Hanssung Auto secures nearly 1,300 pre-orders for Mercedes-Benz electric CLA, GLC

Hanssung Auto, the official Mercedes-Benz dealer in South Korea, said Friday it has secured nearly 1,300 pre-orders for two next-generation electric vehicles — the All-New Electric CLA and the All-New Electric GLC. The company attributed the result to a focus on customer consultations and test drives following the introduction of a nationwide uniform-pricing system in April.

Both models were officially launched in South Korea by Mercedes-Benz Korea on Oct. 19. The lineup comprises the CLA, a compact electric sedan, and the GLC, a midsize electric SUV. Deliveries for both are scheduled to begin in mid-November.

Mercedes-Benz Korea had previously announced that nationwide pre-orders for the two models reached about 3,500 units as of Oct. 19 — roughly 1,000 for the CLA and about 2,500 for the GLC. Of that total, approximately 1,300 were secured by Hanssung Auto alone.

Hanssung Auto said it views the result as a direct outcome of the shift to a new sales model called Retail of the Future, or RoF.

RoF, which Mercedes-Benz Korea introduced on April 13, consolidates vehicle pricing and inventory management that had previously varied by dealer.

Under the old system, customers had to compare different discount terms across showrooms and check inventory separately at each location. Under RoF, Mercedes-Benz Korea sets a single nationwide price and manages all inventory centrally, so customers pay the same price at any official showroom. The change has also shifted how dealers operate: rather than competing on price discounts, they now focus on product expertise, test drives, purchase consultations and delivery service.

Hanssung Auto is responding to this new sales environment through its network of 19 showrooms nationwide.

Each showroom is staffed with a Customer Experience Manager who oversees the entire purchase journey — from initial vehicle exploration through consultation, test drives, contract signing and delivery. A Business Development Center operating around the clock also handles customer inquiries before and after showroom visits.

Because the CLA and GLC are built on next-generation electric vehicle technology, the company said it is placing particular emphasis on advising customers about charging performance, driving range and digital features.

Both vehicles are built on a new electrification platform developed by Mercedes-Benz. They run the MB.OS vehicle operating system and a fourth-generation MBUX infotainment system, and support fast charging via an 800-volt high-voltage architecture.

The CLA is based on the MMA modular platform, which supports multiple powertrains including battery electric and hybrid. It is priced from 52.9 million to 67.7 million won ($50,400) in South Korea and offers a maximum certified range of 474 kilometers on a single charge.

The GLC uses the MB.EA platform, designed specifically for midsize electric vehicles. It offers a maximum range of 448 kilometers per charge and can charge from 10 percent to 80 percent battery in about 22 minutes. The domestic price ranges from 90 million to 94.8 million won.

Alongside the new launches, Mercedes-Benz Korea is expanding charging services to improve convenience for electric vehicle owners. Buyers of fully electric models will receive a one-year subscription to the MB.CHARGE Public Plus plan, and the company plans to introduce a Plug & Charge service in the first quarter of next year that automatically handles authentication and payment when the charging cable is connected.

Hanssung Auto said it plans to use the new launches as an opportunity to extend its sales expertise — built largely around internal combustion engine vehicles — into electric vehicle customer consultations. Having already secured strong pre-order numbers for the new S-Class unveiled in August, the company said it is adapting to the new sales framework with the CLA and GLC as well.

As Mercedes-Benz prepares to release additional electric models, Hanssung Auto said it plans to strengthen consultation capabilities and customer management systems across its nationwide showrooms.

"It is deeply meaningful that our efforts to build a customer-centered sales structure since the RoF transition are translating into strong pre-order results and positive sales momentum for key new models including the CLA and GLC," Kim Marco, chief executive of Hanssung Auto, said. "We will continue to enhance our professional consultation capabilities and differentiated premium purchase experience in line with the RoF framework, and work to further improve customer satisfaction and sales competitiveness."