It is quite evident that Mercedes-Benz India is on a launch spree of sorts this year; after rolling out various cars in the market, the company is now gearing up for a festive season launch. After the CLA 45 AMG, it is now the German carmaker's mini crossover - the GLA's turn to land on Indian shores. Expected to be launched in October, it has started taking pre-orders for the car and will begin deliveries in November.
While the booking amount for the GLA is around Rs 2 lakh, the car will be priced around Rs 30 lakh. In India, the GLA crossover will face competition in the form of BMW X1 and Audi Q3, the two top-selling cars of the segment. The GLA crossover is based on the MFA (Modular/Mercedes Front Architecture) platform, like the A- and B-Class.
In the front, the crossover gets a set of bi-xenon head-lamps infused with LED daytime running lights. Other prominent features include active parking assist, front and rear parking sensors, nine airbags, navigation system, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera and an audio system with six speakers, audio streaming and Bluetooth connectivity. The GLA will also get fuel-saving features like stop-start and radiator grille shutters that enable improved fuel economy.
We expect the Stuttgart-based auto giant to roll out the GLA crossover with both, petrol and diesel engine options. The petrol trims could be powered by a 1.6-litre engine capable of producing a top power output of 156bhp along with a peak torque of 250Nm. While the diesel range is expected to house a 2.2-litre powertrain that is good for 135bhp and 300Nm. Both the motors will most likely come mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch.
Considering that the company has introduced a handful of AMG variants in India already, expect Mercedes-Benz to bring in the AMG version of the GLA crossover too.
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