Mercedes-AMG CLA35 Shooting Brake hauls ass, your belongings
Unfortunately, this hot wagon won't be coming to the US.
Mercedes-Benz took the wraps off the 302-horsepower AMG CLA35 sedan at the New York Auto Show in April. And while that's the only version of the CLA35 we'll be getting in the US, Mercedes announced a new Shooting Brake variant this week, giving European customers the same go-fast package with more room for junk in its trunk.
Think of this car as a Mercedes-AMG CLA35 wagon. It retains the swoopy roofline of the definitely not-a-coupe CLA-Class , but extends it far beyond the rear axle, creating a nice-sized luggage compartment. Oddly, Mercedes-Benz has not released the official cargo capacity figure for the CLA35 Shooting Brake, but suffice it to say there's ample room for luggage, grocery bags and what have you.
Mechanically, the Shooting Brake is the same as the CLA35 sedan, meaning power comes from a 2.0-liter, turbocharged, inline-four engine, sending 302 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels. A seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission handles shifting duties, and Mercedes says the AMG CLA35 Shooting Brake will accelerate to 62 miles per hour in 4.9 seconds.
The Shooting Brake retains the CLA35's rakish roofline.
The car's standard AMG sport suspension, variable sport steering and larger brakes are shared with the CLA35 and A35 sedans. The CLA35 Shooting Brake rides on standard 18-inch wheels, but larger, 19-inch options are available.
Inside, the CLA35 Shooting Brake shares its cabin with its sedan counterpart -- save for the increased rear space, anyway. Multimedia duties are handled by Mercedes' latest MBUX infotainment system, with natural-speech voice controls and augmented-reality navigation overlays. MBUX is quickly becoming one of Roadshow's favorite infotainment systems.
The CLA35 Shooting Brake will go on sale in Europe later this year, and should cost ever so slightly more than the sedan on which it's based. As for US customers, well, you'll just have to cram your stuff into the standard CLA35. At least it ought to be just as nice to drive.
