The new Mercedes CLA is available in a long-wheelbase version exclusively for the Chinese market.
Mercedes has decided not to sell the European version of the new CLA in China and to develop a special model for the Chinese market. Developed in China with Chinese engineers, the Mercedes CLA for the Chinese market is 4.76 meters long, 4 cm longer than the European version. The wheelbase has also increased by 4 cm, from 2.82 to 2.86 meters. Rear passengers enjoy more knee room. But it’s not just the wheelbase that’s different. The bench cushion is 1 cm longer and the backrest is better contoured.
The Mercedes CLA is the first Mercedes model to use a multimedia system with the MB.OS software, which was developed in-house by Mercedes.
The Mercedes CLA for the Chinese market also features the new MB.Drive Assistant Pro. At the push of a button, this system offers autonomous driving in urban areas. It was designed by the Mercedes team in Shanghai using AI and has been tested in Chinese traffic. The system features a very powerful Nvidia Orin-X combo processor that processes 254 trillion operations per second.
The long-wheelbase Mercedes CLA is also equipped with the MBUX Virtual Assistant function based on the Chinese AI software DouBao from ByteDance, which also operates the TikTok platform. The Chinese version of MBUX Virtual Assistant allows voice recognition to be activated by all passengers in the car and responds in both English and Chinese. Users can switch languages at any time. The voice recognition system is equipped with Dolby Atmos surround sound and if, for example, the user asks for the weather forecast and the forecast is for rain, rain sounds will be heard inside.
In Europe, Mercedes’ navigation system uses Google Maps but in China, it will use the Amap app. This is supplied by AutoNavi, part of the Alibaba Group since 2014.
The long-wheelbase Mercedes CLA will be available in electric and mild hybrid versions, the same as in Europe. So far, only the details of the electric version have been announced. In the version with a rear axle motor and a large 85 kWh battery, the range according to the Chinese CLTC cycle is 866 km, corresponding to a consumption of 10.9 kWh/100 km. With 800V technology, the Mercedes CLA can be charged at DC stations with up to 320 kW, charging up to 370 km of range according to CLTC in just 10 minutes. At the maximum permissible highway speed in China of 120 kph, the long-wheelbase Mercedes CLA has a range of 573 km, which means it could almost cover the 1,213 km distance between Beijing and Shanghai with just one charging pause.
The new long-wheelbase Mercedes CLA will debut on the Chinese market in the second half of this year. Prices have not yet been announced but are expected to be lower than in Europe, where the Mercedes CLA with a rear axle engine and large 85 kWh battery starts at €55,859.