Mercedes has been gradually peeling back the layers on its next-generation GLA, and now it’s put a date on the full unveiling. . The company has confirmed the small crossover will break cover on July 29, releasing a teaser of the sheet-draped car to mark the occasion. The lineup follows the same multi-fuel approach as the new GLB: combustion versions keep the GLA name, while an electric model called the GLA Electric takes over from the outgoing EQA.

These latest spy shots, meanwhile, finally give us a much clearer look at its shape. While the front and rear remain disguised, the sides have largely stepped out of witness protection.

Related: Mercedes EV Sales Jumped 28% While The Rest Of The Brand Shrank

Compared with the heavily camouflaged prototypes we spotted earlier this year, this latest tester reveals its doors, glasshouse, and much of its body surfacing. The result is a cleaner and more sophisticated design that looks noticeably more aerodynamic than today’s GLA.

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The newly exposed profile confirms several styling details we could previously only guess at. Flush-mounted door handles are present, helping to reduce drag, while a rising window line injects a little visual drama into an otherwise smooth-sided body. Combined with the gently sloping roofline, the overall effect is once again more sleek crossover than upright SUV. If it’s boxy you want, you need the new GLB that’s already on sale.

The GLA’s nose remains hidden behind camouflage, but Mercedes has already shown us the direction it’s heading. Expect a scaled-down interpretation of the retro-futuristic grille treatment introduced on the larger GLC EQ.

Stars-Shaped DRLs

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The rear end is similarly concealed, though there are still clues hiding beneath the camouflage. Look closely and you can just make out the signature star-shaped lighting graphics that Mercedes has been rolling out across its latest EVs. Expect those illuminated three-pointed stars to feature prominently at both ends of the production GLA.

Up To Three Screens Available

Unfortunately, these photos don’t provide a fresh look inside, but that’s not a huge problem because we’ve already seen the goodies in a previous spy shot haul (below). Like the CLA and GLB, the GLA EQ should offer an optional MBUX Superscreen setup combining a 10.25-inch digital cluster with dual 14-inch displays stretching across the dashboard.

Underneath, the newcomer shares its platform and powertrains with its compact Mercedes brothers. That likely means a rear-drive version producing 268 hp (272 PS / 200 kW) and an all-wheel-drive model generating 349 hp (354 PS / 260 kW). Both should draw energy from an 85 kWh battery and benefit from an 800-volt electrical architecture capable of ultra-fast charging.

And for anyone worried the GLA EQ might be too sensible, don’t forget we’ve already caught an electric AMG version testing. If it borrows the hardware from the upcoming AMG CLA, this compact crossover could eventually pack as much as 671 hp (680 PS /500 kW).

Of course not everyone wants an EV, so Mercedes has ICE fans covered too, or it will have. The EV arrives this fall but combustion versions of the new GLA fitted with 1.5-litre hybrid engines will follow in spring 2027.

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German car brands have become accustomed to selling stretched versions of their models in China for those demanding extra interior space. Mercedes-Benz ran that playbook last year with the new-generation CLA, building the Electric CLA L specifically for buyers in the People’s Republic.

Read: 2027 Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 EV Debuts With 3 Motors, 671 HP And A Vibrator

While the ultra-efficient sedan has plenty going for it, local buyers don’t appear all that interested. In fact, according to a new report from Germany, Mercedes has paused production of the model through its joint venture with BAIC Motor.

According to MBPassion, a possible explanation is the disappointing sales, as just 627 examples of the Electric CLA L have been delivered in China through the first half of this year. Sales were particularly poor in January with just 35 units finding new homes, while a measly 21 were sold in February. Numbers rose considerably in March to 358, but then fell to 52 vehicles in April and 161 in May. As for June, MBPassion says not a single car was sold, a figure we have yet to confirm.

Mercedes-Benz has not commented. It’s also unclear for how long production may be halted and if there’s a chance Mercedes will back away from the model entirely, perhaps sensing that it may have misjudged the Chinese market.

What Does The CLA L Offer?

Like the electric CLA sold in other markets, China’s model uses a sizeable 89 kWh battery pack and has a claimed CLTC driving range of up to 538 miles (866 km). While this doesn’t give it the longest driving range among EVs in China, it’s certainly among the most efficient. In addition, it supports DC charging speeds of up to 325 kW, meaning the battery can be topped up with 230 miles (370 km) of range in just ten minutes.

Also: BYD Says Five-Minute Charging Adds 310 Miles, BMW Says Read The Fine Print

By Western standards, DC charging like this is superb. In China, though, brands like BYD have taken EV charging speeds to new levels, launching the 1,500 kW Flash Charging network, which can charge an EV from 10-97 percent in just nine minutes.

Sales of battery-electric vehicles from Mercedes-Benz have surged this year, but overall demand for their models has contracted, highlighting a shift that several other car manufacturers are experiencing.

Through the first half of the year, the entire Mercedes-Benz Group moved 1,011,500 vehicles, down 6 percent from the first half of 2025. First-quarter sales had actually risen 2 percent to 511,900, so the slide arrived later in the period. The picture looks worse for Mercedes-Benz Cars itself, which includes the company’s Vans division.

Read: Mercedes Sales Are Out And The Most Interesting Thing Is What They Won’t Tell Us

So far this year, Mercedes-Benz Cars has sold 837,200 vehicles worldwide, a 7 percent decline. Second-quarter sales fell 8 percent to 417,800 units against the prior year. The bright spot is battery-electric demand, which is running strong, though the brand hasn’t been kind enough to break out sales figures for each individual EV model.

EVs Prove Strong

A total of 97,100 new EVs were sold by the brand this year, 28 percent up from the same period last year. Demand proved particularly strong in the second quarter, rising 51 percent to 52,900 units. As sales from the Mercedes-Benz Vans division are included, total BEV sales rise to 113,300 units year-to-date, a 30 percent increase from last year. Mercedes credits the electric CLA, electric GLC, and electric GLB as the main growth drivers, and says strong European demand did much of the lifting on EV deliveries.

While BEVs are performing well, the rest of the company’s models are struggling. In its Top-End category, which consists of Mercedes-AMG, Maybach, G-Class, S-Class, GLS, EQS, and EQS SUV models, sales are down 8 percent this year to 119,600 units. Similarly, sales of the Core models, including the C-Class, E-Class, EQE, and EQE SUV, are down 7 percent to 497,300, and Entry Level models, like the A-Class, B-Class, EQS, and EQB, have fallen 5 percent to 220,300.

Mercedes pinned part of the Top-End decline on planned product changeovers and the timing of model availability, and pointed out that G-Class deliveries actually rose 3 percent during the quarter.

Most of the overall decline traces back to Asia. Across the region, total Mercedes-Benz Cars sales fell 25 percent to 291,000 units through the first half. China was worse still, down 28 percent to 210,200, and the slide steepened in the second quarter as sales dropped 30 percent to 98,600. Mercedes did confirm, though, that several China-focused models, including the long-wheelbase electric GLC L SUV, will land in that market during the second half of the year.

Similarly, sales across the ‘Rest of World’ dropped 11 percent. By contrast, sales in Europe were up 5 percent this year, and North American sales rose 15 percent.

Mercedes-Benz Sales 2026

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is officially underway and Mercedes-AMG used the event to unveil the new CLA 45 4MATIC+ lineup. It consists of a high-performance sedan and shooting brake with a tri-motor powertrain.

Starting with the latter, the cars have one axial flux motor up front and two out back. This gives the CLA all-wheel drive as well as a combined output of up to 671 hp (500 kW / 680 PS) and 1,297 lb-ft (1,759 Nm) of torque.

More: Starry But Soulless 2026 Mercedes CLA Leans On AI And Electric Power

Those are impressive numbers and then enable the model to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 2.7 seconds with a 1-foot rollout. However, with a traditional start, you’ll hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in three seconds flat. If you keep the accelerator planted, you’ll eventually top out at 155 mph (250 km/h) or 168 mph (270 km/h) with the AMG Dynamic Plus Package.

The motors are fed by a 94 kWh battery pack, which gives the sedan a WLTP range in excess of 416 miles (670 km). That drops to more than 398 miles (640 km) for the shooting brake, but buyers will find an additional 2.1 cubic feet (60 liters) of space in the trunk.

When the battery is low, a 330 kW DC fast charger can take the CLA 45 from 10-80% in as little as 22 minutes. If that’s too long, a ten minute charge can deliver over 168 miles (270 km) of range.

Getting back to the motors, they enable the model to have variable torque distribution between the front and rear wheels as well as torque vectoring between the rear wheels. Mercedes says this adjustability delivers impressive agility, situation-based responses, and seamless transitions between rear- and all-wheel drive.

Buyers will also find an AMG Ride Control sports suspension with steel springs and adaptive three-way damping in the form of Comfort, Sport, and AMGForce S+ modes. There are also six AMG Dynamic Select Driving modes that adjust the response of the chassis, steering, accelerator, electronic stability control, and recuperation.

Speaking of AMGForce S+, it turns the CLA into a weird performance car simulator complete with “active seat shakers” and “authentic traction shift interruptions.” The mode also delivers an “original combustion engine sound” as the noise from the old turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder is digitally reproduced. This makes plenty of sense as AMG owners are used to butt stuff and their partners faking it.

When it comes time to stop, the car relies on a beefy braking system that features six-piston calipers and 15.4-inch (390 mm) discs up front as well as single piston calipers and 13.8-inch (350 mm) discs in the rear. The model also has a regenerative braking system with five levels of energy recovery.

A Plastic Grin

While AMGs are known to be aggressive, the CLA 45 looks rather cheap as there’s a faux lower intake filled with plastic. It’s a bit of an eyesore, but it’s joined by a fully enclosed Panamericana grille that looks nice enough.

Buyers will also find star-infused headlights and a short light strip between them. If that isn’t bright enough, customers can upgrade to a continuous light strip and an illuminated grille.

Further below, there’s a unique front bumper and splitter as well as an active intake. The latter can remain closed at speeds approaching 155 mph (250 km/h) and this helps to increase range and improve acceleration.

Further back, there are sporty side skirts, flush-mounted door handles, and 19- or 20-inch wheels. The model also has a unique rear bumper that replaces traditional exhaust tips with diffuser fins.

More interestingly, the CLA is the first car in its class to embrace active aerodynamics. The sedan has a power-deployable spoiler, while the shooting brake adopts a roof-edge spoiler. They can be controlled automatically or manually.

Last but not least, customers can order Night and Dynamic Plus packages. The former adds high-gloss black accents, while the latter includes red brake calipers with black AMG lettering.

A Sportier Interior

The four-seat interior is instantly recognizable, but a tad less practical as the rear middle spot has been replaced by a shallow tray. That’s an odd decision, but the CLA features faux-leather and microfiber front sport seats with red contrast stitching. Customers can also opt for real leather, two-tone designs, and red seat belts.

Elsewhere, the model has unique aluminum trim, stainless-steel pedals, and AMG floor mats. They’re joined by a Nappa leather AMG Performance steering wheel, although microfiber and leather/ microfiber variants are also available.

We can also see an assortment of familiar screens. They include a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14-inch infotainment system, and a 14-inch front passenger display.

Mercedes-AMG has teased a high-performance sedan, ahead of its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed tomorrow. The company isn’t saying much at this point, but promised the mystery model was designed for thrill seekers.

While the darkened teaser image doesn’t reveal many details, a little fiddling with the brightness confirms we’re looking at the CLA. Details are hard to make out, but we can see lightweight wheels and red brake calipers. Elsewhere, there’s front fender badging and what appears to be sportier side skirts.

More: The Baby AMG EV Just Got Real With Three Motors And A Secret Weapon

The automaker is staying tight-lipped, but spy photographers have snapped the high-performance sedan on multiple occasions. Besides the aforementioned tweaks, the car has a more aggressive front bumper and an active rear spoiler. We can also expect a sportier rear end to help distinguish the AMG variant from the regular model.

Interior changes will likely be minor, but should include sport seats and an AMG steering wheel. We can also expect special trim and upholstery. They should be joined by a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14-inch infotainment system, and a 14-inch front passenger display.

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We’ll learn full details tomorrow, but previous reports have suggested the car could have up to three axial flux motors from Mercedes’ Yasa subsidiary. If the rumor mill pans out, they could deliver a combined output in excess of 500 hp (373 kW / 507 PS).

That would be a notable improvement over the CLA 350 4MATIC with EQ Technology. It has an 85 kWh battery pack, which feeds a dual-motor all-wheel drive system developing 349 hp (260 kW / 354 PS) and 380 lb-ft (515 Nm) of torque. This enables the model to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in around 4.8 seconds, hit a top speed of 130 mph (209 km/h), and have an EPA range of 312 miles (502 km).

Mercedes unveiled the C-Class Electric in April, so attention is now turning to the AMG variant. A prototype was recently spied undergoing testing in the Alps and it should be far more attractive than the latest GT 4-Door.

While the prototype is heavily camouflaged, it closely resembles the standard model. However, we can expect a fully enclosed version of the company’s Panamericana grille. The images also suggest the bumper will mimic the one found on the AMG Line variants.

More: Mercedes’ Electric C-Class Is The BMW i3’s Neue Nightmare

The sides more readily identify this as an AMG variant as we can see lightweight wheels that are backed up by a high-performance braking system. The latter feature ventilated discs as well as golden brake calipers. They’re joined by black mirror caps and familiar looking side skirts.

While it’s odd seeing an AMG variant without a four-tailpipe exhaust system, the C-Class EV appears to have an active rear spoiler. We also wouldn’t be surprised to find a sportier diffuser.

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Spy photographers didn’t get a look inside, but the cabin should largely carryover from the standard model. This means we can expect a minimalist interior with an MBUX Superscreen that consists of a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14-inch infotainment system, and a 14-inch passenger display.

Customers should also be able to get a 39.1-inch MBUX Hyperscreen, a dual wireless smartphone charger, and an illuminated panoramic glass roof. The model also offers Burmester 3D and 4D sound systems with stainless steel speaker grilles.

Since this is a high-performance variant, we can expect the interior will come equipped with an AMG steering wheel as well as standard sport seats. We also wouldn’t be surprised to find unique trim and special accents.

The C400 4MATIC Electric features a 94 kWh battery pack that feeds a dual-motor all-wheel drive system developing 482 hp (360 kW / 489 PS) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. This enables the model to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds and have a WLTP range of up to 473 miles (762 km). Buyers will also find a 330 kW DC fast charging capability, which enables the car to get 202 miles (325 km) of range in as little as 10 minutes.

The AMG variant will undoubtedly be more powerful, but details remain hazy. However, rumors have suggested the car might have a tri-motor setup with around 789 hp (588 kW / 800 PS). That remains to be seen, but a debut could come later this year.

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Spy photographers have snapped the electric Mercedes GLA on multiple occasions, but now they’ve gotten up close and personal with the AMG variant. It’s a hot electric crossover that looks suspiciously like a supersized hatchback.

While the front end is heavily disguised, it will likely follow in the footsteps of the CLA and GLB. Details are hard to make out, but we can see star-infused headlights and a wide lower intake.

More: AMG’s Baby Mercedes SUV Could Pack 500 HP And A Drift Mode

The side profile is more revealing as there are extended fender flares that hint at a wider track. The performance variant is also notable for riding on lightweight wheels that are backed up by a beefy braking system with red calipers up front. They’re accompanied by low-profile tires and a sport-tuned suspension, which appears to have a lower ride height.

It’s hard to tell this is an AMG variant as the prototype’s booty is completely unremarkable. However, the production model could be distinguished by a slightly sportier bumper.

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Putting the bland exterior aside, the cabin will largely carryover from its MMA counterparts. That being said, there are some notable performance touches including a leather and Alcantara flat-bottom steering wheel. The steering wheel also has two lower ‘buttons’ with integrated displays.

Elsewhere, we can see silver trim and heavily bolstered seats with white contrast stitching. The screens are largely covered, but we can expect a familiar 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14-inch infotainment system. They should be joined by an optional 14-inch front passenger display.

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The GLA Electric is expected to be offered in 250+ and 350 4MATIC guise. In the CLA, the latter has an 85 kWh battery pack and a dual-motor all-wheel drive system producing a combined output of 349 hp (260 kW / 354 PS) and 380 lb-ft (515 Nm) of torque. It enables the sedan to accelerate from 0-60 mph (96 km/h) in 4.8 seconds and have an EPA range of 312 miles (502 km).

The AMG variant will undoubtedly improve on those numbers and rumors have suggested the crossover could have three axial flux motors producing more than 500 hp (373 kW / 507 PS). They could be accompanied by a unique battery with a higher energy density than the regular model.

The recently introduced AMG GT 4-Door has a similar layout as it has two axial flux motors out back and one up front. However, that model has a far higher output of 1,153 hp (860 kW / 1,169 PS).

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