RE: Mercedes A45 AMG: Review
Discussion
bertie said:
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.
bertie said:
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.
I have driven both M135i and the A45 and very different. The A45 is great on a country road if you are on a mission. But it didn't sound nice to my ears and suffered from turbo lag when you are not going for it. 90% of the time the BMW 6-cylinder engine much more cultivated with much more low down urge. Having an extra litre of capacity as well as two extra cylinders makes a huge difference to how it drives on a daily basis.
If you prefer the type of delivery provided by the Merc then that is fine. Just not for me (for the use my M135i will get).
pilchardthecat said:
bertie said:
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.
I've yet to drive a very charismatic or cultured 4 pot, and I include the one in my Caterham R400, fine for that sort of car, but I wouldn't want to drive it everyday.
We sat in an A45 AMG at Goodwood. My 9 year old broke the cupholder without even trying. I then cut my finger on the sharp plastics trying to 'fix it' before anybody noticed.
I've not driven it so it may well be great fun but the interior felt pretty shoddy - especially for £40k. Nice seats though.
I've not driven it so it may well be great fun but the interior felt pretty shoddy - especially for £40k. Nice seats though.
Durzel said:
I agree, and I personally wouldn't spend £37k (£40k+ when optioned sensibly) on this car, no disrespect to those that would.
But most people won't spend £40k on it. They'll lease it for £10k over two years, with no other costs but fuel.Someone will say to me - 'but you'll have nothing that belongs to you at the end of the lease term'. So what? You buy your used car for £40k cash, sell it after the same 2 year period for £30k, and you will also have paid more for a warranty, servicing, anything that goes wrong...so they financial pain is very similar.
I agree that the A45 is pricey, but I don't think it matters as much as many on here think.
Lowtimer said:
bertie said:
I've yet to drive a very charismatic or cultured 4 pot
Never driven a car fitted with a healthy BDA derivative, Alfa or Fiat twin-cam, Alfa flat-four or Lotus 1.6 or 2.2? More recently, my Caterham R400 suits an angry 4 banger too.
But in an everyday car, I'd take a 6 cylinder every time.
Scuffers said:
two thoughts...
26pi boost? is that turbo-lag I hear?
Haldex - oh great, another FWD bodge...
Reviews (by people who race/do plenty of track time) seem positive though no?26pi boost? is that turbo-lag I hear?
Haldex - oh great, another FWD bodge...
Not trying to be argumentative but turbo lag on a 10.x to 100 machine doesn't seem like a big problem.
As far as I can see, turbo lag has no effect on outright performance with an automatic gearbox (and would have to be pretty damned shocking to have much effect on a manual).
From what I've read, I doubt the turbo lag will be any better or worse than its competitors. I certainly haven't read any comments that it's exceptional in that regard either way.
From what I've read, I doubt the turbo lag will be any better or worse than its competitors. I certainly haven't read any comments that it's exceptional in that regard either way.
Sure: point I was trying to make was that it has enough performance to carry any lag although as you say,that hasn't been pointed out in any of the tests so far.
I'm looking forward to a demo - sounds like it covers quite a few bases/offers lots of performance and is fun/slightly different.
I'm looking forward to a demo - sounds like it covers quite a few bases/offers lots of performance and is fun/slightly different.
kid of missing the point though...
off boost is going to be very lethargic, the compression ratio to stand 26psi is going to have to be pretty low (and remember here we are talking 95Ron fuel to get it homologated).
then think just how fast the turbo can build 0 to 26psi, it's going be noticeable.
yes, 0-100 times are going to look good, however, with a dsg gearbox, it's going to be on boost from the off, so not really a good test, driving it about on part throttle etc Will be though.
off boost is going to be very lethargic, the compression ratio to stand 26psi is going to have to be pretty low (and remember here we are talking 95Ron fuel to get it homologated).
then think just how fast the turbo can build 0 to 26psi, it's going be noticeable.
yes, 0-100 times are going to look good, however, with a dsg gearbox, it's going to be on boost from the off, so not really a good test, driving it about on part throttle etc Will be though.
The Vambo said:
Erudite, insightful and wonderfully original.
That post is none of these.
much like your considered response then!That post is none of these.
kambites said:
True, but the fact still remains that none of the reviews have commented particularly unfavourably on the throttle response. What type of turbocharger setup is it?
good question?there's almost no info out there on this engine install, i guess utterly could be compound turbo'ed or the like? but that's still going to have response issues..
Scuffers said:
two thoughts...
26pi boost? is that turbo-lag I hear?
Haldex - oh great, another FWD bodge...
i didn't notice any lag in the one i have driven, i expected it to be pretty bad in heavy traffic but in auto the box just changes down a few cogs to put you in the power, it certainly is more flexible in traffic than a B8 RS426pi boost? is that turbo-lag I hear?
Haldex - oh great, another FWD bodge...
haldex 4 onwards will split power 50/50 on throttle use (there are dyno traces showing this), its a vastly different animal to the original version and there is always power to both axels, when you have 50/50 power split on the limit of traction steering will apply additional force to the front axel which will cause the car to ultimately understeer. I will say the A45 is vastly better nailed down on the front than any other haldex car i have ever driven. And dont forget haldex is good enough for Bugatti
the A45 just felt slow to me, for a car that's supposed to be faster than an 135i i expected it to have a real bang when going for it and be a snarly beast, rather its just a wave of power rather than an explosion, felt like a slightly quicker R golf imo
I wonder why 50/50? If you're going to go to the effort of powering the rear wheels all the time (with the associated drive-line losses that that gives) I'd have thought that you'd want no more than 50% to the front and a "typical" distribution of something like 30/70 F/R.
Out of interest, why would you consider heavy traffic to be bad for turbo lag? In my experience it makes itself most obvious transitioning onto the throttle coming out of fast corners.
Out of interest, why would you consider heavy traffic to be bad for turbo lag? In my experience it makes itself most obvious transitioning onto the throttle coming out of fast corners.
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