The new Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class has been doing well — so well, in fact, that the company has added a third shift at the Hungarian factory that builds them in order to meet demand for the sedan.
Brabus has taken the baby Benz and done what it does so well: tune it.
An already-impressive 355 horsepower from the turbocharged 2.0-liter I4 climbs to 394. Torque increases from 332 lb-ft to 369. The speedo needle only needs 4.2 seconds to spin to 62 mph. Top speed goes up, too — if that’s what you desire. Brabus can make sure the electronic nanny doesn’t clock in until 13 mph past the factory 155 mark.
I must admit, I was expecting the modifications to look worse. The red accents in the cabin, which can be generously adorned in Alcantara, are somewhat subtle. Outside, it’s a different story. Carbon fiber mirror caps coordinate with the black 19-inch wheels and front-end trim, but the red rim flanges and the red around the inside of the grille are a bit much. Fortunately, the Brabus website has better-looking examples of what the tuners can do to the Mercedes pocket rocket.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
