Recently, Mercedes-Benz announced its intention to reduce its compact range, from the current seven models (A-Class, A-Class Saloon, B-Class, CLA, CLA Shooting Brake, GLA, GLB) to just four. The goal of the German firm is to focus on the largest and most expensive models to improve its profit margins, becoming “the most valuable luxury car brand in the world”.
The Mercedes-Benz lineup will be divided into three categories: Entry Luxury, Core Luxury, and Top-End Luxury. According to a report published by the German press, the new compact range or Entry Luxury will be made up of the CLA, CLA Shooting Brake, GLA, and GLB; that is, Class A, Class A Sedan, and Class B will be discontinued.
This news is surprising not only because the A-Class is one of the company’s most popular models, but because at the time Mercedes-Benz confirmed that in the future it would abandon familiar bodies such as the CLA Shooting Brake in favor of SUVs.
The next CLA, GLA, and GLB will be based on the MMA modular platform, so they will have 100% electric versions. At the moment it is not clear if the electric GLA and GLB will maintain their current commercial names (EQA and EQB), as the brand recently reported that this nomenclature system will be abandoned to return to the traditional model.
The A-Class is one of the best-selling Mercedes-Benz models
The CLA’s design has been partially advanced by the Vision EQXX prototype, which was recently able to complete a 1,202-kilometre journey on a single charge. Many of the technical solutions used in the development of the Vision EQXX should reach the electric CLA, both at the powertrain and body level.
Rumors indicate that this streamlined sedan, which in practice will also cover the C-Class gap, could have a range of about 850 km WLTP in its most efficient versions (most likely, the Shooting Brake will be somewhat behind). Like the electric GLAs and GLBs, it will have an 800-volt electrical system.
Although the larger Mercedes-Benz electrics (EQE, EQS, EQS SUV) use the EVA 2.0 platform, in the future this architecture will be replaced by the new MB.EA, which will also have an 800-volt electrical system like the MMA. These two platforms will coexist with the AMG.EA for electric sports cars and VAN.EA for vans.
