This week Mercedes-Benz in Ireland launched two new models to our market. Irish customers can now purchase the new V-Class people carrier and the very sporty-looking CLA Shooting Brake.

The V-Class sits up to eight passengers and, as should be expected, it is a very spacious proposition. Options are available in terms of how seating is ranged within this machine; purchasers can opt for two rows of two individual rear seats, or; two rows of two/three person bench seats. For those who need versatility, the seats can fold down and can be “easily clipped in/out”.

At the moment the V-Class is available with three 2-litre, 4-cylinder turbo diesel engines (V200 CDI, V220 CDI and V250 BlueTEC). Three lengths are available too, with Compact, Long, and Extra Long on offer. All come with automatic transmissions. Prices for the V-Class start from €52,390.

Now onto what you all want to read about, also launched to the Irish market this week was the sporty CLA Shooting Brake. This car is aimed at younger people who “may not have considered” owning an estate car before.

This is a very stylish looking machine and it helps that it’s not a million miles in appearance from its bigger brother, the CLS Shooting Brake. The CLA Shooting Brake offers four centimetres more headroom than the four-door version, and a load capacity of between 495 and 1,354 litres.

Inside you’ll find a 7-inch screen with what Mercedes-Benz describes as a “high gloss finish”. Two equipment lines will be available – Urban and AMG.

Two CDI diesel engines (4-cylinder, 2.2-litre, 136hp, CLA200 CDI – and a 4-cylinder, 2.2-litre, 177hp, CLA220 CDI Automatic) will be available and three petrol engines (a 4-cylinder, 1.6-litre, 122hp, CLA180, - a 4-cylinder, 1.6-litre, 156hp, CLA200 - and a 4-cylinder, 2.0-litre, 211hp, CLA250).

Prices for the CLA Shooting Brake start from €31,490 and stretch as far as €45,045.

Ciaran Allen, sales manager for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars said “consistent with their drive to compete in all segments, the V-Class and CLA Shooting Brake combine attractive prices, top-end specifications, luxury and refinement in a way that Mercedes-Benz believes will attract an even wider cross-section of owners to the brand.”