The Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 Shooting Brake Is A 302bhp Mini Wagon

We’ve had less than a year to get used to the idea of an AMG ‘35’, but already, Mercedes has pumped out four of the things. It started with the A35 hatchback, which was soon followed by the A35 saloon. Then it was the turn of the CLA 35, and just in case that wasn’t niche enough, we now have this CLA 35 Shooting Brake.

The AMG treatment is much the same as it was for its three siblings, so there’s going to be a bit of a Groundhog Day vibe to this news post. You have been warned.

We have - lo and behold - a 2.0-litre inline-four engine fed by a single, twin-scroll turbocharger. It provides 302bhp and 295lb ft of torque, which is sent to all four-wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The four-wheel drive system never sends more than 50 per cent of torque to the rear wheels, though - if you’re after rear-biased ‘drift mode’ heroics, you’ll need to wait until the next batch of ‘45 AMGs arrive.

0-62mph takes 4.9 seconds, which is an identical time to the standard CLA 35, while being a tenth behind the A35 saloon, and two tenths off the A35 hatchback. The top speed is electronically-limited to 155mph.

Although not mentioned in the press release, it’s safe to assume that - as with all the other ‘35 AMGs - the CLA 35 Shooting Brake will feature a sprinkling of previous-gen A45 suspension parts. Three-stage adaptive dampers are optional.

When you want to slow down, you can rely on 350mm discs at the front paired to four-piston monoblock calipers, with 330mm rotors and single-piston sliding calipers up back.

Weirdly, Mercedes hasn’t sent out an interior shot, although the inside of the CLA 35 SB shouldn’t offer up any surprises. The cabin is shared with the A-Class and the four-door CLA, meaning you get the latest button-heavy AMG steering wheel design, plus Merc’s twin-screen ‘MBUX’ infotainment/instrument binnacle setup.

Pricing hasn’t been divulged yet, but we can expect a figure starting over £40,000.