New to the CLA range: CLA 45 AMG Racing Series and CLA 250 Sport - sporty models for the racetrack and everyday driving

The CLA 45 AMG Racing Series concept car that is celebrating its world premiere at the IAA in Frankfurt/Main provides a preview of another customer sport racing car from Mercedes-AMG. The CLA 250 Sport, meanwhile, can also be labelled as "engineered by AMG". Following its debut at the IAA, this sporty standard production model will be arriving in dealer showrooms in December 2013.

"The CLA 45 AMG Racing Series demonstrates our desire to further increase our commitment to customer motorsport. We are also seeking to offer interested customer teams a competitive, near-standard racing car with an excellent level of safety in the popular four-cylinder segment," says Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. "The tremendous success of the SLS AMG GT3, which is now being raced by customer teams across five different continents, makes us highly confident." In addition to a string of individual race wins, the SLS AMG GT3 also racked up a number of championship titles, including the FIA GT3 European Championship (2012), the FIA GT1 World Championship (2012), as well as the ADAC GT Masters title (2012). In 2013 the SLS AMG GT3 even managed to take the grand slam of GT3 endurance classics with four victories in succession.

The CLA 45 AMG Racing Series is destined for the crowd-pulling race series featuring 2.0-litre turbocharged cars and may be deployed internationally if demand is high enough. The technical specifications will vary according to the race rules and race series. The engine output and power transmission are variable, with permanent all-wheel drive or purely front-wheel drive possible as in the standard version.

Chassis and body: pure racing car technology

The special racing suspension has a wider track at the front and rear, and allows numerous adjustments for an individual racetrack setup. The suspension level, spring rate and damper characteristics are adjustable, as are the track and camber at the front and rear axles. The AMG high-performance braking system with ventilated discs all-round is equipped with an anti-lock system.

Typical racing car features made completely from carbon-fibre (CFRP) make the extravagant design of the standard CLA 45 AMG even more spectacular: they include a new front and rear apron, flared wings and side sill panels. In addition, treadless racing tyres ensure an impressive width. Thanks to carbon-fibre rear wings and large cooling apertures for engine and brake cooling, the CLA 45 AMG Racing Series makes an imposing impression even when stationary. For use on the racetrack, the already good aero dynamic attributes of the four-door high-performance coupé are further optimised by the newly developed carbon-fibre components: the front apron with a front splitter ensures additional downforce, as do the rear diffuser with three fins and the adjustable rear aerofoil. The air intake in the side sill panels ahead of the rear wheels ensures effective cooling of the rear brakes.

A functional racing car atmosphere predominates in the interior: the roll-over cage is made of high-strength steel. An exemplary level of safety is ensured by the carbon-fibre P 1300 GT racing bucket seat from Recaro, prepared for the HANS system (Head and Neck Support), and the integrated fire extinguishing system. The racing steering wheel with shift paddles for gearshifts allows perfect vehicle control.

Dynamic looks: the CLA 250 Sport

The "engineered by AMG" tag also applies to the CLA 250 Sport, the new sporty model for the road in the CLA-Class range. Its four-cylinder engine with a displacement of 1991 cc produces an output of 155 kW (211 hp) and delivers 350 Nm of peak torque between 1200 and 4000 rpm. The 7G-DCT dual-clutch transmission with its sportier set-up is fitted as standard. The CLA 250 Sport is available to order from 7 October for €42,304.50 (including 19% VAT). It will appear in dealer showrooms in December 2013.

The "AMG Line" equipment line is included on the CLA 250 Sport as standard. "Sport" badges adorn the front wings. The CLA 250 Sport features exclusive 18‑inch AMG light-alloy wheels in a 5-spoke design with 235/40 R 18 tyres all round and painted in black with a high-sheen finish, together with red-painted brake callipers. These give a visual indication of the vehicle's particularly dynamic driving qualities which are characterised, amongst other features, by a special AMG-developed front axle and a chassis that has been tuned to match, including AMG speed-sensitive sports steering. With its special engine and transmission configuration as well as an adapted ESP®set-up, the CLA 250 Sport promises a very special driving experience, which is enhanced further by the emotion- stirring sound produced by the modified exhaust system.

Red detailing on the AMG front and rear aprons serves to further underline this model's expressive positioning. The highlighting effect is carried through into the interior with designo seat belts in red.