CarToq sources have indicated that the upcoming Mercedes Benz GLA crossover will be offered with a front wheel drive layout on the regular variants.The decision to go with a front wheel drive layout has been made with the view of keeping the crossover affordable. The regular variants of the GLA crossover will be assembled at Mercedes Benz’s Chakan assembly unit from CKD kits.
The GLA 45 AMG high performance variant will be offered with a 4MATIC all wheel drive system as standard kit, but the top-end variant will cost more than double the price of the regular variants. The regular variants of the GLA crossover will be offered with turbo petrol and turbo diesel engine options. The turbo petrol engine in question is a 2 liter-4 cylinder unit, which outputs 181 Bhp-300 Nm, and features a 7 speed dual clutch automatic transmission driving its front wheels.
On the other hand, the turbo diesel motor of the car is a 2.2 liter-4 cylinder unit that outputs 136 Bhp of peak power and 300 Nm of peak torque. The automatic transmission on the diesel powered GLA mirrors that on the petrol powered variant. The high performance variant of the crossover, the GLA 45 AMG, will use a 2 liter turbo petrol engine that makes 360 Bhp-450 Nm. The high performance variant will hit 100 Kph from standstill in less than 5 seconds, with an electronically limited top speed rated at 250 Kph.
Mercedes Benz plans to assemble the regular variants of the GLA crossover in India, from CKD kit. Prices of the regular variants are likely to start from under the 30 lakh rupee mark. The high performance GLA 45 AMG, on the other hand, will be a CBU import, and will be priced close to the 70 lakh mark. Both the regular and high performance GLA crossovers use Mercedes Benz’s Modular Front Architecture (MFA), a staple on the brand’s affordable luxury cars.
