Mercedes Markets to Youth with Lower Priced Coupe

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German auto manufacturer Daimler celebrated its 125th anniversary in the US by unveiling a sleek, compact Mercedes-Benz CLA coupe on the eve of the 2013 North American International Auto Show that will be marketed to budget-conscious youth buyers, AAP reported.

Considered the “little brother” of the CLS luxury coupe, the CLA features “world-leading aerodynamics”, four wheel drive, a multimedia console that supports iPhone integration and “sporty proportions” that will likely appeal to a younger market.

"The CLA is a style rebel," Mercedes design chief Gordon Wagener told AAP.

"The dynamic design idiom is manifested in breath-taking proportions, muscular, flowing contours and sculptural surfaces."

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The vehicle’s initial concept was introduced at the Beijing Auto Show last April, and the hope is that more budget-minded buyers worldwide will be attracted to the trendy features of this lower-priced luxury car.

“Our goal is to repeat the success of the CLS in the youth segment,” Joachim Schmidt, Mercedes’ executive vice president of sales and marketing, said in The Detroit News’Autos Insider blog.

Dieter Zetsche, CEO of parent company Daimler AG, doesn’t sound worried about it: “With its unique design language, I am convinced that the CLA will make a powerful mark on the image of the Mercedes-Benz brand,” Mr Zetsche told journalists.

The CLA will receive its biggest marketing plug during the Super Bowl in February, which will take place at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

[Photo sourced from AutoBlog.com]