Off the wire
• Africa Focus: Somali children still vulnerable despite signing of UN convention  • Iran, Russia vow to counter "common challenges"  • Zambia's ruling party candidate confident of winning presidential race  • Iran ready to talk with Saudi Arabia over diverse issues: official  • Kenya, U.S. mull measures to boost trade and direct flight  • 1st LD: British jihadist who faked his own death admits terror offences  • LME base metals mostly rise on Tuesday  • Genetic changes in Ebola may impede potential treatments: study  • FTSE 100 closes higher on Tuesday  • Lower oil prices, devalued euro provide impetus for Austrian economy: central bank  
You are here: 　 Home

Mercedes starts up CLA Shooting Brake production line in Hungary

Xinhua, January 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

The production line for Mercedes-Benz' new model, the CLA Shooting Brake swung into gear on Tuesday in Kecskemet, Hungary, about 90 km southeast of Budapest.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban attended the ceremonious start-up of the new model line, which factory manager Thomas Geier said would only be made at this facility as would the CLA coupe, and would be exported to over 180 countries and regions.

Orban, speaking at the factory, said that there currently were 6,000 companies operating in Hungary wholly or partly supported by German capital.

"These companies employ over 300,000 workers," he added.

Orban praised Mercedes for its investment in Hungary, saying that in the final analysis Mercedes was the company that made it possible for Hungary to get back onto Europe's economic map. He thanked the factory for employing 4,000 workers.

Mercedes began producing the B Class compact hatchback in Kecskemet in 2012 and the four door CLA coupe in 2013. The new CLA Shooting Brake is a long-roof variant of the CLA coupe but is a hatchback with an extended cargo space.

Geier told the news conference that Hungary was specializing in the smaller sized Mercedes cars. To date, he said, Mercedes had invested one billion euros (about 1.16 billion U.S. dollars) in the Kecskemet facility.

Geier also thanked the Hungarian government for over 90 million euros in low-interest export support credit which will be used to finance further investments.

Talks with the government were also underway for additional subsidies that would be in line with European Union requirements, Geier added.

The first of the new CLA Shooting Brakes should reach European buyers in March. (1 euro = 1.16 U.S. dollars) Endit