Following a number of spy shots, Mercedes-Benz has finally let the cat out of the bag in the form of the breath-taking CLA Shooting Brake, along with its sportier counterpart – the CLA 45 AMG Shooting Brake.

“The new CLA Shooting Brake is the latest member of our successful family of compact models. The range, which now includes five models, covers an extremely wide spectrum: with the spacious B-Class sports tourer, the youthfully dynamic A-Class, the avant-garde CLA-Class Coupe and the compact GLA-Class SUV, we cater for a host of different customer wishes in this segment,” says Ola Kallenius, Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars, responsible for Marketing & Sales.

“Like its big brother, the CLS Shooting Brake, the CLA Shooting Brake is targeted at active customers who are looking outside of the mainstream for a car that impresses with a high utility value.”

Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake – powerfully and dynamically designed

Styling wise, the Mercedes-Benz Shooting Brake looks similar to the CLS Shooting Brake, featuring a swooping roofline leading to the tailgate, flanked by ‘wedge-shaped’ frameless side windows which, makes it seem like a coupe. Mercedes calls it a “gentle” downward slope, and says the Shooting Brake offers “significantly more headroom than in the four-door Coupe”.

The model sits at 4630 mm long, 1777 wide and is 1435 high. The boot space has been bumped up to range from 495 to 1354 litres; depending on the position of the rear seats. These seats can be shifted to a true upright ‘cargo position’, offering 595 litres of boot space.

The exterior’s progressive, sporty appearance is continued inside the vehicle with a flat-bottomed steering wheel, a standard seven-inch touchscreen, piano-black gloss highlights and 13 light sources. The CLA Shooting Brake in the AMG Line and Urban equipment lines is fitted with integral seats in the front and rear, additionally underscoring its sporty character.

Available as options will be an electric tailgate and a panoramic sliding sunroof, as well as Urban Line and AMG-Line styling packages, while the AMG model offers optional Exterior Carbon-Fibre, AMG Night and AMG Exclusive packages.

Safety features comprise of standard autonomous emergency braking and driver drowsiness detection systems, along with the ‘Contact Me’ breakdown, accident and maintenance assistant that also allows owners to communicate with their CLA’s using a smartphone.

Engine line-up

Upon launch, the 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake will be offered in four different trim levels. Engine line-up will include a four-cylinder 2.1-litre turbodiesel engine producing 100 kW and 300 Nm in the CLA 200 CDI and 130 kW and 350 Nm in the CLA 220 CDI.

Petrol units will include a 1.6-litre delivering 90 kW and 200 Nm in the CLA 180 and 115 kW and 250 Nm of torque in the CLA 200. There’s also a 2.0-litre rated at 155 kW and 350 Nm in the CLA 250 which, will be available with an optional 4MATIC all-wheel drive system.

The range-topping Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG Shooting Brake will be equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine outputting 265 kW at 6000 rpm and 450 Nm of torque. Power from this engine is sent to a 4MATIC system through a seven-speed dual-clutchgearbox, which enables the model to reach 100kph in 4.7 seconds before reaching an electronically-limited top speed 250kph.

The 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake and CLA 45 AMG Shooting Brake will make their debut at next year’s Geneva Motor Show.