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Greetings CLA Community!
My name is JP and I am Sales Associate for a dealership in New Jersey. I have been involved in the industry since I was 15. I spent 9 of my 12 years with BMW. I am rather new to this forum but I have been active on various other forums.
Today I had the opportunity to attend the S/CLA Live Training for work. I spent a good portion of the day with both of these vehicles. The training on S Class is something I will not get into. I know everyone wants to know more about the CLA. I will try to answer as many questions that have been asked of me either through posts or DM's.
Before I get started I would like to make one thing very clear. Mercedes Benz did extensive amounts of research before releasing this vehicle. The target audience is Generation Y. The age group is 18-35 years old. I fall into this category. This vehicle IS built like a Mercedes Benz should be built. There was no corners cut in terms of technology, safety, performance, sportness, and luxury.
Driving Element:
I had the ability to drive a FWD 250 with the AMG Sport Package. In person the car is very aggressive and a must have if you were on the fence about it. The "diamond" grill really is beautifully done. It creates a much bolder presence on the vehicle. On the FWD, the AMG Package will have summer tires. If you order a 4-matic the tires will be All-Season. I do not know if the tires will be all season on the non sport 18" wheel upgrades. The tires ARE Extended Mobility Tires. On here we refer to them as Run Flats. There is no spare tire in the vehicle. The 45 has conventional tires with a TireFix kit. The tires on my Test car were Dunlop's. The 17" wheel cars had Conti's.
Now for the driving portion. I drove the vehicle for a total of 30 minutes. The start up is very similar to a C250 in terms of engine noise. I had to take mental notes while driving and as a passenger on various elements. The "torque steer" is minimal if any. The hydro mechanical steering rack was a benefit for the additional weight while turning the car. This steering rack allows the use of PARKTRONIC and lowers dead weight on the front end. The motor has a GREAT "whoosh" sound while accelerating. It is not a "ricey" blow off valve sound but rather a sporty sexy sound. The exhaust note very similar to a C250 under a WOT.
I was aggressive in the corners and from a dead stop and the wheel spin was extremely minimal. The car was planted on all fours. Understeer was minimal and ONLY came when making a hard turn and pushing the peddle down. Torque split is near 50/50. With 4-matic, the car will act like a FWD and will send the power to the rear as needed. I do not know how the 45 AMG 4-Matic setup will be. On the 2014 E & CLS 63 its 33% Front and 67% Rear. I believe the 45 will still have a 50/50 I have AMG training in the coming months. Stay tuned!
I had the vehicle up to 65-70 mph and it was very solid. Wind noise was virtually none. My car was equipped with the Pano Roof as well. The Pano Roof creates a very wide open area. In fact I think the area was larger then a C Class. The shade slid almost back almost to the rear window.
The ride quality was a bit stiff but not terrible. The AMG Sport does tie in a lower ride height and a lower profile tire. The folks who drove the non sport said it was very pleasurable and Mercedes Benz like.
The visibility was excellent. The hood had short over hangs and the blind spots were virtually none. I drive a 13 CLS 550 so the large "B" pillar was something I was familiar with. Rear seat headroom was a bit tight but who sits in the back, right? LOL
Double Clutch Trans:
Can anyone guess what other vehicle in the whole MB line up has a DCT? I'll tell you...it's the SLS. That's right a $300,000 and a $30,000 car has a similar transmission. Crazy right? The DCT shifts extremely smooth. This DCT uses a "wet pack" clutch which aids in shifting. This is a manual transmission with a converter for torque input. I drove the car in modes E, S, and M. "E" was very nice locally around town and the ECO Start/Stop was not intrusive. Embrace it because it is not going away. In "S" and "M" is where the car came to life. 2nd-3rd gears were my favorite to run through. The car just kept wanting more. Also, the down shifts were smooth and had a very sporty sound to them.
Build Quality & Materials Used:
Like I said in my opening line...this IS a Mercedes Benz. The CLA customer is just as important as the S Class customer. This vehicle has a majority of safety components that we see throughout the line. These include Collision Prevention Assist, Driver Assistance Package, Bi-Xenon Headlamps, Adaptive Brake, Brake Drying, Hill Start Assist, LED Rear Lights, Frameless Doors, High Structural Steel & 8 Airbags with 2 more optional in the rear.
The Navigation Screen is the same size. There is no difference in screen size between a Multimedia Package and Non Multimedia Package CLA.T he Rear View Camera is hidden under a flap for protection. The Backup Camera does include parking lines. The Multimedia Package works just like a C Class would. Our vehicle was also equipped with the "Drive Plus" iPhone Kit. Right now this is only available for an iPhone 4/4S. I did ask if the iPhone 5 Lighting to 30 Pin could work but I could not get an answer for that.
The front arm rest moves forward and back depending on the drivers arm length. This is the only vehicle in the entire line up that does this. The instrument cluster was laid out and very easy to read. The Multi Function Display has the same layout as all of the other vehicle. The interior has ambient lighting under the headrests and the color cannot be changed. The default color is Solar. The steering wheel adjustment was manual, not power. The LED Daytime Running lights are AMAZING! They really make the car look ultra sexy. They do turn off when you enable the turn signal but go on after it is shut off.
Fuel Economy: I cannot discuss facts but the question was raised today. The numbers will be very very impressive. Trust me, you will be more then satisfied.
Overall Impression:
The CLA will open a new segment in the market. Generation Y wants the latest and greatest. The CLA does that at a price point that works for many people. Remember, this is a Mercedes Benz. There is a lot that went into the vehicle. In fact, the letters and numbers on the trunk had to be reduced for the CD to work so well. If you pre-ordered the vehicle, fantastic! If you are waiting to actually see one you will be pleasantly surprised.
If I have a questions please ask and I will do my best to answer. I know there are a lot of questions on the 45, but I have no seen or trained on the vehicle. Production is VERY tight for that car right now. I do have 1 Edition 1 vehicle left for sale. The other 2 are spoken for. If you are in the market for a CLA please feel free to DM myself or Eric (Sue Esponte). I am working together with him regarding a group buy.
Happy Driving!!
JP
My name is JP and I am Sales Associate for a dealership in New Jersey. I have been involved in the industry since I was 15. I spent 9 of my 12 years with BMW. I am rather new to this forum but I have been active on various other forums.
Today I had the opportunity to attend the S/CLA Live Training for work. I spent a good portion of the day with both of these vehicles. The training on S Class is something I will not get into. I know everyone wants to know more about the CLA. I will try to answer as many questions that have been asked of me either through posts or DM's.
Before I get started I would like to make one thing very clear. Mercedes Benz did extensive amounts of research before releasing this vehicle. The target audience is Generation Y. The age group is 18-35 years old. I fall into this category. This vehicle IS built like a Mercedes Benz should be built. There was no corners cut in terms of technology, safety, performance, sportness, and luxury.
Driving Element:
I had the ability to drive a FWD 250 with the AMG Sport Package. In person the car is very aggressive and a must have if you were on the fence about it. The "diamond" grill really is beautifully done. It creates a much bolder presence on the vehicle. On the FWD, the AMG Package will have summer tires. If you order a 4-matic the tires will be All-Season. I do not know if the tires will be all season on the non sport 18" wheel upgrades. The tires ARE Extended Mobility Tires. On here we refer to them as Run Flats. There is no spare tire in the vehicle. The 45 has conventional tires with a TireFix kit. The tires on my Test car were Dunlop's. The 17" wheel cars had Conti's.
Now for the driving portion. I drove the vehicle for a total of 30 minutes. The start up is very similar to a C250 in terms of engine noise. I had to take mental notes while driving and as a passenger on various elements. The "torque steer" is minimal if any. The hydro mechanical steering rack was a benefit for the additional weight while turning the car. This steering rack allows the use of PARKTRONIC and lowers dead weight on the front end. The motor has a GREAT "whoosh" sound while accelerating. It is not a "ricey" blow off valve sound but rather a sporty sexy sound. The exhaust note very similar to a C250 under a WOT.
I was aggressive in the corners and from a dead stop and the wheel spin was extremely minimal. The car was planted on all fours. Understeer was minimal and ONLY came when making a hard turn and pushing the peddle down. Torque split is near 50/50. With 4-matic, the car will act like a FWD and will send the power to the rear as needed. I do not know how the 45 AMG 4-Matic setup will be. On the 2014 E & CLS 63 its 33% Front and 67% Rear. I believe the 45 will still have a 50/50 I have AMG training in the coming months. Stay tuned!
I had the vehicle up to 65-70 mph and it was very solid. Wind noise was virtually none. My car was equipped with the Pano Roof as well. The Pano Roof creates a very wide open area. In fact I think the area was larger then a C Class. The shade slid almost back almost to the rear window.
The ride quality was a bit stiff but not terrible. The AMG Sport does tie in a lower ride height and a lower profile tire. The folks who drove the non sport said it was very pleasurable and Mercedes Benz like.
The visibility was excellent. The hood had short over hangs and the blind spots were virtually none. I drive a 13 CLS 550 so the large "B" pillar was something I was familiar with. Rear seat headroom was a bit tight but who sits in the back, right? LOL
Double Clutch Trans:
Can anyone guess what other vehicle in the whole MB line up has a DCT? I'll tell you...it's the SLS. That's right a $300,000 and a $30,000 car has a similar transmission. Crazy right? The DCT shifts extremely smooth. This DCT uses a "wet pack" clutch which aids in shifting. This is a manual transmission with a converter for torque input. I drove the car in modes E, S, and M. "E" was very nice locally around town and the ECO Start/Stop was not intrusive. Embrace it because it is not going away. In "S" and "M" is where the car came to life. 2nd-3rd gears were my favorite to run through. The car just kept wanting more. Also, the down shifts were smooth and had a very sporty sound to them.
Build Quality & Materials Used:
Like I said in my opening line...this IS a Mercedes Benz. The CLA customer is just as important as the S Class customer. This vehicle has a majority of safety components that we see throughout the line. These include Collision Prevention Assist, Driver Assistance Package, Bi-Xenon Headlamps, Adaptive Brake, Brake Drying, Hill Start Assist, LED Rear Lights, Frameless Doors, High Structural Steel & 8 Airbags with 2 more optional in the rear.
The Navigation Screen is the same size. There is no difference in screen size between a Multimedia Package and Non Multimedia Package CLA.T he Rear View Camera is hidden under a flap for protection. The Backup Camera does include parking lines. The Multimedia Package works just like a C Class would. Our vehicle was also equipped with the "Drive Plus" iPhone Kit. Right now this is only available for an iPhone 4/4S. I did ask if the iPhone 5 Lighting to 30 Pin could work but I could not get an answer for that.
The front arm rest moves forward and back depending on the drivers arm length. This is the only vehicle in the entire line up that does this. The instrument cluster was laid out and very easy to read. The Multi Function Display has the same layout as all of the other vehicle. The interior has ambient lighting under the headrests and the color cannot be changed. The default color is Solar. The steering wheel adjustment was manual, not power. The LED Daytime Running lights are AMAZING! They really make the car look ultra sexy. They do turn off when you enable the turn signal but go on after it is shut off.
Fuel Economy: I cannot discuss facts but the question was raised today. The numbers will be very very impressive. Trust me, you will be more then satisfied.
Overall Impression:
The CLA will open a new segment in the market. Generation Y wants the latest and greatest. The CLA does that at a price point that works for many people. Remember, this is a Mercedes Benz. There is a lot that went into the vehicle. In fact, the letters and numbers on the trunk had to be reduced for the CD to work so well. If you pre-ordered the vehicle, fantastic! If you are waiting to actually see one you will be pleasantly surprised.
If I have a questions please ask and I will do my best to answer. I know there are a lot of questions on the 45, but I have no seen or trained on the vehicle. Production is VERY tight for that car right now. I do have 1 Edition 1 vehicle left for sale. The other 2 are spoken for. If you are in the market for a CLA please feel free to DM myself or Eric (Sue Esponte). I am working together with him regarding a group buy.
Happy Driving!!
JP
