The renewal of Mercedes-AMG’s compact car line-up has continued with the arrival of the new CLA 45 4Matic Shooting Brake. The estate version of the A45 S 4Matic+ hyper hatch is available to order in the UK now, priced from £53,370 – a £3000 premium over the hatchback. Standard equipment, as with the hatch and coupé, includes 19in five-spoke alloys, keyless entry, heated front seats, a performance steering wheel and a pair of 10.25in screens. Range-topping Plus trim adds a downforce-enhancing aero package, multibeam LED headlights, forged alloy wheels and leather upholstery. The coupé-cum-estate is the third AMG model to get the company’s new 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine, after the recently revealed A45 4Matic hatchback and CLA 45 4Matic saloon.  A development of the first-generation’s M133 unit, the new M139 2.0-litre turbo engine will be offered in two states of tune.  The UK will only offer the more powerful iteration, the range-topping CLA 45 S 4Matic+ Shooting Brake. It develops 39bhp and 18lb ft more than its predecessor at a class-leading 415bhp and 369lb ft.  As with the A45 4Matic and CLA 45 4Matic, drive is channelled through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, with shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel. A reconfigured Haldex-style multi-plate-clutch four-wheel-drive system features a Torque Control mechanism that uses two clutches to apportion power individually to each rear wheel.  The changes to the four-wheel-drive system have allowed AMG to give the new model a Drift mode function. It’s accessed through a revised Dynamic Select system that offers up to six driving modes, including Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Race.  Mercedes-AMG claims a 0-62mph time of 4.1sec for the CLA 45 4Matic Shooting Brake and 4.0sec for the S version. The top speed is artificially limited to 155mph, although customers can choose to raise it to 168mph via an optional Driver’s Package.  The CLA 45 4Matic Shooting Brake adopts the same stylistic changes as the new CLA 45 4Matic saloon. Included is an AMG-specific Panamericana-style grille with vertical slats, a more heavily structured front bumper and wider front wings housing a broader front track than that used by standard CLA models.  At the rear, the new AMG model adopts a larger spoiler above its tailgate as well as a redesigned rear bumper that features an integral diffuser.  With a tailgate opening that’s 236mm wider, at 871mm, and 10 litres more boot capacity, at 505 litres, the new CLA 45 4Matic Shooting Brake is claimed to have not only improved performance potential but also a boost in practicality over the model it
Origin: New Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 Shooting Brake available from £53,370