Whatever happened to Mercedes' promise to cut its bloated lineup down to a more manageable size is anyone's guess, because the German manufacturer has been churning out new models left and right. What has changed, however, is that it seems like the soon to be discontinued models, like the S-Class Coupe and Cabriolet, are making room for a large family of smaller vehicles that Mercedes will use to cater to buyers at the beginning of their car-buying years.

And that family includes Mercedes' newest model, the AMG CLA 45 Shooting Brake. Like the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 and A 45 before it, the CLA 45's hallmarks are its shape, which is a mashup between a wagon and Mercedes' coupe styling language, and the 2.0-liter turbocharged M139 power plant that sits under the hood daring anyone to challenge it.

It makes 387 horsepower in its standard guise and 421 ponies in CLA 45 S models, which, regardless of output, is sent through an eight-speed double-clutch gearbox and out to all four wheels via Mercedes'4Matic + all-wheel drive system that features the automaker's now-famous drift mode. With all four tires clawing the pavement, the AMG CLA 45 can hit 62 mph from a dead stop in only 4.1 seconds, while the S model can pull off the same feat in 4.0 seconds flat.

Top speed also varies between the 45 and 45 S models, with the regular Shooting Brake seeing its electronic limiter prevent further acceleration at 155 mph and the S making all the way to 168 mph before staying the course.

And aside from a top-tier driving experience for sports and luxury car enthusiasts, the CLA Shooting Brake's shape gives us a lot to be happy about. While it's based on the CLA, the Shooting Brake has thin headlamps that lend to an angry-looking front end, while the side looks like a normal CLA that's wearing a backpack.

The rear end looks as if it might be controversial since it's so flat, but the rear diffuser with a quad exhaust helps add some spice, as do the aggressive rear fender and the aerodynamic wing straddling the rear end. As you may have suspected, the AMG CLA 45 Shooting Brake will only be available to the European market, with pricing and availability to be announced at a later date.