At yesterday's opening of the IAA 2023 Munich Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz Group CEO Ola Kaellenius presented to the world the Concept CLA Class. Presented as a design concept, it is not yet ready for production but it’s a preview of how the next generation 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLA will look like.

More importantly, the Concept CLA Class also presents the first product to ride on the company’s new MMA architecture.

Short for Mercedes Modular Architecture, MMA will replace MFA II, the current platform that underpins all Mercedes-Benz compact car models – A-Class, A-Class Sedan, B-Class, CLA, CLA Shooting Brake, GLA, GLB, EQA, and EQB.

MMA is said to be developed with electrification in mind, but it is not an electric-only platform. Instead, MMA is an electric-first platform, meaning that it is optimized for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) but it can still accommodate combustion engines.

CEO Kaellenius said MMA will accommodate for new compact Mercedes-Benz models - a four door coupe, a shooting brake and two stunning SUVs. 

While Kaellenius didn’t mention any specific models, it is obvious that he is referring to the CLA, CLA Shooting Brake, GLA/EQA, GLB/EQB.

No hatchback or sedan (Limousine in Mercedes-Benz lingo) were mentioned.

This doesn’t mean that the A-Class and A-Class Sedan will be discontinued, at least not immediately. The entry hatchback and sedan still continue to be sold for a few more years, but it will cruise to a slow descent before disappearing from the line-up by the second half of this decade.

Back in 2022, CEO Kaellenius announced that Mercedes-Benz will be adjusting its product portfolio to focus more on top-end luxury models like the S-Class and G-Class, and less on entry-level luxury ones like the A-Class, even though the latter contributes more sales volume.

The goal is to prioritize profit over market share / sales volume, so Mercedes-Benz doesn't care if BMW sells more 2 Series Gran Coupe or 3 Series to claim the No.1 selling luxury car brand, because Mercedes-Benz's goal is to grow its S-Class, G-Class, and AMG customers base.

Also read: Mercedes-Benz confirms plan to cut down entry models, will the A-Class Sedan survive?

He also said the Mercedes-Benz compact car range will be cut from the current 7 models to just 4. We now know what those 4 models will be.

This also means that the current generation A-Class, including AMG variants, and the Sedan derivative model, will be the last.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia no longer sells the A200 and A250 hatchback, only the AMG A45S is available, priced from RM 509,888.

The A-Class Sedan is locally assembled (CKD) at Pekan, priced from RM 238,888 for the 1.3-litre turbocharged A200 Sedan and RM 263,888 for the 2.0-litre turbocharged A250 Sedan.