For the first time ever, Mercedes-Benz presented the eighth model of its current generation of compact vehicles in a purely digital world premiere. Audiences enjoyed an exclusive experience of the new GLA on the Mercedes me media communications platform. Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, as well as Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer Daimler Group, presented the latest SUV to bear the three-pointed star in a 15-minute show. The first appearance of the Mercedes-Benz GLA is also available through video-on-demand at https://media.mercedes-benz.com/gla. The distinctive new compact model will reach European dealers in early 2020.
“We’ve made the Mercedes-Benz GLA better in every respect. It offers more convenience, more safety and more efficiency. The profile of the new GLA has changed quite a bit. Compared to its predecessor, it has become taller and shorter. The reason: it only gained in size, where it truly gained in convenience for the passengers,” says Ola Källenius. “The new GLA is the perfect package: compact and spacious, safe and intelligent, as well as efficient and sporty.”
“As the perfect combination of a compact car and an SUV, the new GLA is a testament to modern luxury,” says Gorden Wagener. “It features an iconic design that redefines its class again. It combines masculine off-roader genes with our philosophy of sensual purity. At the same time, its even more powerful proportions and stance contrast with its compact dimensions.”
Safer and more spacious – the entry point into the Mercedes-Benz SUV family
Powerful and efficient four-cylinder engines, the latest driver assistance systems with cooperative driver support, the intuitive MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) infotainment system and the comprehensive ENERGIZING comfort control give the new model all the outstanding features of the latest generation of Mercedes-Benz compact vehicles. It also comes equipped with the optional 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive system with fully variable torque distribution.
The new GLA is even more distinctive than its predecessor – standing higher by more than ten centimetres at 1,611 millimetres (1,616 mm with roof rail), offering more headroom in the first row. Rear legroom is also significantly greater. Although shorter on the outside than the outgoing model, the new GLA is more spacious on the inside. Typical off-road design elements are the upright front end, the short front and rear overhangs and the protective cladding running all the way round.
The GLA is equipped with the latest driver assistance systems and thus offers the highest level of active safety in the compact segment. Just some of the state-of-the-art systems included in the driver assistance package are the cornering function, emergency-lane function, vehicle-exit warning function and the alert system that identifies pedestrians on or close to zebra crossings.
SOURCE: Daimler
