Gorden Wagener: Star Shining Bright

Mr. Wagener, let’s talk about the CLA. What does the design stand for, and what does it tell us about the car?

Let’s put it this way: we look for the iconic potential in the design and get up every morning to create something extraordinary. When I came to Mercedes, it was an opportunity to keep doing something new. And the CLA is another new step – it is iconic and extremely important for the brand. The CLA basically took the A-Class to the next level. Before that, a Mercedes was seen as a dad car. With the CLA, we suddenly were cool and sporty. The CLA is also a designer car. It was derived from the CLS, where the focus was on beauty and elegance. This focus was transferred to the CLA, which, in the latest generation, has been transformed from a four-door coupe into a GT.

It’s bigger too, isn’t it?

It is indeed a bit bigger. It’s grown up, so to speak. But size is not important. What is more important is that we have made the car even more progressive and even more technologically advanced. In terms of technology, this car is the most modern in our line-up today.

How does this technology manifest itself?

Especially through the way we present it. We have reinterpreted the radiator grille as a fully illuminated panel for the first time. A total of 142 individually animated LED chrome-effect stars – along with the central star, also illuminated – create a distinctive appearance in the style of the brand. The LED headlamps include star-shaped daytime running lights and are connected by a band of light that extends across the entire front. This design is also reflected at the rear, where the star-shaped taillights are connected by an illuminated design element. This combination gives the CLA a strong and unique visual presence. The star-shaped lights create a distinctive signature that makes this Mercedes instantly recognizable at any time of day or night – a clear statement of iconic luxury.

How does Mercedes-Benz define luxury?

Luxury brands have a certain style that makes them recognizable and is the reason they are bought. Chanel has a signature style created by Coco Chanel that Lagerfeld continued. At Mercedes, I follow the design philosophy of sensual clarity in keeping with the style of the brand.

And when viewed side-on?

We work with clear and reduced lines that give the CLA an elegant and dynamic look at the same time. One example are the typical Mercedes-Benz side features, such as the distinctive window pattern. The athletic shoulder shaping, which extends from the front to the sculpted rear, gives the CLA a particularly sporty look. The silhouette supports the aerodynamics of the vehicle while also ensuring sufficient space in the interior. This flexibility is basically descriptive of the car, which is built on a modular architecture that can be used as a platform for both electric and combustion powertrains. That’s another thing we’ve managed quite nicely as well.

Let’s talk about the interior.

In the interior, we have followed the principle of reduction to the essentials, with a focus on a few iconic elements. The Superscreen is positioned at a very upright angle, giving it an architectural, almost sculptured look. This generates a sense of modernity and timelessness, but also of functionality – the screen is easier to see and operate. Another way in which we are creating a sense of value in the interior is to use leather and brushed aluminum in the decorative elements. When you look inside the car, the impression is one of great luxury.

The CLA is supposed to be the most intelligent Mercedes ever.

Software is always an evolution – you make it better with every update. But this here is a big leap. The MBUX Generation 4, as we call it, is a complete makeover. On the one hand, there are the industry standards that people know and trust from their daily interactions with technology. We don’t want to change that. On the other hand, we are trying to create a visual world that is unique and fits in perfectly with the aesthetics and minimalism of the rest of the interior. We do that through the HMI, through the screen. The aim was to create a sense of value. Then there’s the intelligence, by which I mean the integration of large language models to create a conversational AI. The idea is that I can have a conversation with the car and that it responds according to context. And, of course, it keeps learning. You could say that the car is a supercomputer on wheels, a loyal companion and helper for the driver.
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→ Read the entire story in ramp #67 "Friends With Benefits".