The not so common A45 AMG

[897sma]

The mpg figures quoted by Mercedes are pure fiction, I'm getting high teens out mine most of the time. 22mpg is the best I've had so far on a run.

[ecain63]

I'm averaging 24mpg over the 8800 miles done so far and i give mine a fair bit of abuse. Saying that, there is no way you can get to the MB quoted figures of 40+mpg. You can average 34mpg, maybe 35mpg at 70 on the motorway but to get 40+ i reckon you need to be sat at 55 for a long run and do nothing but mong it. I'm not sure at what speed, under what conditions or in what mode MB achieved their book numbers but they seem to be mythical in the real world rather than a thing you could ever be likely to accomplish.

I am due a long drive to Scotland at the beginning of July so maybe I'll try to clock the 40 then.

[AntiLagGC8]

ecain63 said:

ORD said:

Genuine questions, not snide remarks:-

(1) what sort of miles do you expect out of the engine and box running so much more torque at low revs?

(2) why not buy a faster car to begin with, rather than work from an already quite highly strung engine and weak AWD set up?

1. The engines are good for way over 500bhp. AMG have run them to way over this figure during testing and as it is a fully forged unit the engine is pretty solid. The standard turbo is good for it's current 450bhp but is now at its limit. The gearbox is fine too. It's well tested over 600nm, our concern is with the clutch packs and the haldex diff. If we can upgrade here then we should be fine for a good amount more power. A forum friend has one in development that should soon be happily around 550bhp!!

2. Why anything? That's like asking an Escort Mk1 owner why he kept it for 30+ years and added a zetec turbo at huige cost. People don't expect big things from little cars.

First of all, fantastic car and thread!

It's interesting because it appears many of the Impreza owners are moving on to these since Subaru have watered down the Impreza. There has been a lot of threads on the subject on ScoobyNet.

I've got a friend who has one (stage 1) and I love it, I'm not entirely convinced about the sound but the construction and quality of the car is superb.

I have a modded RB5 (about 380bhp) and the cars are similar in many ways although the Impreza feels like it has better traction on poor surfaces. Apart from that though the A45 is simply progress in technology and quality and is so much more than a performance car. The Impreza is a toy (I own other cars) and is a one trick pony (which I love) but the A45 is a amazing all rounder you can use for everything.

Do you have any plans to use it at the track?

[TotalControl]

Lovely informative write up and the green does look superb on it. Much prefer it to the red.

[ubbs]

Mines done about 4k now from day 1 without mpg reset it's averaged (checked earlier today) 24.1mpg mainly town driving, and on a run from Leeds to Lichfield and back 36.6mpg but that did include the road works between Derby and Wakefield.

[ecain63]

AntiLagGC8 said:

ecain63 said:

ORD said:

Genuine questions, not snide remarks:-

(1) what sort of miles do you expect out of the engine and box running so much more torque at low revs?

(2) why not buy a faster car to begin with, rather than work from an already quite highly strung engine and weak AWD set up?

1. The engines are good for way over 500bhp. AMG have run them to way over this figure during testing and as it is a fully forged unit the engine is pretty solid. The standard turbo is good for it's current 450bhp but is now at its limit. The gearbox is fine too. It's well tested over 600nm, our concern is with the clutch packs and the haldex diff. If we can upgrade here then we should be fine for a good amount more power. A forum friend has one in development that should soon be happily around 550bhp!!

2. Why anything? That's like asking an Escort Mk1 owner why he kept it for 30+ years and added a zetec turbo at huige cost. People don't expect big things from little cars.

First of all, fantastic car and thread!

It's interesting because it appears many of the Impreza owners are moving on to these since Subaru have watered down the Impreza. There has been a lot of threads on the subject on ScoobyNet.

I've got a friend who has one (stage 1) and I love it, I'm not entirely convinced about the sound but the construction and quality of the car is superb.

I have a modded RB5 (about 380bhp) and the cars are similar in many ways although the Impreza feels like it has better traction on poor surfaces. Apart from that though the A45 is simply progress in technology and quality and is so much more than a performance car. The Impreza is a toy (I own other cars) and is a one trick pony (which I love) but the A45 is a amazing all rounder you can use for everything.

Do you have any plans to use it at the track?

I may eventually use it on track. I don't get a huge amount of time to do track work but it is something i need to tick off the list of things to do. I do need to get to Santa Pod in it so i can get an approved 1/4 mile time. Vbox is one thing but a proper slip from the Pod is another.

[EricE]

Really impressed with the power train of these cars. I remember reading that the engine for the A45 originally started life as a prototype for a turbo i-4 Formula 1 engine which was scrapped after the rules called for a V6. No idea if this is true but it could explain the amazing amount of specific output this thing delivers without blowing up. It's like it's a generation ahead of the competition.

[J4CKO]

EricE said:

Really impressed with the power train of these cars. I remember reading that the engine for the A45 originally started life as a prototype for a turbo i-4 Formula 1 engine which was scrapped after the rules called for a V6. No idea if this is true but it could explain the amazing amount of specific output this thing delivers without blowing up. It's like it's a generation ahead of the competition.

Not that its running another 10 psi of boost than say a Golf R ?

[ecain63]

J4CKO said:

EricE said:

Really impressed with the power train of these cars. I remember reading that the engine for the A45 originally started life as a prototype for a turbo i-4 Formula 1 engine which was scrapped after the rules called for a V6. No idea if this is true but it could explain the amazing amount of specific output this thing delivers without blowing up. It's like it's a generation ahead of the competition.

Not that its running another 10 psi of boost than say a Golf R ?

And yet the Golf R still can't handle it. People slated the A45 due to the bad batch of turbos early on. Look up the R's issues and you soon see where the R&D money goes.

[AntiLagGC8]

ecain63 said:

J4CKO said:

EricE said:

Really impressed with the power train of these cars. I remember reading that the engine for the A45 originally started life as a prototype for a turbo i-4 Formula 1 engine which was scrapped after the rules called for a V6. No idea if this is true but it could explain the amazing amount of specific output this thing delivers without blowing up. It's like it's a generation ahead of the competition.

Not that its running another 10 psi of boost than say a Golf R ?

And yet the Golf R still can't handle it. People slated the A45 due to the bad batch of turbos early on. Look up the R's issues and you soon see where the R&D money goes.

I've got to say Subaru and Mitsubishi have both produced cars in excess of the A45 power using 2ltr engines. The only difference is the longer service intervals of the A45 to those earlier cars although the later 330S and other have services intervals of 10k.

It's entirely possible to build a 2ltr engine with those power output that is reliable. There has been thousands of UK Impreza's/EVO's over 350bhp suffering no issues. My 2ltr Impreza has had zero issues in the last 20k running over 350bhp although like the A45 the engine was properly upgraded is fully forged and serviced meticulously. It's worth bearing in mind this is a 15 year old car and is several generations behind the A45 but goes to prove its really not that difficult.

[Driver101]

AntiLagGC8 said:

I've got to say Subaru and Mitsubishi have both produced cars in excess of the A45 power using 2ltr engines. The only difference is the longer service intervals of the A45 to those earlier cars although the later 330S and other have services intervals of 10k.

It's entirely possible to build a 2ltr engine with those power output that is reliable. There has been thousands of UK Impreza's/EVO's over 350bhp suffering no issues. My 2ltr Impreza has had zero issues in the last 20k running over 350bhp although like the A45 the engine was properly upgraded is fully forged and serviced meticulously. It's worth bearing in mind this is a 15 year old car and is several generations behind the A45 but goes to prove its really not that difficult.

Weren't all the more powerful Evos and Subarus tuned on arrival to the UK?

What was the reason they weren't full power from the factory?

The other things that I see having the Merc stand up above the other power plants is Subarus and Evos is the fuel economy and emissions.

The Evo X 360 is £505 and the A45 is £180 for road tax.

[AntiLagGC8]

Driver101 said:

AntiLagGC8 said:

I've got to say Subaru and Mitsubishi have both produced cars in excess of the A45 power using 2ltr engines. The only difference is the longer service intervals of the A45 to those earlier cars although the later 330S and other have services intervals of 10k.

It's entirely possible to build a 2ltr engine with those power output that is reliable. There has been thousands of UK Impreza's/EVO's over 350bhp suffering no issues. My 2ltr Impreza has had zero issues in the last 20k running over 350bhp although like the A45 the engine was properly upgraded is fully forged and serviced meticulously. It's worth bearing in mind this is a 15 year old car and is several generations behind the A45 but goes to prove its really not that difficult.

Weren't all the more powerful Evos and Subarus tuned on arrival to the UK?

What was the reason they weren't full power from the factory?

The other things that I see having the Merc stand up above the other power plants is Subarus and Evos is the fuel economy and emissions.

The Evo X 360 is £505 and the A45 is £180 for road tax.

You could buy factory approved and warranted Impreza's and EVO's at the higher power levels. There is only one A45 AMG however both Subaru and Mitsubishi have produced huge numbers of different models.

Fuel economy in the real world appears to be relatively similar however the tax point is a valid one.

Finally the final EVO has broken cover and is going to produce 466bhp from its 2ltr engine

It cost £46k and is going to be utterly ballistic!

[Driver101]

AntiLagGC8 said:

You could buy factory approved and warranted Impreza's and EVO's at the higher power levels. There is only one A45 AMG however both Subaru and Mitsubishi have produced huge numbers of different models.

Fuel economy in the real world appears to be relatively similar however the tax point is a valid one.

Finally the final EVO has broken cover and is going to produce 466bhp from its 2ltr engine

It cost £46k and is going to be utterly ballistic!

I seen that when I Googled the road tax costs.

Says the UK isn't getting it?


Edit. Just reading the article about the final edition, Evo magazine are talking 300bhp and not the 470bhp of the concept.

Edited by Driver101 on Wednesday 10th June 01:34

[bmthnick1981]

Hi Eddie

I hear your car go past my office at the top of Richmond Hill most days at around 4.45-5.00pm, it makes my head turn and look out of the window where I see a little green car making its way to the Wessex Way. I think the colour lokos great and you've obviously done a good job choosing the best mods judging by the performance figures. Enjoy!

[ecain63]

bmthnick1981 said:

Hi Eddie

I hear your car go past my office at the top of Richmond Hill most days at around 4.45-5.00pm, it makes my head turn and look out of the window where I see a little green car making its way to the Wessex Way. I think the colour lokos great and you've obviously done a good job choosing the best mods judging by the performance figures. Enjoy!

Thanks mate, glad you like it. I assume you hear me bark it up the hill in a bid to get her warm before the dual carriageway. lol

I'm back on chemo tomorrow so went out and did a last run to clear my head:

[bmthnick1981]

ecain63 said:

bmthnick1981 said:

Hi Eddie

I hear your car go past my office at the top of Richmond Hill most days at around 4.45-5.00pm, it makes my head turn and look out of the window where I see a little green car making its way to the Wessex Way. I think the colour lokos great and you've obviously done a good job choosing the best mods judging by the performance figures. Enjoy!

Thanks mate, glad you like it. I assume you hear me bark it up the hill in a bid to get her warm before the dual carriageway. lol

I'm back on chemo tomorrow so went out and did a last run to clear my head:

Seriously rapid.

[em177]

ecain63 said:

I'm back on chemo tomorrow so went out and did a last run to clear my head:

Best of luck.

[snoopy25]

Hopefully it all goes well for you fella

[ecain63]

em177 said:

ecain63 said:

I'm back on chemo tomorrow so went out and did a last run to clear my head:

Best of luck.

snoopy25 said:

Hopefully it all goes well for you fella

Thanks all.

I'm a week into the chemo now and it's pretty grim as expected. That said, the cold symptoms that made driving uncomfortable during my winter session in 2013/14 are non existent this time round so that's something i suppose.

I'll update when the next mods arrive: Lightweight wheels and rotors that should save me many kilos!

[JockySteer]

Awesome thread. I slag off the A45 mainly because I'm your standard 'AMG should be V8+' kind of person, but there's no denying what a beast yours is. Seen a few runs of it on youtube at vmax and it looked a beaut.
I am a bit upset that a 2L A45 is faster than my SLK 55, but at least it's not difficult to spot your car so I know not to try anything!
I'd be interested to see what it pulls to 155 though if you've done it? I've done a couple of runway blasts and got between 28-29 seconds both times. I think we could be close!