Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

The Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class is a luxury compact crossover automobile unveiled by the German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show. It was previously unveiled to the public at the Shanghai Auto Show in April 2013 as a concept car.

The name GLA was devised in accordance with the revised Mercedes-Benz nomenclature for SUVs. This was formally announced in November 2014 to begin rollout in 2015. However, the GLA-Class name was already compliant with the naming structure since its debut. Under this scheme, SUVs use the base name "GL", followed by the model's placement in Mercedes-Benz hierarchy. The "G" is for geländewagen (German for off-road vehicle) and alludes the long-running G-Wagen. This is followed by the letter "L" that acts as a linkage with the letter "A"—the GLA being the SUV equivalent to the A-Class.

Designed to compete with the BMW X1 and Audi Q3, It slots below theMercedes-Benz GLK-Class, renamed GLC-Class from 2015.

The GLA-Class is powered by a range of petrol and diesel 4-cylinder engines, and comes in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive 4Matic.

Concept GLA (2013)
The compact SUV concept car was unveiled in 2013 Auto Shanghai motor show and is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine rated 211 PS (155 kW; 208 hp), 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, driving all wheels via the Mercedes-Benz 4Matic system. The concept included front headlamps with a laser-beam projector, two cameras housed in the front roof rail, 20-inch wheels and fibre-optic ambient interior lighting.

Concept GLA45 AMG (2013)
The Concept GLA45 AMG concept car was unveiled at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show, as a high-performance version of the GLA-Class with an AMG 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-scroll turbocharged petrol engine rated 360 PS (265 kW; 355 hp) and 450 N·m (332 lbf·ft), 4Matic all wheel drive, AMG Speedshift DCT 7-speed transmission with paddle shifters, and fitted with various AMG-badged accoutrements and an AMG sports exhaust system with an electronically controlled variable vane system to modulate the exhaust note.

Concept GLA45 AMG (2016)
The 2016 Concept GLA45 AMG with an AMG 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-scroll turbocharged petrol engine rated 280 kW; 381 hp and 475 N·m, 4Matic all wheel drive, AMG Speedshift DCT 7-speed transmission with paddle shifters, and fitted with various AMG-badged accoutrements and an AMG sports exhaust system with an electronically controlled variable vane system to modulate the exhaust note.

GLA-Class (2014–)
The production GLA-Class (X 156) is closely based on the Concept GLA design and was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. Orders had been taken beginning from the end of November 2013, and arrived in dealer showrooms during 2014, with Japan and US in the autumn.

GLA 45 AMG (2014–)
The design of GLA 45 AMG is based on Concept GLA45 AMG, with AMG sports suspension (MacPherson strut front axle with stiffer steering knuckles, four-link rear axle, optimised elastokinematics, specially tuned spring/damper units, bigger anti-roll bars), electromechanical AMG speed-sensitive sports steering, AMG high-performance braking system (ventilated, cross-drilled brake discs, grey-painted brake callipers (optional red)), 3-stage ESP with "SPORT Handling" mode, ESP Curve Dynamic Assist, 5-twin-spoke AMG light-alloy wheels painted titanium grey with high-sheen finish and 235/45 R 19 tyres (optional 10-spoke AMG light-alloy wheels in 2 a choice of 2 colours (titanium grey with high-sheen finish, matt black with high-sheen rim flange) 235/40 R 20 tyres), AMG front apron with front splitter in matt titanium grey, AMG 'twin blade' radiator grille in matt titanium grey, black flics (air deflector elements) above the large exterior cooling air intakes, bi-xenon headlamps, side sill panels with titanium grey inserts, 'TURBO AMG' lettering on the front wings and the aluminium roof rails, rear diffuser insert with titanium grey trim, rectangular chrome-plated tailpipe trim at the twin tailpipes.

Launch models of the AMG are sold as "Edition 1", available for one year from market launch, and include a high-gloss black Aerodynamics package with larger front splitter, additional flics in the front apron, and rear aerofoil. The vehicle was unveiled at the 2014 North American International Auto Show with sales from the summer of 2014.

Technical detail
The GLA-Class shares its platform with the A-Class and B-Class, with a similar range of petrol and diesel engines. Availability of engines varies between markets.

Production
Production of the GLA-Class commenced in December 2013 at the Mercedes-Benz Rastatt plant in Germany.

Production of GLA-Class is set to begin in 2016 at a new assembly plant inIracemápolis near São Paulo.

Marketing
The GLA in the title screen for Mario Kart 8 as part of the downloadable game's first update. As part of a partnership between Mercedes-Benz and Nintendo, a television commercial featuring Mario driving a Mercedes-Benz GLA was released in the Japanese market in May 2014 to coincide with the line's Japanese launch. Additional commercials featuring other Mario characters in the same style were released in November 2014. Additionally, the Wii U game Mario Kart 8 featured a Mercedes-Benz GLA, alongside two other classic Mercedes-Benz vehicles - the 1957 SL 300 Roadster and the 1934 W25 Silver Arrow - as a playable in-game vehicle, added as part of a post-launch downloadable game update on August 27, 2014 and making the GLA the first present-day real-world vehicle to be playable in a Mario Kart game. A GLA costume was later added to the Wii U game Super Mario Maker on December 9, 2015; the costume is unlocked by completing "Mercedes-Benz Jump'n'Drive", a special level designed for the game by Mercedes-Benz.