One week after they started taking orders for it, Mercedes-Benz has kicked off production of the new generation CLA Shooting Brake.
Essentially a car with no direct rivals, unless we count the non-premium Kia Proceed, the styling estate is being put together in Hungary, at the Kecskemet plant, for global markets. The factory, which also makes the latest CLA Coupe and A-Class, too, used to assemble the old CLAs and is home to around 4,700 employees.
“Many distinguishing features of the smart production of tomorrow are already in place at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Kecskemet”, said CEO and Site Manager of the brand’s manufacturing site, Christian Wolff. “We worked on a networked, digital and flexible basis, so the ramp-up of the new CLA Shooting Brake fits seamlessly into our production process. All this is possible thanks to our highly-motivated and well-trained workforce.”
Aside from Hungary, the brand assembles its new family of compact cars in other locations, such as Germany, France, Finland, China and Mexico. The lineup currently includes the A-Class, A-Class Sedan, A-Class L Sedan, B-Class, CLA, CLA Shooting Brake and GLA, as well as the upcoming GLB.
Presented to the world at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, the CLA Shooting Brake retains the stylish design of its predecessor, with a few modern touches. The exterior can be considered an evolution of the old car, but the cabin has been transformed into a very modern place and benefits from the addition of the MBUX dual-screen setup that combines the infotainment system and digital gauges into a large display.
Together with its four-door sibling, the CLA Shooting Brake wants to build on the success of the first generation, which turned out to be a great investment for Mercedes-Benz. Ever since their introduction, the company managed to sell more than 750,000 units globally. Last year, their biggest markets were China, United States and Germany.
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