RE: Mercedes AMG A45 gets faster and louder

RE: Mercedes AMG A45 gets faster and louder

Monday 29th June 2015

Mercedes AMG A45 gets faster and louder

Facelift time already for the A Class, including even more power for the A45



You can measure your life in the model cycle of modern cars, and although it feels like barely yesterday that the current-generation 'W176' A-Class was launched, it was actually three years ago. Which is why, with the relentless logic of these things, it's been called in for the customary mid-life refresh.

Latest: read our review of the facelifted Mercedes-AMG A45

New AMG GT-inspired wheels work well
New AMG GT-inspired wheels work well
Much is as expected: greener, more purposeful design, yadda. Which is why we'll concentrate on the range-topping A45 AMG which has now become - in terms of power output - the hottest hot hatch.

The 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine has been turned up to deliver 381hp - a 26hp increase on before. Despite that relatively modest gain Mercedes claims a 4.2-sec 0-62mph time, 0.4-sec better than the previous car, although its worth mentioning in performance testing the first A45 always proved itself a fair bit quicker than its official numbers. The ratios of the double clutch gearbox have been tightened up from third gear upwards to help keep everything on the boil at higher speeds too.

There's also now the option of a Dynamic Plus pack which adds a mechanical locking limited-slip differential at the front and two-stage adaptive damping. As with other AMG products there is now a five position dynamic mode selection system allowing you to cycle between Comfort, Eco, Sport, Individual and Race, the last of which, we're told, is now set up to allow the A45 "wider drift angles." Quite.

All at Goodwood will know how loud it is
All at Goodwood will know how loud it is
The '45 also gets its name rejigged according to Merc's recent new naming policy, and is now officially the Mercedes-AMG A45 4Matic. Trips off the tongue, doesn't it? Further down the range Merc has also got rid of the old CDI branding for diesels, replacing it with a simple 'd' - i.e. A200d - that will trigger '80s flashbacks among anyone old enough to remember the dawn of compression ignition for passenger cars.

There's also more emphasis on connectivity, with better integration for smartphones. More active safety features now come as standard, including what the official release describes in caps as COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS - for those owners who need help not to repeatedly collide with things, and LED headlights are now an option on all the range and standard on the A45.

We'll have to wait for pricing details, though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author
Discussion

justboxsters

Original Poster:

135 posts

165 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
yes to the power, no to the price, no to the ridiculous evo wing. I looked at these last year. The price is just insulting and the faux flashy bits are just over priced tat.

I'll stick with my 135 thanks.

Itsallicanafford

2,759 posts

158 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
I can still remember being impressed when they brought out the Clio Williams with 150Bhp.

hasn't this thing got more power than a Lotus Carlton?

Numeric

1,393 posts

150 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
We like the old fashioned nature of our 135i manual, but i confess when I had a look at one of these it was a very tempting car though the price was giggle inducing. I suspect that would always be the deal breaker so if did want a 4x4 with flappy paddle I'd go to the Golf R just because of the pricing.

neil1jnr

1,460 posts

154 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
That spoiler is just hilarious, and people mocked the new Type R, I guess they hadn't seen this yet!

dbdb

4,311 posts

172 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
It looks like a gigantic motorised haemorrhoid in red. My God, what has happened to Mercedes? - They made attractive cars once, but it was a long time ago.

moffat

1,020 posts

224 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
The spoiler is an option so people need to calm down a little!

Great power increase and puts the RS3 firmly in its place.

I'm still far from convinced with the interior, but I do like the interior.

Wheels are a great improvement, but I too find the price a bit too rich. I also looked at one to replace my C63, but at the time it was £50k for a decently specced A45 which was 'only' £7k cheaper than a C63 and has less kit in it!!!

I'm not seeing too many 45's on the road due to the very few deals (PCP and lease). I expect MB were completely aware of the sales potential and have kept production in-line with those forecasts. BMW on the other hand massively discount the M135i so it's no surprise people are choosing that or the Golf R.

I think the A45 is much better car than both the R and the M135i, but money talks!

Ali_T

3,379 posts

256 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
This is one car that didn't need more power. What it needed was to have the software deleted for the gearbox and them start again. It was awful and spoiled the entire car.

Cupramax

10,469 posts

251 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
moffat said:
Great power increase and puts the RS3 firmly in its place.
Yeah, because a car with 18 hp more but weighing a little more is always going to make a huge difference... Rose tinted specs perhaps? hehe

matrignano

4,345 posts

209 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
moffat said:
I'm not seeing too many 45's on the road due to the very few deals (PCP and lease). I expect MB were completely aware of the sales potential and have kept production in-line with those forecasts. BMW on the other hand massively discount the M135i so it's no surprise people are choosing that or the Golf R.

I think the A45 is much better car than both the R and the M135i, but money talks!
This. The A45 is an absolute weapon, leagues ahead of the M135i.

But Mercedes always refused to do any deals on it, be it PCP or cash, and that's why they haven't sold half as many as the competition.

cerb4.5lee

30,189 posts

179 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
The performance figures on these have always impressed me big time.

stephen300o

15,464 posts

227 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
Over powered, overweight, more of the same same from Mercedes.

T1berious

2,242 posts

154 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
neil1jnr said:
That spoiler is just hilarious, and people mocked the new Type R, I guess they hadn't seen this yet!
+1 I know Mercedes wants to appeal to a younger crowd but this is er well horrid.

I thought the previous model looked purposeful but this is a touch too chav. I mean it makes a VXR look tasteful.

almost 400 Bhp on tap, sub 4.5 0-60 and it looks like it's crashed through Halfords.

looking forward to laughing about the "price as tested" figures....

IceBoy

2,443 posts

220 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
I saw something on TV the other day briefly.

Drag race between this and the CL65 AMG V12.

The A45 was faster until they hit triple figures, the the V12 started to gain, fairly quickly but by then the race was over....the A45 won.

Very impressive, it did have launch control which the CL does not have!

Iceboy

Reavenger

129 posts

132 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
matrignano said:
moffat said:
I'm not seeing too many 45's on the road due to the very few deals (PCP and lease). I expect MB were completely aware of the sales potential and have kept production in-line with those forecasts. BMW on the other hand massively discount the M135i so it's no surprise people are choosing that or the Golf R.

I think the A45 is much better car than both the R and the M135i, but money talks!
This. The A45 is an absolute weapon, leagues ahead of the M135i.

But Mercedes always refused to do any deals on it, be it PCP or cash, and that's why they haven't sold half as many as the competition.
+1. I'm assuming they had a quota that they weren't allowed to go below or above. Seems illogical though.

I see 2015 models in the classifieds at £38-39k with a few options though. Someone somewhere is getting a 'deal' on these....

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...

PumaUK7

131 posts

143 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
moffat said:
I also looked at one to replace my C63, but at the time it was £50k for a decently specced A45 which was 'only' £7k cheaper than a C63 and has less kit in it!!!
Hang on, it's nigh on impossible to get to £50k on the A45 without ticking every single option.

The C63 are only cheaper because it's the old model, the newer one's start higher. The C63 is also heavier and arguably slower in the real world.

Maldini35

2,913 posts

187 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
Cupramax said:
moffat said:
Great power increase and puts the RS3 firmly in its place.
Yeah, because a car with 18 hp more but weighing a little more is always going to make a huge difference... Rose tinted specs perhaps? hehe
Yep, I always wondered who actually fell for the PR guff about BHP numbers. Now we know.

Only one way to sort this out...

RACE! RACE! RACE!

Carlique

1,630 posts

163 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
I'm glad to see they've finally made the A45 clearly distinguishable from the lesser spec models in the range.

I've always been a big fan of these but always found it hard to spot the differences of one of these to say an A220 AMG Sport, which when you're spending the best part of £40k for a range-topping AMG car, you want it to look and feel a bit more special than your regular company car.

It's a very attractive package (Immense performance with real world pace,practicality and usability)and I for one would definitely have one of these over an RS3, which having seen one at the weekend, was thoroughly underwhelmed by.




Maldini35

2,913 posts

187 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
T1berious said:
neil1jnr said:
That spoiler is just hilarious, and people mocked the new Type R, I guess they hadn't seen this yet!
+1 I know Mercedes wants to appeal to a younger crowd but this is er well horrid.

I thought the previous model looked purposeful but this is a touch too chav. I mean it makes a VXR look tasteful.

almost 400 Bhp on tap, sub 4.5 0-60 and it looks like it's crashed through Halfords.

looking forward to laughing about the "price as tested" figures....
Agree it's HIDEOUS

Shame as my dad had a few Mercs when I was a kid and they used to look great.
I blame China.

big_rob_sydney

3,394 posts

193 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
Strong money for a hatch.

Why you'd choose this over a second hand GTR though, is a mystery to me.

PumaUK7

131 posts

143 months

Monday 29th June 2015
quotequote all
big_rob_sydney said:
Strong money for a hatch.

Why you'd choose this over a second hand GTR though, is a mystery to me.
Because Mercedes vs Nissan...

And New vs 2nd hand...