Mercedes-Benz gets much younger with new 2014 CLA-Class

Mercedes has a new hit with the 2014 CLA-Class as a new generation of buyers is discovering the German brand. Mercedes says production of the new generation of Mercedes-Benz compact cars with the A-Class, B-Class and CLA model series is running at full steam to keep up with demand. That’s exactly what Mercedes was hoping for when they designed the new luxury compacts.

The new luxury compacts are in the Mercedes production network of the two plants in Rastatt, Germany, and Kecskemét, Hungary. And they are humming along at full speed as new younger customers are purchasing the newly-designed cars. The new compacts are having excellent customer response, sales in first three quarters of 2013 almost 70% above previous year's period.

Mercedes-Benz is attacking the compact premium market in a big way and it’s working with attracting new global buyers. The German automakers says the conquest rate of the new A-Class in Europe is at about 50 percent. And the average age of the customers is 10 years lower compared to the predecessor model. Already introduced were the new B-Class, the new A-Class and the four-door compact coupe CLA.

The new luxury compacts from Mercedes have been a sales revelation over the past nine months. Global sales are up 68.3 percent with 267,467 customers buying an A-Class, B-Class or CLA-Class model. The brand expects momentum to continue with further market launches around the globe. This goes right along with the Mercedes-Benz 2020 growth strategy that will see more market launches.

Mercedes is not sitting on past success and we’ll see more new cars coming. Frank Klein, Head of the Mercedes-Benz Kecskemét plant: "We will not rest on past achievements, but will continue to forge ahead for future success as well. That's why we are fully concentrated on our core task: to get the B-Class and the CLA on the road in top quality."

The Hungarian plant that opened in March 2012 plays an key role in production of the new CLA-Class. Together with the Rastatt plant, it produces the B-Class and is the sole production location of the compact four-door coupe CLA. But there is more coming in the near future.

The Frankfurt Motor Show in September saw the next luxury compact that Mercedes will roll out next year. The 2015 GLA compact SUV is the fourth of five new models that mark a significant expansion of the brand's product portfolio and appeal to new younger customer groups. The new high-tech 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class shows that Mercedes is on the right track.