Mercedes-AMG has finally unveiled the all-new A45 and CLA 45 AMG models.
The cars are powered by the most powerful production four-cylinder petrol engine.
The 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot produces 30kW more than the previous engine with 310kW.
Torque has also been bumped up from 475Nm to 500Nm. Maximum torque is oddly only available between 5000-5250rpm. the engine will rev until 7200rpm.
Like in other AMG models there's a tamer model. The aforementioned power figures are for the 's' models. The normal models get 285kW and 480Nm of torque.
Mercedes South Africa has been only offering the 's' models in Mzansi. I'll just focus on that model from now on.
So, what does 310kW and 500Nm get you? Well, that's a 0-100km/h in 3.9s in the A45 and 4 seconds dead for the CLA 45. Top speed for both models is 270km/h. Power is sent to all four wheels via an 8-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT.
Outstanding performance, ultimate driving dynamics, and an expressive design are all hallmarks of the new Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4MATIC+! It reasserts itself as a segment leader by setting all-new standards.
— Mercedes-AMG (@MercedesAMG) July 4, 2019
[Csm: 8.4-8.3 l/100 km | CO2: 192-189 g/km] pic.twitter.com/q5W9bINZUU
There's also now a drift mode. But unlike in the bigger AMG models where drift mode is achieved by just disabling the front axle here the AMG engineers used some clever trickery. They use a system called AMG TORQUE CONTROL in the rear axle differential.
It uses two electronically controlled multidisc clutches, each of which is connected to a rear axle drive shaft to ensure "power sliding" is possible.
The last A45 AMGs was known for its harsh ride. Now the car's engineers have worked on the suspension there's new frequency-selective shock absorbers, MacPherson front struts and a multi-link setup at the rear. Mercedes says that the "comfort has been improved compared to the preceding model" but it will achieve a higher maximum lateral acceleration together with easy vehicle control at the limits.
You can select how hard you want the ride to be using AMG Dynamic Select which allows you to switch between Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Individual and Race drive modes.
Looks wise, the new 45 models get Merc's Panamericana grille at the front and bigger more aggressive air scoops to differentiate it from the lesser 35 models.
At the back, there's a bigger rear wing and rounded quad pipes along with aggressively styled diffuser.
Inside it is the same tech and interior features as in the normal A-Class but treated with special trimmings like Alcantara and bright yellow colours.
