Remember the CLA commercial? The new A may be priced similarly.
Mercedes A-class launch will follow CLA model
U.S. chief isn't ruling out a sub-$30,000 price tag
DETROIT — Mercedes-Benz USA will pattern its launch of the 2019 A-class sedan on its approach in 2013 with the CLA compact.
"We want to duplicate the success we had with the CLA, meaning tremendous customer demand … and attracting new customers to the brand," Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Dietmar Exler told
Automotive News at the Detroit auto show. Those CLA buyers "came from pretty much everywhere. They were substantially younger."
Between 70 and 80 percent of early CLA buyers were conquests who hadn't owned a Mercedes, Exler said. He thinks the A class, which will go on sale in the fourth quarter, can achieve similar levels.
Exler: Attracting new customers
Exler said he is not worried about the A class cannibalizing sales of the CLA coupe-styled sedan or the GLA compact crossover. Styling and packaging should set the vehicles apart.
It's too early to talk about price for the A class, Exler said, but he didn't rule out a price below $30,000. Mercedes launched the CLA with a $29,900 price before shipping.
Even if the A class is priced that low, it will still stand out as a luxury vehicle, Daimler AG design chief Gorden Wagener said in an interview.
While Mercedes won't publicly show the production A-class sedan until after it reveals the A-class hatchback in early February, the car's luxury credentials are apparent in its interior, Wagener said. Mercedes shared details and images of the A-class interior in November.
"If you look at that interior, that is beyond C class," Wagener said. "If you see the new MBUX system in there, we put that as a key selling point for this segment of cars that appeal to younger buyers. We wanted it to be the ultimate mobile device, the smartphone on wheels. Coming up with the modern sophisticated user interface system and large screens, this is where we put the money in."
MBUX, short for Mercedes- Benz User Experience, is the new user interface system the automaker highlighted this month at CES in Las Vegas. It debuts on the A class. The interior boasts a free-standing widescreen cockpit and a multifunctional steering wheel borrowed from the top-of-the-line S class. The seats also have comfort features generally associated with higher-priced segments.
Mercedes isn't predicting an age range for a typical U.S. A-class sedan buyer. The average age of 80 percent of new customers buying the CLA is around 30, Wagener said.
Mercedes A-class launch will follow CLA model
