RE: Mercedes A45 AMG: Review

[bertie]

SonicHedgeHog said:

..... You can take four adult passengers in comfort on a longish journey....

Provided your rear seat passengers are comfortable with sitting in a coal bunker peering out a letterbox maybe.

You ever sat in the back of one?

Between the high waistline, tiny rear window, and the enormous front seats, it's very very claustrophobic.

[Guffy]

Looks like there could be a few more horses lurking than advertised:

http://www.bimmerboost.com/content.php?3711-The-M1...

[Guffy]

amokwa said:

Guffy said:

I test drove one a couple of weeks ago and put a deposit down on the back of it. Harris nails the review for me and the car is exactly what I’m looking for, so Mercedes have found their target consumer here.

Hopefully be delivered at the end of September.

ETA. My local dealer had 20 slots and they've all been snapped up.

Guffy , who is your dealer ? I am looking for a test drive however Epsom don't have one available yet.

I'm up in Aberdeen... Paradise for new car sales people!

[bertie]

Guffy said:

Looks like there could be a few more horses lurking than advertised:

http://www.bimmerboost.com/content.php?3711-The-M1...

26psi of boost!!!

[AH33]

Like almost every current Merc, it looks bland, anonymous and korean.

They only make 1 decent looking cars now, the SLS.I honestly cant think of another nice looking one you could go and buy today?

[amokwa]

Guffy said:

I'm up in Aberdeen... Paradise for new car sales people!

Thnx

[NGK210]

bertie said:

Guffy said:

Looks like there could be a few more horses lurking than advertised:

http://www.bimmerboost.com/content.php?3711-The-M1...

26psi of boost!!!

= 1.8 bar, which, I assume, doesn't leave much room for a remap?

[EdM]

pilchardthecat said:

I'm actually leaning towards the Merc at the moment, not at all biased towards the Porsche. The problem with the 911 is that it is quite conspicuous, i would worry about leaving it in certain places, and the limited practicality does mean i would still be using the family bus for weekends away etc
But the pork is an aspiration i've had for some time. Overall i'm 50/50 at the moment - since i'm planning on buying around October time it will probably boil down to the dealer discounts when the fizz of the new model has worn off a bit

I urge you on all level's to buy Pork ..every time..my mistake was buying the CLK 430 straight after the 911...the Porker set the bar so high nothing else would do....and still doesn't....but what would I know, I still miss my old BX GTi...

[pilchardthecat]

EdM said:

pilchardthecat said:

I'm actually leaning towards the Merc at the moment, not at all biased towards the Porsche. The problem with the 911 is that it is quite conspicuous, i would worry about leaving it in certain places, and the limited practicality does mean i would still be using the family bus for weekends away etc
But the pork is an aspiration i've had for some time. Overall i'm 50/50 at the moment - since i'm planning on buying around October time it will probably boil down to the dealer discounts when the fizz of the new model has worn off a bit

I urge you on all level's to buy Pork ..every time..my mistake was buying the CLK 430 straight after the 911...the Porker set the bar so high nothing else would do....and still doesn't....but what would I know, I still miss my old BX GTi...

That increases your credibility - I had a BX Gti many years ago

[amokwa]

Test drove this pocket rocket today at Mercedes Benz World. Drive takes you on to the A3 for a blast and back via Cobham.

Interestingly I was following a C63 from Weybridge towards the A3, it just happens he was going the same way onto the A3 :-)

I opened the taps as we joined the A3 blasting past the C63, the salesman said slow down, only then did I realise we were doing ***.

Looked in the rear view mirror C63 was hounding us so jumped into the second lane, he hovered for a while probably the first A45 he had tangled with gave us the thumbs up and took off great sound !

I chased briefly salesman reminding me again, car is well balanced and damped.

Rode very well on 18s which is what I would spec it with, adding Comand, Pan Roof, leather and a few other bits brought the total to just under £49,000 !

[bertie]

There's a test in this months EVO magazine, just out, which compares the A45 against the M135i.

I think it sums up exactly my views.

[Johnnytheboy]

bertie said:

There's a test in this months EVO magazine, just out, which compares the A45 against the M135i.

I think it sums up exactly my views.

Can you give us the gist of it?

[goldblum]

Johnnytheboy said:

Can you give us the gist of it?

I imagine it's the same as most other AMG vs //M comparisons:

AMG = Quicker

//M = More rewarding to drive.

Although the second appraisal is, of course, subjective as there's many owners of smaller AMGs who'll say their C63s and E63s handle and drive pretty damn fine... .

[Kronstein]

Johnnytheboy said:

bertie said:

There's a test in this months EVO magazine, just out, which compares the A45 against the M135i.

I think it sums up exactly my views.

Can you give us the gist of it?

+2. Anyone?

[csmith319]

Kronstein said:

+2. Anyone?

Basically - A45 very fast and very capable but you have to drive it at 10 10ths to properly enjoy it.

135i a bit softer, moves around a bit more and you can enjoy at 6 10ths, i.e. more of the time. Engine much nicer as well (hopefully no one can disagree with that!).

So 135i wins.

This is NOT the same as all other reviews where the A45 has come out on top quite a few times against the 135i, Golf GTI (though thats just clearly an odd comparison) and S3 - often being cited as 'more special' feeling and the performance giving it the edge.

[Kronstein]

csmith319 said:

Kronstein said:

+2. Anyone?

Basically - A45 very fast and very capable but you have to drive it at 10 10ths to properly enjoy it.

135i a bit softer, moves around a bit more and you can enjoy at 6 10ths, i.e. more of the time. Engine much nicer as well (hopefully no one can disagree with that!).

So 135i wins.

This is NOT the same as all other reviews where the A45 has come out on top quite a few times against the 135i, Golf GTI (though thats just clearly an odd comparison) and S3 - often being cited as 'more special' feeling and the performance giving it the edge.

Ta. Look forward to reading the test.

[pilchardthecat]

I doubt the engine is better on the 135 by my criteria - it's all midrange and disappointing at the top end. The merc is said to have a nice kick up top.

[csmith319]

pilchardthecat said:

I doubt the engine is better on the 135 by my criteria - it's all midrange and disappointing at the top end. The merc is said to have a nice kick up top.

I've only driven the N54 and N55 versions in the Z4 so not the 135, but I would say that the top end is not lacking at all with that lovely BMW straight 6 howl. Key thing is that the engine has more character from simply starting it up - a highly turbo'd 4 cylinder isn't going to compare.

However - if thats what you prefer, thats what you prefer.

[pilchardthecat]

csmith319 said:

I've only driven the N54 and N55 versions in the Z4 so not the 135, but I would say that the top end is not lacking at all with that lovely BMW straight 6 howl. Key thing is that the engine has more character from simply starting it up - a highly turbo'd 4 cylinder isn't going to compare.

However - if thats what you prefer, thats what you prefer.

Comparing them to the NA BMW 6's they are horrible

[bertie]

pilchardthecat said:

I doubt the engine is better on the 135 by my criteria - it's all midrange and disappointing at the top end. The merc is said to have a nice kick up top.

Well from my comparison which was A250 (gruff, felt like any other 4 banger) compared to M135i (silky smooth, nice and woofly with a great cultured wail at the top end) there was no comparison.

I can't imagine any car that isn't better with more cylinders, but each to their own.