Sayyaaf
Autotechnik Ace
First drive ...
Autoexpress: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/mercedes/a-class/92812/new-mercedes-amg-a45-2015-review
More power and torque for the Mercedes-AMG A45 über-hatch, in order to see off Audi’s brutal RS3
Autoexpress: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/mercedes/a-class/92812/new-mercedes-amg-a45-2015-review
More power and torque for the Mercedes-AMG A45 über-hatch, in order to see off Audi’s brutal RS3
Verdict
4
Mild exterior and interior tweaks for the facelifted Mercedes A-Class hide some much more interesting hardware further up the range. As well as optional adaptive damping on high-spec cars and a six-speed manual gearbox for the A250 AMG, the range-topping Mercedes-AMG A45 has been jacked up to 376bhp and 475Nm, making it (once again) the fastest hot hatch on sale. The best news is that there also seems to be extra driver interactivity thrown into the mix as well.
Stung by the arrival of
Accompanied by revised gear ratios and aerodynamic tweaks, the 2016 model year AMG A45 turns in figures of 155mph (169mph unrestricted available as an option) and, crucially, a 0-62mph time of 4.2 seconds – lopping a whole 0.4 seconds off its predecessor’s sprint and beating the RS3 by a tenth.
Yet on track, allowing us to explore the full limits of the AMG’s abilities, these seemingly minor changes add up to a whole lot more than you might expect.
The A45 appears to be less nose-led than the preceding model, with a greater degree of throttle adjustability provided in the maximum ‘Race’ mode setting of the Dynamic Select system. Furthermore, the addition of adaptive damping to the A-Class really helps the car’s cause, as it’s not frightfully uncomfortable while cruising, yet it retains all of its exemplary body control.
Despite direct, consistent steering, which is weighty if perhaps lacking the last word in feel, the 4Matic all-wheel-drive grip partners up with the helm to make placing the A45 a breeze.
You can trim your line mid-bend with the slightest lift or depression of the superbly-modulated throttle pedal, and the whole car feels far more alive than it ever has before.
The engine sounds great too, with a hard-edged note from low revs to redline, and there’s no doubting the prodigious pace this thing possesses.
On paper the stats only tell part of the story, because the baby Benz pulls powerfully through the first five of its seven gearbox ratios.
The brakes are incredible and that AMG Speedshift transmission is a peach – feeling quick to react and controlled by the part-Alcantara paddle shifts on the steering wheel.
The Mercedes-AMG A45 remains an expensive car – prices start from just a fiver less than £40,000 – but there’s much more to like here than there was in the old model.
And if you can’t stretch to that, check out the halfway-house A250 AMG variant (from £28,995), which should provide the Volkswagen Golf GTI with something serious to think about.
Key specs
4
Mild exterior and interior tweaks for the facelifted Mercedes A-Class hide some much more interesting hardware further up the range. As well as optional adaptive damping on high-spec cars and a six-speed manual gearbox for the A250 AMG, the range-topping Mercedes-AMG A45 has been jacked up to 376bhp and 475Nm, making it (once again) the fastest hot hatch on sale. The best news is that there also seems to be extra driver interactivity thrown into the mix as well.
Stung by the arrival of
Accompanied by revised gear ratios and aerodynamic tweaks, the 2016 model year AMG A45 turns in figures of 155mph (169mph unrestricted available as an option) and, crucially, a 0-62mph time of 4.2 seconds – lopping a whole 0.4 seconds off its predecessor’s sprint and beating the RS3 by a tenth.
Yet on track, allowing us to explore the full limits of the AMG’s abilities, these seemingly minor changes add up to a whole lot more than you might expect.
The A45 appears to be less nose-led than the preceding model, with a greater degree of throttle adjustability provided in the maximum ‘Race’ mode setting of the Dynamic Select system. Furthermore, the addition of adaptive damping to the A-Class really helps the car’s cause, as it’s not frightfully uncomfortable while cruising, yet it retains all of its exemplary body control.
Despite direct, consistent steering, which is weighty if perhaps lacking the last word in feel, the 4Matic all-wheel-drive grip partners up with the helm to make placing the A45 a breeze.
You can trim your line mid-bend with the slightest lift or depression of the superbly-modulated throttle pedal, and the whole car feels far more alive than it ever has before.
The engine sounds great too, with a hard-edged note from low revs to redline, and there’s no doubting the prodigious pace this thing possesses.
On paper the stats only tell part of the story, because the baby Benz pulls powerfully through the first five of its seven gearbox ratios.
The brakes are incredible and that AMG Speedshift transmission is a peach – feeling quick to react and controlled by the part-Alcantara paddle shifts on the steering wheel.
The Mercedes-AMG A45 remains an expensive car – prices start from just a fiver less than £40,000 – but there’s much more to like here than there was in the old model.
And if you can’t stretch to that, check out the halfway-house A250 AMG variant (from £28,995), which should provide the Volkswagen Golf GTI with something serious to think about.
Key specs
- Price: From £39,995
- Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo petrol
- Power/torque: 376bhp/475Nm
- 0-62mph/top speed: 4.2 secs/155mph
- Economy/CO2: 40.9mpg/162g/km
- On sale: Now
