[backdoc]

Harsh ride but everything else looking good.

0-60 - 4.1 seconds and 1/4 mile in 12.6! How awesome is that.

Mercedes A45 AMG 2013 review | Auto Express

2013 Mercedes CLA 45 AMG review and pictures

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/first-drive-Mercedes-CLA-45-AMG-2013-06-12

2013 Mercedes A45 AMG review and pictures | evo

Mercedes A45 AMG (2013) CAR review | Road Testing Reviews | Car Magazine Online

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/mercedes-a45-amg-first-drive-review-2013-6-12

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/2013-mercedes-a45-amg-review/266001

 

[Tonyride]

Nice.

 

[BenzinoXL]

Awesome compilation of reviews.

I just went over one of the reviews for the CLA 45 AMG and they referred the engine note to be close to a Mitsubishi lancer Evo. Did you guys find the same thing when you heard it in the video?

The CLA’s four-cylinder soundtrack borders on the thrummy at constant revs, and although it sounds nicer when the engine gets extended – and especially when popping on the over-run – it’s closer to a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo than a C63 AMG.

 

[MaximilianJürgen]

It makes sense since the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo utilizes a turbocharged four cylinder as well but my guess is the CLA would sound a bit more deeper. I wouldn't have thought the CLA 45 AMG would be anything close to a C63AMG. The sounds of V8s and four cylinders are completely different.

 

[WildBenza]

Thanks backdoc.

They also said that the CLA 45 AMG will be coming with carbon trim for the cabin and leather dash board with red stitching as a standard. I wouldn't have expected anything less for the price

I love the sound of the CLA 45 AMG. the engine sound doesn't disgrace itself from the AMG family.

 

[brianch]

2013 Mercedes CLA 45 AMG review - What Car?

Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG 2013: First Drive - motoring.com.au

Mercedes CLA 45 AMG 2013 review | Auto Express

First drive: Mercedes CLA 45 AMG - BBC Top Gear

Top gears review

But it's got 354bhp...

Yep, and that's the same as the 5.5-litre V8 E55 AMG developed not so long ago, only here it comes courtesy of a plain 2.0-litre four cylinder. With a turbo. A pretty big turbo, it must be said. Power goes to all four wheels through a seven-speed double clutcher and a series of differentials. But not permanently. In fact until the front wheels start to slip, this is a front driver.

So how does it cope?

Pretty damn well, due to the fast reactions of the on board computers in sending power around the place. In fact it's a ridiculously rapid cross country device - the chassis is perfectly able to cope with the power and body control is superb. But in the CLA the 2.0-litre turbo never feels like it's doling out the full 354bhp and 332lb ft. Both this and the A45 have the same claimed 4.6-second-to-62mph time, but the CLA is porkier by 30kg, in fact just porky full stop at 1585kg, and has a marginally less focused demeanour.
See more pics of the CLA 45 AMG here
What do you mean by that?

That the CLA isn't a hardcore car. This is the one that's aimed at America (where they won't get the A45), and that means the dynamic edges have been rounded off slightly. Even if you opt for the sports exhaust, it's quieter here than in the A-Class. Our one didn't have the sports exhaust (nor the sports suspension) and bar a pop on the upshift and an occasional chatter on lift-off, aurally the engine was a bit of a disappointment. This is concerning, because if AMG can't make a four cylinder turbo sound good, what hope for others?

But the Audi RS3 sounds pretty good, doesn't it?

It does, but it has a fifth cylinder to inject some character. The BMW M135i has an extra pair. Those two, plus the new S3 and old 1M are the cars that Mercedes has been benchmarking. Of them, the Mercedes feels more aligned to the Audi - a fellow transversely-engined 4wd car, and one that majors on cross country speed rather than outright pleasure. The CLA is very quick and very competent, but competence is sometimes an over-rated trait. It's not a particularly engaging car to drive. Partly this is down to the lack of noise from our car, partly to the marginally (but noticeably) softer suspension, but either way I got out of the CLA feeling more downbeat than I'd hoped to. Don't get me wrong, it's less nose-heavy than the RS3 and rides significantly better too, but this is still a car with its engine ahead of the front axle and an obedient tail.

And what about the gearbox?

No manual, instead a seven speed double clutcher. It's OK, does what it needs to do and isn't overly obstructive unless you try to downshift at high revs. Or move quickly from forwards to reverse. The bigger issue is the gaps between the ratios, specifically between third and fourth. Closer spacing would make the whole car feel punchier, more accelerative and exciting and would have helped mask the noticeable lag from that big turbo. I'm guessing that emissions were a significant consideration and, fair play, the 354bhp CLA claims to be cleaner (161g/km) and more efficient (40.9mpg) than a Ford Focus ST (which has over100bhp less).

That's not really the point is it?

No. If I'm honest I wanted the CLA to be naughtier, and since I drove it before the A45, it made me concerned for that car as well. But it is swift and AMG has done an amazing job of making a small capacity engine very smooth and drivable with no spikes in the delivery. Remind yourself that the only other engines we've seen like this were in cars such as the Impreza STi and those Lancer FQ models, which basically got down the road in a series of explosions. This one will pootle and won't bite. But neither, in the CLA, does it truly excite.

What's the verdict, then?

Six out of ten, borderline seven. The lack of a proper soundtrack was disappointing and with a likely price of £41,500 before options, it's a chunk more than the A45 AMG​

I was really hoping it would sound like the A45 AMG.. Strange how it sounds different. The sound clip seems like it made a nice sound.

 

[brianch]

Verdict - autoexpress

3












The CLA 45 AMG is more than just an A45 AMG with sleeker styling and a bigger boot. While it delivers the same earth-shattering pace when required, it's a slightly more subtle take on the AMG philosophy. It's a move that will broaden the CLA's appeal (and is expected to outsell the A45 globally), but the AMG badge has always been reserved for the most unhinged cars on the road. It's a shame then that the CLA doesn't quite deliver the fireworks of its hatchback equivalent, but costs nearly £4,000 more.




Read more: Mercedes CLA 45 AMG 2013 review | Auto Express​

 

[brianch]

motoring.com.au verdict
What we liked:

>> Cracking, strong four pot

>> Engaging, stable handling

>> Rich interiors

Not so much:

>> Keeps the CLA packaging issues

>> Imperfect steering

>> That’s about it


 

[brianch]

whatcar.com verdict
Should I buy one?

The CLA 45 AMG is very much an emotive purchase, and if you're really taken with its looks then you won't be disappointed with the performance and handling. It also has no direct rivals to share the limelight.

However, you are paying solely for that coupe-saloon image. The A45 AMG is a bit more engaging and offers the same supercar-slaying performance in a more usable body for around £4000 less, while the BMW 335i M Sport promises more forgiving on-road manners, similarly absorbing handling and not much less real-world pace.

In isolation the CLA 45 AMG is a compelling thing, but at this price, and even for many thousands less, the available competition makes it hard to justify.​

 

[backdoc]

A far more positive review, and probabLy keeping in mind most of the time these cars will be on a road, not a race track!

Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG review (2013 onwards) - MSN Cars UK

 

[brianch]

edmunds has theirs up!

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG First Drive

A Benchmark Engine
The expected all-or-nothing, light-switchlike power delivery is nowhere to be found. This engine is astonishingly bright, tractable and transitions into boost with impressive linearity from as low as 2,000 rpm. It chews through revs with an effortlessness that masks its potency, thanks to a broad, tall swell of torque that forms a 332 pound-feet plateau between 2,250 and 5,000 rpm.
Mercedes claims it will run from zero to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds; we'd guess this estimate might even be conservative. Yet from behind the wheel, you'd never guess its engine boasts the highest specific output of any series-production engine. It's never anything but completely civilized, and it's stunning.

Considering the CLA45 is from a company so intimately associated with power-drenched V8 and V12 engines (one executive joked that they "used to use four-cylinder engines for the windshield wipers") the car's soundtrack will take some getting used to. It's unapologetically a four-cylinder sound. All the vocals come from the exhaust — there is no induction sound — and at full whack, the buzz from the tailpipe is prominent, if not exactly musical.
The barnstorming mill is offered solely with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive. Its three operating modes, Comfort, Sport and Manual do a good job of covering the bases, though this isn't the quickest-shifting DCT in the land. And despite its seven speeds, there are large ratio drops when shifting into 3rd and 4th gear. At least each full-throttle gearchange is punctuated by a delicious, deliberate fwa-crack! from the exhaust.

 

[BenzFan]

Not liking how they pointed out steering as an issue. The CLA being the car is it, is expected to be a car that handles well enough, might just be a matter of suspension tuning by Benz to dial in the right settings or even a totally revamped setup.

 

[Val]

Here's a quick review of the A45 on Australian roads. Nice blue one - could shed some light on how the CLA 45 will be received...

Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG 2013: First Drive

 

[Howard]

Most of the reviews are top notch however; they seem to muddle around a fine line with respect to feeling road imperfections and how disturbing they are with the tightly tuned suspension (particularly on regular roads). Wonder if the standard 18" tires and suspension would take much off the great handling and STEERING most reviewers gleamed over??

 

[AMG]

I just can't wait for the CLA review by Top Gear, that will be the ultimate review right their.

Hopefully they don't just do a CLA review but also compare it against it's competition and any other cars like it within it's price range.

 

[vracer]

I just can't wait for the CLA review by Top Gear, that will be the ultimate review right their.

Is there one in the pipeline? Or, should we just add this to our wish list?

 

[booker]

Is there one in the pipeline? Or, should we just add this to our wish list?

Theres the Top Gear Review of the CLA 45 First drive: Mercedes CLA 45 AMG - BBC Top Gear

But I'm not sure if there is anything planned for the show. I would like to see some serious antics in the CLA undertaken by the Top Gear boys, but i think we might have to wait for the 2 series and A3 sedans, otherwise the CLA is pretty much playing with itself in that segment..

 

[Giovanni S.]

edmunds has theirs up!

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG First Drive

A Benchmark Engine
The expected all-or-nothing, light-switchlike power delivery is nowhere to be found. This engine is astonishingly bright, tractable and transitions into boost with impressive linearity from as low as 2,000 rpm. It chews through revs with an effortlessness that masks its potency, thanks to a broad, tall swell of torque that forms a 332 pound-feet plateau between 2,250 and 5,000 rpm.
Mercedes claims it will run from zero to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds; we'd guess this estimate might even be conservative. Yet from behind the wheel, you'd never guess its engine boasts the highest specific output of any series-production engine. It's never anything but completely civilized, and it's stunning.

Considering the CLA45 is from a company so intimately associated with power-drenched V8 and V12 engines (one executive joked that they "used to use four-cylinder engines for the windshield wipers") the car's soundtrack will take some getting used to. It's unapologetically a four-cylinder sound. All the vocals come from the exhaust — there is no induction sound — and at full whack, the buzz from the tailpipe is prominent, if not exactly musical.
The barnstorming mill is offered solely with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive. Its three operating modes, Comfort, Sport and Manual do a good job of covering the bases, though this isn't the quickest-shifting DCT in the land. And despite its seven speeds, there are large ratio drops when shifting into 3rd and 4th gear. At least each full-throttle gearchange is punctuated by a delicious, deliberate fwa-crack! from the exhaust.

I loved the comment one of the executives made saying that they use four cylinder engines to power the wiper blades lol

I kinda hoped for an induction sound but seeing its still considered a luxury the CLA should still have a quieter note.

 

[brianch]

Theres the Top Gear Review of the CLA 45 First drive: Mercedes CLA 45 AMG - BBC Top Gear

But I'm not sure if there is anything planned for the show. I would like to see some serious antics in the CLA undertaken by the Top Gear boys, but i think we might have to wait for the 2 series and A3 sedans, otherwise the CLA is pretty much playing with itself in that segment..

I am pretty sure Top Gear is going to review it.