new four-door coupe, it follows the idea of the CLS, whose design concept has spawned more than its fair share of imitators since its debut in 2003.
Now, after the CLA-Class was previewed by the 2012 Concept Style Coupe, the production-ready four-door coupe is finally unveiled. We get behind the curtains of the car with Mr. Jurgen Leiter (JL), Product Management Compact Cars, to find out the essentials of the sleek new Merc.
SGCM: What are the essentials of the CLA-Class, other than targeting the younger crowd and people who never considered Mercedes-Benz as a car?
JL: The basic idea is about design and we want to enter a new segment with a coupe-like limousine. But in the end it comes down to attracting new customers who will support our growth strategy. Despite coming from very practical cars like the A-Class and the B-Class, we want to attract people to the brand Mercedes-Benz itself, not through the star but through the design of the car. So this coupe-like car with frameless window designs and optional trims like the 'Edition 1' with young and fresh yellow sporty strips and black rims will further enhance the bold and characterful lines of the CLA.
SGCM: Who do you consider to be the main competitors of the CLA at the moment?
JL: We are aiming smaller engines from BMW like the 3 Series and the Audi A4, of course. This car also goes against the Volkswagen CC.
SGCM: So what are the main aspects that can differentiate itself from the competitors that you just mentioned?
JL: This car is very much about design. The BMW 3 Series may be functional but it isn't as sporty as the CLA because it doesn't have the coupe-like silhouette. It's also the same for the Audi A4. They're very different in terms of their appearance. Plus the CLA has a very high-end value with leather seats and dashboard with yellow stitching. It's also about connectivity. I mean young people now have an iPhone in their left pocket and an Android phone in their right, so I believe technology plays a part in the CLA which can allow drivers to surf the web on the move.
SGCM: Is there a reason why the car is using the MFA platform?
JL: We use to have only the A-Class and B-Class that have the same platform. But with the MFA platform, we can bring the cost down and have more volume of cars. So right now, instead of just two cars with the same platform, we can now have four - three of which is the A-Class, B-Class and the CLA-Class. The fourth one will be an SUV.
SGCM: Do you think that the CLA-Class will bring down the sales of the CLS-Class?
JL: They are different cars from different segments. The CLS is somewhere in between the E-Class and the S-Class and it targets a very different audience. On the other hand, the CLA-Class is somewhere in between the A-Class and the C-Class. The two cars target very different segments.
The all new Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class is set to establish a new segment, with world-leading drag coefficient of just 0.22 for the CLA180 BlueEFFICIENCY Edition, breathtaking coupe design and sporty drive. As a new four-door coupe, it follows the idea of the CLS, whose design concept has spawned more than its fair share of imitators since its debut in 2003.
Now, after the CLA-Class was previewed by the 2012 Concept Style Coupe, the production-ready four-door coupe is finally unveiled. We get behind the curtains of the car with Mr. Jurgen Leiter (JL), Product Management Compact Cars, to find out the essentials of the sleek new Merc.
SGCM: What are the essentials of the CLA-Class, other than targeting the younger crowd and people who never considered Mercedes-Benz as a car?
JL: The basic idea is about design and we want to enter a new segment with a coupe-like limousine. But in the end it comes down to attracting new customers who will support our growth strategy. Despite coming from very practical cars like the A-Class and the B-Class, we want to attract people to the brand Mercedes-Benz itself, not through the star but through the design of the car. So this coupe-like car with frameless window designs and optional trims like the 'Edition 1' with young and fresh yellow sporty strips and black rims will further enhance the bold and characterful lines of the CLA.
SGCM: Who do you consider to be the main competitors of the CLA at the moment?
JL: We are aiming smaller engines from BMW like the 3 Series and the Audi A4, of course. This car also goes against the Volkswagen CC.
SGCM: So what are the main aspects that can differentiate itself from the competitors that you just mentioned?
JL: This car is very much about design. The BMW 3 Series may be functional but it isn't as sporty as the CLA because it doesn't have the coupe-like silhouette. It's also the same for the Audi A4. They're very different in terms of their appearance. Plus the CLA has a very high-end value with leather seats and dashboard with yellow stitching. It's also about connectivity. I mean young people now have an iPhone in their left pocket and an Android phone in their right, so I believe technology plays a part in the CLA which can allow drivers to surf the web on the move.
SGCM: Is there a reason why the car is using the MFA platform?
JL: We use to have only the A-Class and B-Class that have the same platform. But with the MFA platform, we can bring the cost down and have more volume of cars. So right now, instead of just two cars with the same platform, we can now have four - three of which is the A-Class, B-Class and the CLA-Class. The fourth one will be an SUV.
SGCM: Do you think that the CLA-Class will bring down the sales of the CLS-Class?
JL: They are different cars from different segments. The CLS is somewhere in between the E-Class and the S-Class and it targets a very different audience. On the other hand, the CLA-Class is somewhere in between the A-Class and the C-Class. The two cars target very different segments.
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