Although it’s slated to debut next week at the Beijing show, Mercedes-Benz’s Concept Style Concept has leaked before the big unveil. Take a good look, as it will preview the production version of the forthcoming CLA four-door coupe.
The Concept Style Coupe shows what Mercedes’ long-rumored “baby-CLS” will look like. According to the leaked info, the Concept Style Coupe is ever-so-slightly larger than a C-Class though with a shorter overall height and wheelbase. According to the leaked information, the Concept Style Coupe is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 205 hp; power is sent to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The concept – and presumably the following production car – wears sweeping styling that evokes the look of the larger CLS four-door coupe with a nose almost identical to that on the new 2012 A-Class. What probably won’t make it to production are the concept’s wisp-thin door mirrors or the 21-inch five-spoke wheels.
What will differentiate the production-spec CLA from the similarly-sized C-Class is its swoopy styling and the fact that it will be based on the same front-wheel drive MFA platform that underpins the new Mercedes A- and B-Classes, and will also find a home under the future GLA compact crossover and Infiniti’s compact previewed by the Etherea Concept from last year. The CLA had long been known as the CLC, but Mercedes-Benz is now working on overhauling its naming scheme: CLA will stand for a coupe version of the A-Class.
Don’t be surprised to see the same engine lineup from the A-Class carry over to the CLA as well – that means that there will be a selection of gas-powered four-cylinders ranging from 1.6 to 2.0 liters in size with direct-injection and turbocharging up to 211 hp and turbo-diesel choices ranging from 109 to 170 hp. The A-Class uses a either a six-speed manual transmission or seven-speed dual clutch, so our bet is that the CLA will as well.
It’s expected that the CLA will join the A-Class in making the trip across the Atlantic to U.S. showrooms at some point later next year, but, as with the A-Class, powertrain options have yet to be decided. Don’t be surprised to see the same 1.8-liter turbo-four from the 2012 C250 to be among the options for the U.S.-bound CLA.
Stay tuned for the official debut of the Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupe next week from the Beijing auto show, with the production-spec CLA making its debut this fall at the Paris Motor Show.
