Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 Shooting Brake Debuts With Svelte Styling

There are plenty of cars the U.S. never receives. They're either performance oriented or of a particular body style few Americans enjoy such as wagons. So, when an automaker, often German in origin, announces a new performance wagon that won't come to the U.S., it's a tad sad, but understandable. Today, Mercedes-Benz revealed the CLA Shooting Brake, a svelte wagon that can make one mighty jealous. It has practical performance rolled into a deluxe package. What more could a person want?

Under the hood is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder producing 302 horsepower (225 kilowatts), which pairs with Mercedes' seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Power goes to all four wheels thanks to the AMG Performance 4MATIC four-wheel drive system. Mercedes claims the CLA 35 Shooting Brake can sprint from zero to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in a respectable 4.9 seconds, identical to the standard CLA 35. Its top speed is electronically-limited to 250 kmh.

While Mercedes painted the debut car in bright yellow paint, the overall styling is subdued. The CLA 35 Shooting Brake comes with 18-inch wheels while 19-inch wheels are optional. It features a unique body kit and dual exhaust. Five drive modes are available through AMG Dynamic Select – Smoothness, Comfort, Sport, Sport +, and Individual. There's also the optional AMG Track Pace, which is part of the MBUX infotainment system. It can record more than 80 vehicle-specific data, including speed and acceleration.