Mercedes CLA 45 AMG Shooting Brake blasts in
Added space and pace for new Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake as the 45 AMG version is shown in Detroit
Mercedes has taken the wraps off the new CLA 45 AMG Shooting Brake at the Detroit Motor Show.
When it arrives alongside the standard Shooting Brake, it'll be the fastest small estate car in the Mercedes range - until the new V8-powered AMG C 63 appears in showrooms later in 2015. It's set to cost around £43,000, at least £10,000 more than its nearest rival, the (admittedly less powerful) VW Golf R Estate.
The CLA 45 AMG Shooting Brake borrows the same aggressive styling traits as the hot saloon, adapting the swoopy estate body with deeper front and rear bumpers and side skirts, distinctive squared-off rear tailpipes and exclusive AMG 18- or 19-inch alloys.
The interior gets the full AMG treatment too, with the familiar high-backed Recaro seats, AMG logos and red stitching throughout. It complements the car's 490-litre boot, which increases to 1,354 litres when the seats are folded flat - and there's 41mm extra headroom for rear seat passengers.
Shooting Brake uses the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine as the saloon and A45 AMG hatch, developing 355bhp and 332lb ft.
The AMG Shooting Brake hits 62mph in 4.7 seconds, 0.2 seconds slower than the saloon, and has a limited top speed of 155mph. However it actually beats the saloon for fuel economy, with a claimed 40.8mpg offering a small 1mpg improvement.
Would you pay the extra over a Golf R Estate for Mercedes' hot Shooting Brake? Let us know below.
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