Mercedes-Benz Unveils All-Electric CLA Shooting Brake
Mercedes-Benzhas revealed the all-newCLAShooting Brake, the first estate model in the brand's lineup to feature a fullyelectricpowertrain. Launching in Europe in March 2026, the CLA Shooting Brake blends performance, practicality and advanced EQ technology with an extended WLTP-estimated range of up to 470 miles. With up to 192 miles of range gained in just 10 minutes of charging, the car promises everyday usability with high-speed efficiency.
Sporting a sleek, star-lit panoramic roof and an illuminated front panel adorned with 142 LED stars, the CLA Shooting Brake debuts with a refined, futuristic design. The 85 kWh battery powers a new two-speed gearbox and an electric drivetrain offering up to 260 kW. Rear-wheel and all-wheel-drive versions deliver acceleration as quick as 0–62 mph in 6.8 seconds. The interior brings cutting-edge luxury with a floating MBUX Superscreen powered by the Unity Game Engine and ChatGPT-enhanced voice assistant.
Beyond its style and digital depth, the Shooting Brake is built for daily life, offering 455–1,290 liters of cargo space, a 101-liter frunk, roof rails and nearly 4,000 lbs of towing capacity. Hybrid variants with 48-volt systems and multiple trim options are expected to join the range early next year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
3 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Student loan debt may be tougher to pay off and expand the wealth divide after passage of Trump's big bill
'I'm at an age when people are advancing in their careers, starting families, buying houses,' she said. '[The debt] takes a huge emotional and financial toll. I'm very pro-active, I create budgets. On every spreadsheet, I have to budget for this dark cloud.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up German Roman is one of the Advertisement Recent efforts by the Trump administration and Republican-led Congress to restrict access to federal student loans may further deepen these disparities. By limiting funds historically under-represented communities have relied on, students of color and women may be pushed toward private lending, or skip higher education altogether. As part of the 'Big Beautiful Bill,' signed by President Trump on July 4, federal loans for medical and law students will be capped at $200,000, below Advertisement The bill also limits repayment options, with fewer flexibilities, restricted pathways to debt forgiveness, and faster repayment requirements. According to the Student Borrower Protection Center, an advocacy and research group, all students, regardless of income or whether they've completed their degree, will face higher monthly payments as a result of these changes. Outside of the legislation, the Trump administration The Student Debt Crisis Center, a separate advocacy group, estimates these fees will amount to about $300 a month. Already 5 million Americans have defaulted on their student loans, with another 2 million projected to default this month. Natalie Abrams, president and founder of the debt crisis center, now expects these numbers to grow. Advertisement 'This is a bad bill for borrowers,' she said. Advocates who have been raising alarm bells for years about rising student debt are now stuck in a strange position: Advocating for federal loans to continue, while also calling for major changes to the system through debt cancellation and lowered tuition. On its face, the Republican-led changes seem to acknowledge concerns about the country's But critics counter that in the face of federal loan caps, borrowers will rely on higher-priced, more risky private loans, or skip school altogether. Borrowers of color, who have less family wealth to tap into and are therefore more reliant on student loans, will be hurt the most. Student debt diminishes the ability of historically under-represented communities to build generational wealth, diverting money that could go toward savings, retirement, or investing in big-ticket items that traditionally fuel family wealth, such as homes. Advertisement 'Generations of systemic racism have forced Black and brown folks — especially Black women — to borrow at higher rates than our white peers and bear an enormous financial burden, denying us the opportunity to succeed and build generational wealth,' Representative Ayanna Pressley told the Globe in an emailed statement. Changes by the Trump administration, while reducing a reliance on federal student loans, could actually worsen the divide. Lending limits 'means fewer people who are not already rich will be able to go to college, and the people who still need to get education and training that are not already rich are going to be targeted for predatory private loan projects,' said Eileen Connor, executive director of the Project on Predatory Student Lending, a legal and policy organization focused on predatory for-profit colleges and lenders that started at Harvard Law School. 'There's been a fair amount of talk about Trump policies leading to resegregation,' Persis Yu, deputy executive director and managing council at the Student Borrower Protection Center, an advocacy group that aims to improve the student loan system, said. 'And I think this is part of that project.' Amina Khamsi will be starting her third year at Boston University School of Medicine this fall. Originally from El Paso, Texas, Khamsi, who is a first-generation immigrant with Moroccan and Colombian roots, has already taken out nearly $120,000 in federal student debt, which has accrued nearly $10,000 in interest. She's already considering whether she can afford to stay in Boston for residency, and worries doctors will have to reconsider whether they can work in underserved communities, where positions pay less, if they have to take on more private debt. Advertisement 'You are forcing people to make decisions not based on ethical practices or how they want to practice medicine, but 'how am I going to cope with this.' I fear in the long run we're going to have less doctors who look like me, who look like a lot of patients across America, and that could have detrimental effects to health care.' Private lenders seem primed for the potential influx. In the weeks leading up to the legislation's passage, Sallie Mae calling for caps on federal student lending. The CEO of Navient, a major private student lender, As students consider their now whittled-down options, German Roman encourages them to be informed. She doesn't regret going to college, but she does regret taking on debt, even as she feels she should consider herself lucky, since the $20,000 she owes is half tuition-free college. 'No one is arguing for the status quo,' said Yu. 'But until there is a real investment in higher education, both on the federal and state level,' millions of students and their families will continue to rely on federal debt, with now-tightened conditions. 'These proposals,' Yu said, 'are going to make the crisis worse, not better.' Advertisement This story was produced by the Globe's team, which covers the racial wealth gap in Greater Boston. You can sign up for the newsletter . Mara Kardas-Nelson can be reached at
Tom's Guide
7 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
I drove the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 EV for a week — and it's the epitome of luxury driving
I've driven my fair share of luxury EVs. I thought EVs such as the Genesis GV60, Lexus RZ 450e, and Cadillac Lyriq were luxury vehicles, but I was wrong. My perception of what luxury really is has been distorted all this time. That's until now. After driving the 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 Sedan for a week, it proves to me what it takes to truly be defined as luxury driving. I wasn't prepared for the premium features it offers, which makes driving this all-electric sedan even more impressive — but it does cost a whopping $107,400 to start. That balloons to $139,910 with all the optional equipment and packages thrown in, so it's certainly not cheap. Honestly, all the features make it feel more futuristic than some of the best electric cars I've tested. 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 Sedan Battery 118 kWh Motor Dual-motor AWD 0 to 60 mph 5.9 seconds Range 390 miles Horsepower 355 hp Wheels 21-inches MSRP $107,400 Price Tested $139,910 Most of the luxury EVs I've tested aren't known for their efficient driving. When you're spending a fortune, charging costs are probably the least of your worries. Yet, the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 Sedan doesn't overlook this because it's actually quite efficient. I drove a total of 380 miles in my week's worth of testing it out, reaching an average efficiency of 3.26 mi/kWh. Even though it doesn't reach the benchmark of 4 mi/kWh that I achieved with the Lucid Air Touring, it's still pretty exceptional. It's not as fun or responsive to drive like the BMW i4 M50 Gran Coupe or Volvo EX30, but for a full-sized sedan, it handles smoothly. Based on my results, a full charge maintaining this efficiency would yield approximately 384 miles of range. That's a smidge short of the 390 miles it's rated for, but it's good enough in my book — plus, it beats my all-gas powered car. However, it's very plausible to reach that estimate because in one of my short-distance test drives, it averaged a 3.47 mi/kWh efficiency driving on mostly local and county roads. On Level 1 charging at home, you'll get a decent amount of charge through a standard 120V outlet. Its 3.78 mi/hr charging rate returned 37 miles of range in about 9 hours of charging overnight. That's plenty enough for what I need for my commute, but those who drive far each day will want to invest in a Level 2 charger. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 Sedan 2025 Lucid Air Touring 2025 BMW i4 M50 Gran Coupe EV Price tested $139,910 $101,850 $76,575 Total miles driven 384 miles 362.1 miles 461.5 miles Average Efficiency 3.26 mi/kWh 4 mi/kWh 2.9 mi/kWh Best long distance driving efficiency 3.44 mi/kWh 4.29 mi/kWh N/A Best short distance driving efficiency 3.47 mi/kWh 4.42 mi/kWh N/A Level 1 charging rate 3.78 mi/hr 4.27 mi/hr 2.19 mi/hr When it comes to turn-by-turn directions, most luxury EVs come with a head-up display that shows me where to turn and the distance I need to travel. The Mercedes-Benz EQS takes it one step further by incorporating an augmented reality experience that dynamically guides me where to go. What makes it different is how the head-up display shows arrows that progressively get larger as I approach my turns or exits. I find it much more helpful because the arrows overlay on top of the road to guide me exactly where to go, so I'm never second guessing the turn. It's as if the windshield is a see-through display, with those arrows moving in the direction you're supposed to go. Nearly all luxury EVs have neat startup light sequences, like the stacking lights effect of the Cadillac Optiq. While you definitely get that with the 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450V Sedan, there's one particular sequence that puts it in a league of its own. I'm referring to the animation that projects from the front of the vehicle onto whatever's in front of it. In the open parking lot where I tried it out, it's an ostentatious display that does the obvious — telling the world your vehicle is different from 99% of the other stuff out there. Yes it's over the top, but I love it. When it comes to the best TVs or best phones, the kind of displays that scream ultra premium are OLED panels. The Mercedes-Benz EQS Sedan is filled to the brim with them, to the point that nearly the entire dashboard is covered by them. Mercedes refers to it as the MBUX Hyperscreen, which consists of a 17.7-inch OLED main dashboard display flanked by a 12.3-inch LED driver's display and a 12.3-inch OLED passenger display. It's a jaw-dropping sight unlike anything else I've seen, offering high contrast, rich colors, and a wide viewing angle. Quite frankly, these are the best displays I've seen in any vehicle to date. Luxury EVs typically focus a lot on the ambient light, and while some are a bit reserved, others like the 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS Sedan take one step further. In fact, the entire interior space is bathed in bright, ambient lights that complement its luxurious design It almost looks like a light cycle from 'TRON' because of the amount of LED light strips Mercedes-Benz employs here. Not only are they around the dashboard and doors, but they're also embedded in the seats as well. On top of that, you can also customize the colors and animation patterns to make it feel like you're driving something from the future. Even though it's classified as a sedan, it feels like a hatchback due to how the entire back side of the vehicle opens up to access its trunk — which in itself offers generous storage for large items like my JackRabbit OG2 Pro micro ebike. At the same time, it doesn't compromise the space inside for your rear passengers. I wasn't expecting a luxury EV like this to get decent efficiency, but it does. That's a good thing because it's something that should ease the range anxiety that people have about all-electric vehicles. Like I mentioned before, its 3.26 mi/kWh efficiency I averaged during my week's worth of testing is pretty good — so it's more than suitable for long distance driving. Likewise, I'm also surprised by its fast Level 1 charging. Anyone who could afford this should get a Level 2 charger at their home to get a full charge overnight, but until they go through the process to install one, its 3.78 mi/hr charging rate should suffice in the interim. Mercedes-Benz doesn't skimp out on what camera it employs throughout the EQS Sedan and it shows because the quality out of them is outstanding. Whether it's the backup camera or the front one, they all sort of have this HDR-like look that neutralizes the exposure across different lighting situations. This is important because it also aids in its adaptive cruise control system, which helps to determine if there are nearby cars when it performs a lane change assist. I've found its ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) to work really well on highways to keep it straight in the lane — as well as automatically accelerating and braking to maintain cruising speed. I can go on and on about all the small details that make it an ultra-premium vehicle, like the pillows in the backseat, cushioned headrests, massaging seats, and fragrance control to name a few, but it's still going to be hard to convince the majority of shoppers to spend nearly $140,000 on a vehicle. Other luxury vehicles I've tested still come well under this price, like the Acura ZDX Type-S, Genesis GV70, and even the GMC Hummer EV. They might not have the same meticulous attention to detail like the EQS, but you're still paying well less for them. This one's only a problem because of how popular Stanley's line of insulated tumblers have become in the last couple of years. The cupholders near the front seats aren't set deep enough and too tight from one another, resulting in larger sized cups, like Stanley's tumblers, to sometimes not fit properly. I have a totally different perception of luxury vehicles because the 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450V Sedan redefines my expectations. It makes other luxury vehicles I've tested feel ordinary, due in part to the insane amount of details it applies to everything. At the same time, I'm pleased that it drives super smooth and offers good efficiency — but it's obnoxiously expensive. It's not to say you shouldn't consider it, but your budget will dictate if it's even possible in the first place. However, I will say that it's absolutely a status symbol that gives people an idea of your level of class.
Newsweek
14 hours ago
- Newsweek
Wolff Jokes McLaren Engine Deal May Not Have Been "Most Intelligent" Choice
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff commented on supplying McLaren with power units and aiding their rival in winning titles. As a customer team, McLaren secured a deal to obtain Mercedes engines in 2021. The agreement helped McLaren with its resurgence from a mid-table team to a title contender over the past couple of seasons. Mercedes, on the other hand, has struggled since the 2022 regulations, going from the dominant team to a podium-fighting outfit. Wolff was the point person in making the deal with McLaren. During an interview with Sky Sports Italy, he jokingly expressed regret over giving the current title favorite their engines. Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff and McLaren Chief Executive Officer Zak Brown talk in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 08, 2024 in Abu... Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff and McLaren Chief Executive Officer Zak Brown talk in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 08, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. More Photo by"Look at where they were three, four years ago, when we signed the deal with them that they were going to use our fast engines for the next few years. Then they were 18th and it was easy to make such a decision," Wolff said. "With the knowledge of today, I don't know if it was the most intelligent choice in my life to make that deal with them [laughs]. "They have it really well together in terms of engineering and that's why they perform so insanely well, especially in hot conditions." McLaren's deal with Mercedes runs for several more years, following an extension agreement reached between the two parties a couple of years ago. Announced back in 2023, the McLaren-Mercedes deal runs until 2030, marking another half decade of the partnership. At the time of the announcement, McLaren CEO Zac Brown released a statement on the new deal, which highlighted his excitement over the agreement. "Mercedes-Benz have been a brilliant and reliable partner of the McLaren Formula 1 Team," Brown said. "The extension signifies the confidence that our shareholders and the wider team have in their powertrains and the direction we're taking with them into the new era of regulations ahead. "We have been successful together, both in the last three seasons and when they previously powered the team, so we look forward to the success to come as we continue our journey to fight consistently at the front of the grid." In 2026, a new engine formula is debuting, which runs on half kinetic energy and half conventional energy. According to recent rumors and reports, the Mercedes powertrain is progressing well and is expected to be the class of the field next year. Mercedes supplies power units for several other teams on the grid, including Williams and Aston Martin. Starting in 2026, Honda will power Aston Martin, while Alpine is set to discontinue its engine operations and adopt Mercedes engines. More F1 news: How Lewis Hamilton Made the F1 Movie Production More Expensive For more F1 news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
