New CLA headlining Mercedes-Benz’s 2026 local product roll-out

CLA will arrive in South Africa in two stages from the second quarter. Picture: Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz South Africa has provided a product outlook for 2026, approving no less than five previously unconfirmed models for the local market. Announced at its 140th anniversary celebrations on the outskirts of Pretoria last week, the line-up also involves two products each from the Vans and Maybach divisions.

Already confirmed are the Night Edition of the A-Class, outgoing CLA and GLA based on the respective 200 AMG Line variants. Included further is theAMG CLA 45 S Final Edition, which has an allocation of 15 units, and the realigned diesel-powered GLC range. Debuting later is the effective more affordable replacement for the GLC 300, the GLC 200 4Matic, which will sit below the GLC 220d.

Taking prominence, the second quarter of the year will see the arrival of theall-new CLA. Revealed in March last year, the first model to ride on the new Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA) platform will be rolled out in two stages. Arriving first, the 200 will use the mild-hybrid 1.5-litre turbocharged engine outputting 120kW/250Nm, with the electric source adding 22 kW for short bursts.

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Debuting later, the all-electric CLA 250+ utilises an 85-kWh battery pack powering a single electric motor on the rear axle. The result is 200kW/335Nm, a limited top speed of 210 km/h, 0-100 km/h in 6.7 seconds and a claimed range of 792 km.

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