by Mercedes CLA: Demand is Growing, But Some Buyers Will Wait Until Next Year
Despite the general trend of reducing sedan production in favor of crossovers, Mercedes continues to develop the CLA lineup. Just three months after the presentation, the company is increasing production volumes due to high demand. Particular interest is generated by the first fully electric version of this model, now available alongside traditional gasoline variants.
Mercedes Production Director Jörg Burzer stated that orders for the new CLA are “very promising.” The company has managed to overcome supply problems with rare materials for electric drives, which affected the entire industry. Currently, about 200 cars roll off the assembly line in Stuttgart daily, but the plant’s capacity allows for the production of hundreds of thousands of units per year.
The plant is designed to produce hundreds of thousands of cars, especially considering that other models will also be built on the MMA platform
Expectations and Future Models
High demand has a downside – long waiting times. Many customers who ordered the CLA in April will receive their cars only next year. To reduce queues, Mercedes may temporarily limit orders for employees.
In the coming months, the company plans to start production of gasoline versions of the CLA, and by the end of the year – launch the Shooting Brake variant. The electric CLA 250+ and CLA 350 4Matic models are equipped with an 800-volt architecture and deliver from 268 to 349 hp. The gasoline versions will receive 1.5-liter engines with a mild hybrid booster.
The expansion of CLA production demonstrates that demand for premium sedans remains stable, even in a world dominated by crossovers. The particular interest in electric versions may indicate a shift in buyer priorities, who increasingly value environmental friendliness without losing dynamic performance.
