Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the long-wheelbase derivative of the new-gen CLA at Auto Shanghai 2025. The long-wheelbase sedan, currently set to be exclusively for China, features some market-specific changes over the standard CLA unveiled earlier in the year not just limited to its physically larger dimensions.
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The CLA L follows the same design as seen on the standard CLA unveiled back in March. The biggest differentiator is the L’s longer dimensions, with the sedan being 40 mm longer than the standard CLA, while the wheelbase is up by 75 mm. Interestingly, at 4,763 mm long, the CLA L is longer than the C-class (4751 mm) while sharing an identical 2865 mm wheelbase.
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Moving to the cabin, the CLA L shares the same cabin design as the standard model, replete with three screens on the dashboard running Mercedes’ new MB.OS, though the software has been tailored for the Chinese market. Software changes over the standard MB.OS including a new MBUX voice assistant based on the Chinese AI tool DouBao. New features exclusive to the China-spec cars include a new ‘Just Talk’ feature that lets users from all seats interact with the voice assistant in both Chinese and English and even actively switch languages.
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Next is the addition of Dolby Atmos spatial audio to the voice recognition system, allowing the car to emit three-dimensional ambient sounds to accompany the response to any query, such as the sound of rain hitting the ground if the requested weather forecast suggests upcoming rainfall. Lastly, the MB.OS system also features bespoke avatars for the local market, including auditory responses provided by local voice talents and visual feedback via animations. The navigation system has also been altered to run on local provider AMAP’s data, and also provides details such as lane-level navigation, 3D mapping and traffic signal timers. The dedicated co-driver display also features in-built AI tech to tailor content based on the viewer’s past choices.
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The rear seat experience, too, has been altered. Aside from the greater leg room due to the longer wheelbase, the seat base has also been extended by 10 mm for greater comfort. Mercedes also says that the seat cushioning has been softened.
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So far, Mercedes has confirmed that the CLA L will be offered with all-electric powertrains in the Chinese market, offering a CLTC range of up to 866 km. The EV will support up to 320 KW fast charging,g adding up to 370 km of range in 10 minutes.
