2016 AMG A45 - An ode to simplicity? Not really.

[Josh84]

Just picked up a fully optioned 2016 AMG A45 in Mountain Grey as a daily. Owned a Scirocco R, Golf 7R and F80 BMW M3 prior to getting this.

I'll admit that I currently have a love-hate relationship with the rear spoiler and the bold interior design is not for everyone. It is however a decently quick car - 4.16 to 100km/h and with an all-wheel drive system, (front biased of course) it does serve as a great daily.

Obligatory pics:





More updates soon!

Cheers

[Josh84]

Thank you all for the warm welcome. Over the past week, I've made subtle but considered changes to the AMG - (1) H&R Lowering Springs and (2) Volk Racing Forged Wheels

The forged wheels have made a tremendous improvement in acceleration and handling seems a tad more precise now. No plans to tinker with the ECU or power outputs as I'm pretty happy with what its producing ....for now.

For those who asked how I'd compare it to the tuned Golf 7R? Well, it lacks the outright pace of the tuned Golf from a standing start but it is simply the more brutal, urgent and frenetic car at higher speeds up in the power-band. The steering, whilst typically muted as is the case with most AWD hatches, does offer glimpses of feel and feedback which is always nice.

Here is how it looks now, a week after I took delivery of the car:



More updates to come soon.

Cheers

[Josh84]

Thanks. That was just the look I was going for.

[Josh84]

Cheers guys.

Coming from an M3 with 6 cylinders, I'd have to say that the A45 Is every bit an AMG with 4 cylinders. Gone are the days where performance sub- brands were dominated by beastly 8 cylinder engines. I've personally come to accept it.

For everyday driving the A45 (the AMG lol) provides just the right amount of fun.

[Josh84]

I have to agree! It doesn't come close to what it should sound like.

More pics:

The car is stock apart from wheels and suspension.

[Josh84]

Good points but...the wheels are forged and they are heaps lighter than the OEM wheels. They are of the same size as the original Merc wheels.

And there is evidently less body roll in corners as well. I might have used the word "faster" rather liberally but it does feel lighter on its feet.

[Josh84]

I'd go as far as to say that the R is the quicker car in the real world from 0-100km/h. It has a far far better transmission than what the Merc has. Having owned both cars, I miss the fluidity of gear changes in the DSG. The Merc seems to ponder a little before it moves.

[Josh84]

Pommygranite said:

Nice car and i remember your Golf which looked so much better than other 7R's.

Question - how does the M3 compare to the A45?

Also, would love to know the secret of how you are able to get in some lovely machinery in quick succession!

Thanks! The M3 is a quick car but it only gets going at higher speeds, where its true potential can be harnessed.

As for the A45, there is more immediate power delivery and better traction from 0-100km/h, but beyond that, the M3, I suspect will trounce the A45. They are really 2 very different types of cars.

As for the latter question, no real secret apart from me getting bored with the cars I own very quickly. haha

.....
A close-up of those wheels. I personally prefer the OEM ones but these were considerably lighter and came in a more aggressive offset which I preferred.

Apologies for the bad photo, I had to crop out some of the mess in my garage

Edited by Josh84 on Tuesday 9th February 02:39

[Josh84]

Haha true.

It took a bit of math to get the suspension travel and wheel offset just right. The car looks lower than it actually is. There is a healthy amount of fender clearance - enough to prevent any sort of rubbing on bumps. Functionality is very important in what is currently my daily ride.

[Josh84]

Thanks guys. Car is almost run in now and the engine sounds so much better....for a 4-pot. Really urgency to how it goes and the revamped gearbox software for the Facelifted models is proving to be a beautiful addition. Not quite in the same league as Vw's DSG but it's getting there.

[Josh84]

Cheers mate.

Manual gear shifting is pretty decent on the A45. It's more responsive than the Golf R. It's the initial lag that lets it down

[Josh84]

[Josh84]

Yup my Golf 7R was tuned with an array of upgrades. It did 3.5 seconds to 100km/h. But I do agree that the A45 seems a faster all-rounder. Motor Magazine has documented a 4.1 second 0-100km/h in their tests which is impressive for a little golf-polo sized hatchback.

ZX10R NIN said:

That's a nicely turned A45 I like the upgrades, the reason for the slight lag is to do with the turbo is larger so has to get on boost but the upside is a stronger top end.

I have a friend with a DSG Golf R uprated to 390bhp & a mate 410bhp 4wd Cossie 0-70 the Golfs just goes after that the Cossie owns the Golf, the lag on his Hybrid T4 is obvious while the R feels seamless you do notice the lessened shove from 70+ also as a side bar the cossie feels like more of an event.

What I'm saying is embrace the lag when I drove a CLA it seemed to be a very small delay & I wasn't sure if it was the throttle software or lag or maybe a bit of both.

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Sunday 14th February 10:10

Thanks! I was always wondering why there was a lag and your post has clarified it! It makes so much sense that the A45 would pull harder higher in the power band. Had a go with Race mode yesterday and the car feels absolutely mental after 4000 RPM. There is a brutal urgency which was absent on the Golf R both in stock and tuned form.

....

Close up of the rear-end. The diffuser is part of the Aero-Pack option. Over the top by far, but it does have a brash character about it that I like. Definitely not everyones cup of tea.

[Josh84]

neilbauer said:

Very nice

Thank you sir!

[Josh84]

Some random interior snaps of suspension settings and the like. Interface is not as sleek as the M3's Idrive system but still fairly intuitive.

[Josh84]

Mr Tidy said:

So glad you don't have to suffer a "beastly" 8 cylinder engine in your A-Class - although it just might have made it vaguely desirable! And it would have sounded so much better in a tunnel!

But each to their own...!

Surely you could have bought an STi or Evo for far less money if you were set upon only 4 cylinders and chippable turbo stuff?

Seems very PlayStation to me, but then I am getting on in years!

Haha well said!

Although, the c63 and A45 are like apples and oranges. I wanted a quick AWD daily with a decent/comfortable interior. In my opinion, I wouldn't get the latter quality in the STI or EVO.

Further to this, cars like the E92 M3 and C63 are really meant to be enjoyed in an open road at speeds well above the legal limit on my daily commutes to work. It is a different sort of car that has its own purpose and role.

Whilst I can relate to the general infatuation with NA 8-cylinder engines, the simple fact of the matter is that times are changing and technology has led to more "chippable turbo stuff" for better or worse.

Bottom line is that not all A45 owners are C63 (or similar) aspirants.

Edited by Josh84 on Wednesday 17th February 04:05

[Josh84]

Thanks guys! Agree about the torque limited gearing. I'm getting used to it.

This is the sort of car that wants to be pushed and thrown into corners. There is something very frenetic about the whole driving experience that I've only just come to appreciate and enjoy.

Edited by Josh84 on Sunday 28th February 22:34

[Josh84]

Took it out for a spin this weekend. Pretty impressed with its handling and the preciseness with how it goes about with its business. Having driven the RS3 and A45, I'd say the RS3 is the more fun car while the A45 has more brutal urgency about it.



Will be taking it out through the windy roads of the Great Ocean Road in Melbourne, Australia next week. More pics and comments/impressions to follow after.

[Josh84]

Thanks guys!

Took it for a spin around the great ocean road in Melbourne with "race mode" on throughout and what a drive it was! It's a confidence inspiring machine. What it lacks in driver engagement, it makes up for in terms of handling efficiency. It is a serious, no nonsense hatch despite the funky spoiler at the back and the ludicrous over-the-top exhaust crackles

[Josh84]

Escort3500 said:

Ha ha, great response The spoiler is bound to divide opinion; for me it's just too much. Otherwise it's a great car and that grey looks stunning.

Thanks very much! The spoiler does stand out indeed.


....

It has been a while since my last post. The car is going in for a custom tune in the coming week. Apart from a wider rear track and carbon side lips, no new additions have taken place. The more I drive it, the more I've come to appreciate its essence as a hothatch. For those with Instagram, more pics are located at @joshtrippingwords