RE: 2020 Mercedes-AMG A45 S | UK Review

RE: 2020 Mercedes-AMG A45 S | UK Review

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Discussion

Osinjak

5,453 posts

120 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
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Dave Hedgehog said:
configurator is up

https://www.mercedes-benz.co.uk/passengercars/cont...

no options apart from paint? no aero pack I'm defiantly out
What, like as in a massive huff? I'm sure the salesmen will be kicking themselves with their pointy shoes.

Frimley111R

15,538 posts

233 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
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Wills2 said:
, you need a huge amount of additional capability to "leave another car for dead" on the road.
100% this. I've been on a lot of 'spirited' runs over the years and leaving another car for dead is more about taking huge risks on the road than performance. Even something like a Fiesta ST with a good driver would be very hard for any other car to 'leave for dead'.



Dave Hedgehog

14,541 posts

203 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
quotequote all
Osinjak said:
What, like as in a massive huff? I'm sure the salesmen will be kicking themselves with their pointy shoes.
as my last car was a 45 with aero they probably would

Glenn63

2,732 posts

83 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
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I find it strange how so many people on here are talking about how it will drive, when they haven’t driven one, but all the reviews I’ve seen seem excellent and say it feels similar to the evo’s/Imprezas of old! Yes it would probably be more engaging with a manual but with 8 gears would you want that? As it will probably be a daily driver for most id be happy with the flappy box.
And price, seems/is a lot but weren’t evo’s/imprezas £30k+ 20 years ago?
I’m not a fan of all this new digital dash would much prefer proper dials but doesn’t put me off a car entirely, look forward to a review for the CLA 45s shooting brake thing as I have 2 dogs to transport!

Osinjak

5,453 posts

120 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
quotequote all
Dave Hedgehog said:
Osinjak said:
What, like as in a massive huff? I'm sure the salesmen will be kicking themselves with their pointy shoes.
as my last car was a 45 with aero they probably would
And still being defiant?

Alex_225

6,234 posts

200 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
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C.MW said:
Something Mitsubishi did with the Evo at a cheaper price some decades ago. Here it's only flashier on the inside, costs more, and still can't quite match the best the Evo had to offer in terms of driver engagement. Decent, but wouldn't call it exceptional.
I had a quick rummage online as I do recall the FQ400 models being quote something and interested how they compared.

The Exo X FQ400 was on sale in 2009 for £50k. Ok so it was a saloon car but ultimately a four wheel drive, four cylinder turbo charged, super fast version of a normal car. Exactly what the A45S is other than it being a hatch that is probably similar in size.

The difference is that £50k in 2009 is roughly £67k if you take into account inflation. Servicing those FQ400s was always a regular affair as well so I'd say comparable but the A45S is progress of a similar formula.

J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
quotequote all
Frimley111R said:
Wills2 said:
, you need a huge amount of additional capability to "leave another car for dead" on the road.
100% this. I've been on a lot of 'spirited' runs over the years and leaving another car for dead is more about taking huge risks on the road than performance. Even something like a Fiesta ST with a good driver would be very hard for any other car to 'leave for dead'.
I reckon I am quicker in our Fiesta ST than my M135i, the BMW is an order of magnitude faster in a straight line but falls apart as speed rises, the Fiesta just gets better the quicker you go, so you carry more speed, remember a cross country dash with one in my 350Z and I was struggling to keep up.

But, very few things in my life require arriving anywhere momentarily before Fiesta ST owners.

I quite like that the A45 exists, the old M135i/M140is were far off in a straight line, but wouldnt see which one went over challenging terrain, this new one is much faster (CarWow has a back to back video) and it seems to have more of a handling repertoire.

Its fifty grand as its a cut above anything cheaper in terms of performance and capability, only the similarly priced RS3 is in the same realm.

You dont see many A45's, they were never part of the pile it high, flog (lease) it cheap philosophy VW and BMW had with the Golf R and M lites.

The A35 is covering that end of things with the others, with a stretch they are accessible to a lot of folk, A45 feels like it should be but it is stretch too far for most of those who would fancy one so it stays comparatively rare.

Its heavy as its 4wd, powerful and solidly built, mention a Lotus Carlton and everyone goes all misty eyed, that was 2wd, less powerful and not good in a crash in comparison, it weighed 1700 odd kilos, nobody ever says its heavy when its mentioned. An Integrale was 1300 odd and flexed when you jacked it up, and it had half the power. Less would be better of course but if you want lighter, get something less powerful and 2wd.



BigChiefmuffinAgain

1,054 posts

97 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
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Can quite understand why many people are complaining about the price - how many other new cars with 4 doors can take 4 people to 60 in under 4 seconds for less ?

If this is important to you ( and I am not saying it is to me ) then there's not a lot else around ?

Suspect though it will be a nightmare to leave on the road at night as will appeal to those who like to acquire cars without paying for them....

big_joe

58 posts

73 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
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I don't understand all the comments about it being un-involving to drive, how have you people managed to drive it to make those comments?

Evo magazine have dubbed it as a modern day Mitsubishi Evolution and every review I've read has been extremely positive. Ok it's heavy, but everything is these days. It's auto, but having owned a short geared Lancer Evo with similar power, I'm not sure that having paddles is a negative as you have to change so damn fast it can be fairly difficult on track with a manual.

It seems much more driver focused than RS3s and such like. It really appeals to me as a 4 door every day car that can also hit the B roads and do a couple of track days a year. I just need to try and get my head around the price biggrin.

wolfie28

686 posts

143 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
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Love it and would have with aero pack. Think I am in the minority these days actually wanting a performance car to look a bit saucy. Don't get some of the comments, mind you the Pistonheads forum is full of experts on weight, price, performance, aerodynamics etc etc etc............................................rolleyes

Vickers_VC10

6,759 posts

204 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
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51k and you'd have to stare at that interior all the time.

Flol. Merc have lost the plot. I wouldn't accept that on a Korean hatchback at half the price.

WCZ

10,492 posts

193 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
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JRaj said:
£51k (I assume that's without any options) for a 4 port hatch with the base architecture of an A class? Surely you'll be looking at a sports car from the ground up for that price?

Also granted that it's a new car, but again at that price point, the 2nd hand market has a lot of interesting options.
a 911 only has 385bhp and is £90k+

a nicely spec'd 110hp diesel golf is £35k these days.

martin12345

591 posts

88 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
quotequote all
C.MW said:
Something Mitsubishi did with the Evo at a cheaper price some decades ago. Here it's only flashier on the inside, costs more, and still can't quite match the best the Evo had to offer in terms of driver engagement. Decent, but wouldn't call it exceptional.
From an engineering point of view, what is exceptional is that it does all of this AND meets EU6 and RDE emissions regulations AND meets modern crash standards AND is capable of fuel economy in the 30's (if driven gently on a long run) whereas Evo's can't get out of the 20's

As to whether this makes it a fun car and whether someone want to own one - different question, but you do have to admire what AMG have achieved from a pure technical point of view

Dave Hedgehog

14,541 posts

203 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
quotequote all
wolfie28 said:
Love it and would have with aero pack. Think I am in the minority these days actually wanting a performance car to look a bit saucy. Don't get some of the comments, mind you the Pistonheads forum is full of experts on weight, price, performance, aerodynamics etc etc etc............................................rolleyes
it does look fun doing donuts


https://youtu.be/lfHuTtoKQs4?t=315

R.Sole

12,241 posts

205 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
quotequote all
WCZ said:
JRaj said:
£51k (I assume that's without any options) for a 4 port hatch with the base architecture of an A class? Surely you'll be looking at a sports car from the ground up for that price?

Also granted that it's a new car, but again at that price point, the 2nd hand market has a lot of interesting options.
a 911 only has 385bhp and is £90k+

a nicely spec'd 110hp diesel golf is £35k these days.
The RRP has very little to do with most buyers view on affordability these days!

tim milne

344 posts

232 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
quotequote all
martin12345 said:
C.MW said:
Something Mitsubishi did with the Evo at a cheaper price some decades ago. Here it's only flashier on the inside, costs more, and still can't quite match the best the Evo had to offer in terms of driver engagement. Decent, but wouldn't call it exceptional.
I had an EVO 6 RS, which was blisteringly quick in a straight line, but... max speed was 137mph (limiter in 5th), managed 150 miles at best from a tank at motorway speeds (<100 on normal roads), had to be serviced every 5,000 miles and still blew up.

It's easy to get all misty-eyed about the rally-reps, but they were expensive to buy, expensive to run and heavily compromised as daily drivers, despite their outward saloon-car formats. This is a stunning achievement from Merc AMG.

R.Sole

12,241 posts

205 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
quotequote all
Already £5k off these with no deposit contribution!

big_joe

58 posts

73 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
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R.Sole said:
Already £5k off these with no deposit contribution!
Where are you seeing that mate?

BRR

1,845 posts

171 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
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I like it, I think it's decent value for money too. I don't want one but I'm glad it exists

Adrian250

166 posts

127 months

Tuesday 18th February 2020
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Really wish the Mercedes had not made the decision to not sell the A45 in this country. The A35 seems a bit weak for an entry level AMG, whereas the A45S is far too pricey and possibly over powered for the class. The A45 is the perfect sweet spot in my opinion, but all we don't get it in the UK.