News

Mercedes-Benz Opens Orders for the Electric CLA Shooting Brake Across Europe

The original Mercedes-Benz CLA earned its reputation as the brand’s designer compact—sleek, youthful, and a little bit rebellious. Now, as Mercedes pushes deeper into its electric era, the CLA Shooting Brake returns as something rarer: a compact EV wagon that blends long-distance capability with the visual drama the CLA badge has always promised. And judging by the early surge in European demand, it’s hitting the mark.

A Wagon for the Electric Age

Mercedes already impressed the market with the standard electric CLA, earning strong reactions from buyers and media alike. The Shooting Brake builds on that momentum, stretching the roofline and reshaping the rear into a more purposeful cargo-friendly tail—without losing the original car’s athletic stance. Think low-slung coupe energy, but with room for a long weekend’s worth of gear.

Two all-electric variants headline the launch.
CLA 250+ Shooting Brake:

  • 200 kW
  • Rear-wheel drive
  • Up to 768 km WLTP range
  • Starts at €57,096

CLA 350 4MATIC Shooting Brake:

  • 260 kW, 515 Nm
  • All-wheel drive
  • Up to 743 km WLTP range
  • Starts at €61,653

Both pack an 85-kWh usable battery and an 800-volt architecture—meaning 10 minutes on a suitable DC fast charger adds as much as 315 km of driving. If your local charger is limited to 400 volts, Mercedes offers an onboard DC converter. AC charging peaks at a healthy 22 kW.

It all adds up to the longest-legged compact EV wagon on the market—and one of the most efficient electric Mercs so far.

Design: Low, Long, and Unmistakably CLA

Mercedes clearly wants the Shooting Brake to stand out, and it does. The bonnet still wears the brand’s signature power domes, while the roofline arcs into a tailgate that feels more sculpted than utilitarian. The panoramic glass roof is standard and stretches almost the full length of the car; an optional “SKY CONTROL” system lets drivers switch segments of the glass from transparent to opaque. At night, 158 tiny illuminated stars embedded in the roof create a surprising, almost futuristic cabin ambience.

Other clever touches include a roof spoiler with a dual-finish paint scheme that visually extends the glasshouse, and flush door handles that streamline the surfaces.

Interior: Smarter, Airier, and More Practical

The cabin is where the Shooting Brake really distances itself from the standard CLA. The rear seats split 40:20:40 as standard, expanding the cargo area to a generous 1,290 liters—and Mercedes adds a 101-liter frunk for cables or soft bags. A powered tailgate is standard, roof rails are included for bikes and boards, and the 4MATIC version can tow up to 1,800 kg. In other words: this stylish wagon actually works for real-life use.

A redesigned steering wheel brings back physical rollers and rockers for key functions, a change Mercedes says was driven by heavy customer feedback (and we believe them). It’s more intuitive and less distraction-prone than the overly touch-dependent setups we’ve seen in other recent Mercs.

Tech: MB.OS Ushers in a New Era

The CLA Shooting Brake premieres Mercedes’ new in-house operating system, MB.OS, using high-power onboard computing linked to the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Cloud. The idea is smartphone-like updates and long-term feature growth—maps, driver-assist behavior, entertainment, even interface design can evolve over time.

The MBUX interface runs on the Unity 3D engine, delivering fluid graphics across a 10.3-inch driver display and 14-inch center touchscreen. The optional front-passenger display mirrors the entertainment capability of a tablet, with access to streaming apps, gaming via cloud services, productivity apps like Teams and Webex, and more.

Voice interaction is handled by a multi-agent AI system drawing on technology from both Microsoft and Google. Conversations with the virtual assistant feel noticeably more natural than older MBUX iterations, especially when asking follow-up questions — no repeated commands needed.

Navigation also advances: Google Maps data merges with vehicle sensors to build a next-gen Mercedes-Benz Navigation experience. Preconditioning for fast charging, smart route planning, and real-time 3D environment graphics elevate the idea of “electric intelligence” beyond what most EVs currently offer.

Driving Assistance: Level 2 Comfort, Everyday Confidence

Every CLA Shooting Brake ships with robust standard safety tech, including Distance Assist DISTRONIC. The optional MB.DRIVE ASSIST package bundles features like Steering Assist and the new Lane Change Assist, delivering an SAE Level 2 experience that feels polished but not intrusive. It’s not a self-driving car, but it’s a refined long-distance companion.

Trims and Personalization

Mercedes offers the usual styling lines—Progressive as standard, AMG Line for sportiness, AMG Line Plus for the full effect—and bundles options into three tiered packages (Advanced Plus, Premium, and Premium Plus). Expect items like the panoramic roof, ambient lighting, Burmester 3D audio, head-up display, and illuminated trim depending on the package.

Performance: Quick, Not Wild

Acceleration numbers put the CLA Shooting Brake in the “quick enough for everyday fun” category:

  • CLA 250+: 0–100 km/h in 6.8 seconds
  • CLA 350 4MATIC: 5.0 seconds

Top speed is an EV-typical 210 km/h for both. On the road, early tests praise its comfort and refinement more than outright aggression—fitting for a compact luxury EV wagon designed to rack up kilometres rather than carve racetracks.

The electric CLA Shooting Brake blends style, long range, and real practicality in a way few EVs currently match. It’s a segment-bender: part coupe, part wagon, part tech showcase. With its combination of design flair, highway efficiency, and that standout charging performance, Mercedes has created something rare—an EV that’s genuinely aspirational but still usable for daily life.

More variants (including hybrids and combustion options) are coming later, but the pure-electric models already feel like the heart of the lineup.

If you want a compact luxury EV that doesn’t look like everyone else’s crossover—and can actually carry your gear—the CLA Shooting Brake might just be the most compelling choice in its class.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

News

A Texas Street Turns Into a Surreal Scene After Child Crashes Car at Adult’s Direction

San Antonio saw one of the strangest “driver error” incidents in recent memory when home-security cameras captured a child—reportedly younger than ten—behind the wheel of a sedan moments before it struck a parked truck.

The footage shows the car suddenly surging backward down a residential street, engine revving as it picks up speed. Voices can be heard off-camera, adding to the chaotic moment. The sedan then veers sharply as the young driver pulls the wheel, its front door swinging open just before it makes contact with a white pickup parked along the curb.

Local station News 4 San Antonio reports the child sustained minor injuries, including a cut on the forehead and some scrapes—serious enough to require attention, but thankfully not life-threatening.

While stories of kids sneaking the family car out for a joyride surface every few years, this situation was far more troubling. According to NBC’s local affiliate, 25-year-old Ladeja Pickett was hanging holiday decorations when she allegedly told the child—who was not related to her—to move the car. The child did exactly that, but was apparently thrown from the vehicle during the chaotic reverse maneuver.

Police confirmed Pickett was arrested, though official charges haven’t yet been clarified. The Bexar County inmate database hasn’t offered much insight either.

What is clear is how dangerous and irresponsible the situation was. Texas law is straightforward: teens can begin the state’s graduated driver-license program at 15 with a learner permit, but only under adult supervision—and certainly not while still in elementary school. Allowing a young child to operate a vehicle places everyone on the street at risk, especially the child themselves.

As investigators determine the next steps, the incident stands as a stark reminder: cars are not toys, and even the simplest maneuver requires maturity, training, and judgment. On this San Antonio street, a moment meant to save someone a few steps nearly turned into something far worse.

Source: News 4

News

Nissan’s Two-Pronged Pickup Plan: Navara Reborn, Frontier Pro PHEV Incoming for Australia

For years, Nissan’s Australian pickup story has been a simple one: the Navara, and only the Navara. But that era is ending. With the debut of the latest-generation Navara still echoing through showrooms, Nissan has confirmed a second utility is gearing up for an Australian arrival—and it’s aimed squarely at the fast-crowding plug-in hybrid battlefield.

The newcomer is the Frontier Pro PHEV, a Chinese-built, Dongfeng-developed pickup that quietly surfaced earlier this year. Nissan plans to launch it locally in 2027, a strategic play that acknowledges a reality the brand can no longer ignore: the next frontier of pickups is electrified, and the competition is already here.

PHEV Heat Rising

Plug-in pickups are suddenly everywhere. BYD’s Shark 6 is leading the early charge, GWM sells the Cannon Alpha PHEV, and Ford has confirmed the Ranger PHEV is on the way. Next year, Chery and JAC will jump in as well. By the time the Frontier Pro hits local soil, this once-niche category could be one of the most important segments in the Australian market.

Australia’s dealers got the news shortly after the new Navara’s reveal, according to Carsales. Nissan Australia confirmed the Frontier Pro is part of its future product mix, though right-hand-drive engineering still stands between it and local roads—a roughly six-month conversion job, Nissan says.

Power With a Plug

If specs were weapons, the Frontier Pro wouldn’t arrive unarmed. Its hybrid system pairs a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with an electric motor integrated into the transmission. Combined output? A stout 402 horsepower (300 kW) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque—figures that should grab the attention of both light-duty work crews and weekend adventurers.

An 84-mile (135-km) all-electric range puts it right in line with its BYD and GWM rivals. The chassis hardware looks equally promising, with vehicle-to-load capability, a 3,500-kg braked towing rating, and an electro-mechanically locking rear differential for off-road work. On paper, this thing is dressed for success.

A Cabin That Knows the Assignment

Inside, Nissan follows the formula laid out by Chinese brands dominating the tech-value equation. The Frontier Pro’s cabin pairs a 10-inch digital cluster with a 14.6-inch central touchscreen, ambient lighting, and an unexpectedly posh set of front seats offering heating, ventilation, and even massage. A two-spoke steering wheel rounds out the modern, almost EV-like interior vibe.

In short, Nissan didn’t mail this one in.

Strategy, Not Cannibalization

When we spoke with Nissan Oceania managing director Andrew Humberstone earlier this year, he emphasized that the Frontier Pro isn’t meant to replace the Navara—it’s meant to balance it. The Navara’s diesel remains essential for traditional buyers, but the PHEV can help offset fleet emissions and appeal to a new generation of ute shoppers.

“I see no problem with that running in parallel to the new Navara,” Humberstone said. “It’s about ‘does the business case work?’ I think it takes about six months to get right-hand drive. I think it could potentially work for the market.”

The Big Picture

With the Navara and Frontier Pro sharing the stage by decade’s end, Nissan’s pickup strategy looks more layered—and more future-proof—than it has in years. Electrified utes won’t stay optional for long, and Nissan seems determined not to watch the segment evolve without it.

Whether the Frontier Pro PHEV has the muscle to take on the Shark 6 and Ranger PHEV remains to be seen. But one thing’s clear: Nissan is finally gearing up for a fight.

Source: Nissan

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