Without doubt the king of the hot hatches – everything is brilliant
We don’t own one – yet.
We will not drive a better car this year than the new Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG. It’s as simple as that.
Sure there are some great hot hatches, but we’ve given the Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG Car Showroom’s maximum – and rare – five-star rating because the turbocharged-all-wheel drive dynamo more than raises the bar for the segment, it rocket-propels the bar into the stratosphere!
Globally, Australia is one of the world’s top-three markets for AMG – despite our small population we bought 750 C 63 AMGs last year – and this is set to continue with ‘Benz already holding plenty of orders for the A 45 AMG and it is being followed shortly by the sedan version (CLA 45 AMG).
Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG Overview
The Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG is based on the already excellent A 250 Sport model which runs the lowered AMG sports suspension, Bi-xenon headlights, uprated brakes with drilled front discs and red-painted calipers plus the carbon-fibre look trim and red-tinged air vents.
To that, the A 45 AMG gains massive AMG extras including 19-inch AMG alloy wheels, high-performance braking package, SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed automatic transmission including launch control, lots of bodykit extras, intelligent light system, Red-Cut leather interior with magnificent AMG sports seats, the AMG flat-bottom steering wheel with alcantara grips, AMG instrument cluster with race timer, 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio – the list goes on and on.
All of that for $74,900.
You’ll need an extra $490 if you want 19-inch alloy wheels in black.
An extra $1,990 buys the Aero kit which adds 40kgs of downforce at 250km/h. The kit comprises a great-looking rear wing (straight from motorsport with beautifully crafted sloping end plates), front flicks on the corners of the bumper and large front splitter.
And another $1,990 gets the AMG sports suspension with springs 20 per-cent stiffer than the regular A 45 AMG.
Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG Engine
The turbocharged, four-cylinder, 2.0-litre engine features Benz’ first twin-scroll turbocharger and it’s a cracker. In fact it’s the most powerful series-production four-cylinder turbo engine in the world – that’s serious bragging rights.
With 265kW at 6000rpm and 450Nm from 2250-5000rpm, the Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG outpunches the BMW M135i (235kW/450Nm) and the Renault Megane RS265 (195kW/360Nm) or even the +$100,000 Porsche Boxster (232kW/360Nm for the $138,600 Boxster S).
But that’s far from the whole story. ‘Benz is at the forefront of F1 Grand Prix racing of course and pit lane gossip suggests the German giant is already much more advanced than either Ferrari or Renault in development for next years’ 1.5-litre turbocharged V6 formula.
Cut to the A 45 AMG and we have:
Up to 1.8-bar of turbocharger boost.
On-demand multi-spark ignition system which sees the plugs capable of multiple firing each stroke so no unburnt fuel enters the cylinder head.
Piezo fuel injectors with an injection pressure of 200bar.
And an electronically-controlled exhaust flap (“for an emotional sound experience at full load,” ‘Benz says). Translation: in sport mode the Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG bangs and pops on gear-changes and trailing throttle just like a DTM racer.
The Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG already complies with the second stage of the European EU6 emissions legislation which does not come into effect until 2017.
Drive is to all four wheels via Mercedes’ latest version of the 4MATIC system which can apportion up to 50 per-cent to the rears. By the way, the lightweight tailshaft has been tested to 1000Nm of torque!
Zero to 100km/h takes 4.6 seconds (faster than even the Porsche Boxster S!) and fuel consumption is rated at 6.9l/100kms (combined cycle).
Like all AMG engines, the new turbocharged four-cylinder is individually hand-built using AMG’s ‘one man, one engine’ philosophy and the engine builder signs and attaches a badge to the engine on completion.
Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG The Interior
Inside, the Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG is just amazingly good. ‘Benz quality goes without saying but the whole package oozes high performance.
Those Red-Cut leather sports seats with alloy highlights are great but the AMG sports steering wheel, leather-wrapped with alcantara grips and beautifully-finished alloy paddle shifters is brilliant. All topped by red seat belts.
The AMG-crafted instruments are superb and blend seamlessly with the carbon-fibre look dashboard and centre-mounted 17.8cm colour TFT screen for the satellite navigation and 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio with Linguartronic voice control and DAB+ digital radio.
Centre console sees the tiny, leather-trimmed AMG gear lever and button for ‘Park’.
Rear seat accommodation is surprisingly spacious – ample leg-room for adults isn’t common in this league.
Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG Exterior & Styling
Mercedes-Benz calls the A 45 AMG an ‘extravagant’ design – we’re calling it a cross between a hatchback muscle car and a racer from the German DTM series.
Of course the gloriously-styled all-new A-Class provides a more than handy starting point.
Combine the AMG extras with the lowered ride height and 19-inch alloy wheels and the A 45 AMG really takes shape.
We’d definitely go for the $1,990 ‘Aero Pack’ which adds the large motorsport-derive rear wing, high-tech front flicks on the corners of the bumper and larger front splitter.
Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG On The Road
Over two days we put the Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG through its paces on-road and on the high-speed Phillip Island race track.
The A45 AMG gains new elastokinematics and stiffer steering knuckles for the front MacPherson strut suspension and a new four-link rear end plus unique springs/dampers and larger anti-roll bars. For an extra $1,990, the optional AMG Performance Suspension brings springs and dampers which are 20 per-cent firmer again.
At Phillip Island we tried the ‘Race Start’ (accessed via the various drive settings). Once set-up you simply nail the throttle and hold the break pedal; release the brake and you’re instantly propelled at neck-straining speed – brilliant.
Around the circuit and some high-speed corners north of Melbourne into the Yarra Valley, the A 45 AMG was astonishing with that 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system keeping everything planted and offsetting understeer which would hamper this much power in front-wheel-drive.
Like the $170,000 Nissan GT-R, we love all of this technology and its contribution to the driving dynamics. This is as good as it gets.
Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG Challenges
There is not one single nut, bolt or washer in the Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG we can criticize.
Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG Verdict
As we said at the outset, we will not drive a better car this year. In one car, Mercedes-Benz has obliterated the hot hatch market.
Best of all, when you consider the technology, the AMG goodies, the all-round quality of the package and the to-die-for driving dynamics, $74,900 is astonishing value-for-money.
Hatchbacks aren’t you thing? Just wait a few months until the A 45 AMG is joined by the sedan version – the all-new CLA 45.
Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG The Competition
Naturally with Mercedes-Benz the major rival starts with a ‘B’. For $68,400, the BMW M135i delivers 235kW/450Nm from its turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder and zero to 100km/h in 5.0-seconds. An eight-speed auto is nice but with the arrival of the all-wheel-drive A 45 AMG, the rear-drive M135i is suddenly looking old-world.
The other CarShowroom favourite in this league is the Renault Megane RS. Only a three-door admittedly and the 195kW/360Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre is a long way short of the A 45 AMG. But, priced from $42,640, the Megane RS maxes-out the ‘fun-o-meter’ with its slick front-drive chassis and an engine which loves to rev.
Volkswagen’s all-wheel-drive Golf R is priced from $49,990 to $52,490 and – like the A 45 AMG – oozes high-tech, high-performance German engineering. But the 188kW/330Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre is now outgunned by AMG’s brilliance.
