New 2014 CLA starts at $29,900... your turn BMW

[BlackJetE90]

Will the AWD option be available at launch?

[inline6ix]

I bet that nice looking bumper, those nice looking LED/xenon headlights and those nice wheels will all be part of separate packages that will make the car around $35-40k. Regardless, aside from being FWD this is easily one of the nicest designs Mercedes has come up with in a while, and the fact of how compact it is while looking good makes it even better.

Sadly, considering how well this will most likely sell, it basically solidifies that BMW is going to make a FWD car next to compete.

[sgtpeper]

Have any of you looked at the ridiculous nav screen? It looks so unbelievably tacked on... It's like they decided to add that last minute. Ruins an otherwise great looking car...

[inline6ix]

Originally Posted by sgtpeper

Have any of you looked at the ridiculous nav screen? It looks so unbelievably tacked on... It's like they decided to add that last minute. Ruins an otherwise great looking car...

It looks like a mini tablet on a dash mount. The way it's placed seems like it would get annoying when you're not using it and want to turn it off, only to have that thing blocking a good portion of the dash.

The only thing I kinda dig is how the floormat goes up onto the dead pedal, that would be nice to have as long as it doesn't move around.

[galahad05]

Looks good.
Care about the go-fast parts though. Need more info.

[tigermack]

I told my gf to wait before she gets a new car just for this.

[Year's_End]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

So I'll counter with Cadillac. In the late 1940's through the mid 1970's Cadillac was the premier car company of the United States and if not the world. There are very few members of this Forum that hasn't pissed all over the Cadillac ATS. The brand's reputation amongst younger buyers is crap, based off of long-past images and product of crappy re-badged Chevrolets of perceived poor quality. All from Cadillac's demise in the '80s of platform sharing with Chevy and other GM (non-Cadillac platforms). All in the good name of evolution, flourishment, survival, and cost cutting, and brand dilution, and cash cow models. Shall I even mention Saab?

I drove many mid-70's Cadillacs when they were new and older late '50s models (my Uncle collects them). While not being sports cars by any fashion, for what they were designed to be (luxury interstate cruisers and town cars), they were well built, fantastic cars, and far superior to anything on the road at the time. Lincoln too; go find a mid-60's Continental. Those cars were built to a level not even approached today. Read up on how the Continental engine was bench run-in at the factory before installation and how the entire car was track tested prior to shipment.

This too is what Mercedes in America meant 25 years ago. You call it progress and evoloution. We’ll just see.

Good points, but on that same token, Cadillac's past floundering was an example of change done incorrectly (and Saab is a perfect example of a company that lacked a clear marketing plan with very poorly competing models at their given price points).

The trick with most "cheap" luxury cars these days is that production methods are far superior than in the past, and you're going to be hard pressed to find a vehicle that does a poor service to its brand's image. Mercedes took a huge hit in the late '90s and early '00s when the bean counters and corner-cutting was at its worst. They've since remedied their errors for the most part and it's present amongst their latest fleet of vehicles.

[Year's_End]

Originally Posted by cuiter23

29k is pretty low, especially for a CL (These cars are known to be pricey, CLK, CLS) I'm pretty sure it will be about 35-40k here.

MB will get a lot of sales pricing it so low, but it will definitely dilute the brand since 29k is quite affordable to the average family. I wouldn't be surprised to see streets crawling with these.

It has nothing in common with them, as it's based on the W176 A-Class. Expect it to have a premium to the A-Class relative to the CLS and E-Class's pricing difference.

[cuiter23]

The idea of a coupe under 30k is very attractive, especially for a premium brand like MB. I understand the A-Class is the absolute entry-level, but you do get a good value for the CLA (in the US that is). I dont think that prices have been released for Canada yet.

[Karura]

Originally Posted by ELiTeNeSs

Still not bad for 30k

Too bad there hasn't been any mention of a Black Series.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Year's_End

Good points, but on that same token, Cadillac's past floundering was an example of change done incorrectly (and Saab is a perfect example of a company that lacked a clear marketing plan with very poorly competing models at their given price points).

The trick with most "cheap" luxury cars these days is that production methods are far superior than in the past, and you're going to be hard pressed to find a vehicle that does a poor service to its brand's image. Mercedes took a huge hit in the late '90s and early '00s when the bean counters and corner-cutting was at its worst. They've since remedied their errors for the most part and it's present amongst their latest fleet of vehicles.

Agreed; in hindsight it was change done incorrectly, but at the time, for the Executives under large amounts of pressure from global competition, federal regulations and artificial fuel shortages, it seemed like the right idea at the time. Any chance Mercedes finds itself the same situation now? Post 3rd-world automakers selling mimicking luxury models at half the price of an S-class, looming US CAFE MPG regulations of 50 MPG and reduced emissions below that which are almost imperceptible now (good Lord we must save the Planet!).

You are correct, the art of manufacturing automobiles has changed drastically from the 1970’s. But it is all relative; in general, most cars are manufactured in their time at the ambient level of quality in the industry. It is hard to get a model functionally wrong these days except for brand niche. All manufacturers are really good at it, the science of it has been drastically improved, but that doesn’t mean the marketplace and political pressures are any different and reactions to them any better this time around.

You’d hope Mercedes learned from Cadillac. But the evidence of its purchase (oh yeah, “merger”) with Chrysler seems to indicate the opposite. Mercedes certainly didn’t learn from Ford and GM mistakes in creating the Ford PAG and GM’s purchase of Saab.

Believe me, I could give a rat's ass about Mercedes; I'd buy a Buick far before some auto-transmissioned luxury yacht from Germany, but to me, selling a FWD Nuevo-lux economy car in America seems not a good idea.

[fireline43]

Originally Posted by Eugeinus

Don't be fooled, $30k base price can easily hit closer to $40k after options are added. I think the car in the commercial was $40k+ as equipped. I bet the $30k Version sucks. It's also smaller than the C class, but I will admit I like the style

yea but think of it this way, base mercedes or ford fusion/accord without navigation.

[E46M54325Ci]

I wouldn't worry about the C-Class. Every article comparing it to the new 3 commented 1. on how good it is for its age, and 2. how remarkably small it is. What this CLA signals is here comes a bigger C. Fewer people can afford a mid-$50s E class, than could afford the previously mid-$40s E class, so something has to fill that void. Enter larger C. Where I think sales will be hurt long run is on the high end. The S-Class and 7 and A8. Maybe not in total numbers, but as a share of cars sold, I bet if you go back 20 or 30 years, those cars today make up a much smaller percentage of sales for these brands. Take the S-class of the 80s, the W126. Aside from being, IMHO, the best Benz ever built from a quality standpoint, they sold a ton of those things. If I had to guess I'd say those sales were a larger percentage in any given year than the S class sales are today. Maybe someone will dig up the numbers for us!

[nmulax]

Order Guide for the CLA was leaked today

Looks like a well equipped one is going to have an MSRP of low-mid $40's.

[koss2010]

Hey guys am I doing this right?

Would only buy if it was offered as a manual!!

[SaMaster14]

Originally Posted by koss2010

Hey guys am I doing this right?

Would only buy if it was offered as a manual!!

I don't think Mercedes has offered any car with a manual transmission for quite some time.

And I have no idea whether the first part of your post is sarcastic or not... but its spelling out 'REPOST'

[koss2010]

Originally Posted by SaMaster14

I don't think Mercedes has offered any car with a manual transmission for quite some time.

And I have no idea whether the first part of your post is sarcastic or not... but its spelling out 'REPOST'

[ndukyh]

Originally Posted by SaMaster14

I don't think Mercedes has offered any car with a manual transmission for quite some time.

And I have no idea whether the first part of your post is sarcastic or not... but its spelling out 'REPOST'

SLK is currently the only available Benz in manual in the US. C300 was too until 2010 I think (can still find some pre-owned). CLA has manual but only in Europe; US market only gets the larger engine and with auto tranny unfortunately.

[Savage93R17]

Id get that over a 128 if that was my max budget, but Id still rather save a little longer and get a x35i, heck even a good used x35i could get you under 30k

[techwhiz]

4 Matic might be interesting with some HP.

[BlackJetE90]

Originally Posted by nmulax

Order Guide for the CLA was leaked today

Looks like a well equipped one is going to have an MSRP of low-mid $40's.

Not how I see. Maybe if put every option on it.

Add Prem 1 package, Sport package, Multi media package. That is about $36k. Anything after that is excessive for a daily commuter.

[kyleb350]

Isn't BMW coming out with a 1 (or 2) series grand coupe? BMW's gonna have a hard time matching that price though.