[Pitbull11]

My last Benz was a CLS63 AMG with the performance package. It was Bad Azz. Great style and when I got on it (well) it sounded like a NASCAR. It was expensive $128k+ MSRP, fast, etc.etc. MB AMG know how to build a expensive super car that is really expensive to maintain. $500+ oil/filter changes, at 7k miles $2000 brake job. All that background leads up to me stating that the CLA45 makes "NO" sense! Who wants a stressed out 4 cylinder that has a complex AWD system, that based on MB past reliability history can only be owned while under warranty and will cost a bundle to maintain. Same thing goes for the regular CLA compared to the ILX. Both are baby luxury cars. They are the same size. With the ILX you get Acura build quality and reliability plus a super low cost of ownership. The CLA will cost many times more to maintain and I would not want to own it if it was not under warranty. If you want to talk performance all the counts in this class of car is comfort and economy. 0-60 over 4.5 seconds is really all the same as long as you can move with the flow of traffic, other wise your talking one car being a little slower then the other

 

[Pitbull11]

Yeah even the basemodel CLA 250 has the ILX beat in it's highest trim, it's how it always is with Japanese and German vehicles that are comparable.

Reliability will be the biggest question surrounding the CLA's, hopefully with it not being as technology packed and complicated as higher up Benz's, that will help it be much more reliable.

LMAO if you want a performance car at a cheap price get a Vette. The CLA45 is not a performance car. Actually the ILX has the CLA beat. In this category of car, luxury, economy and bang for the buck are the measurements. Like the saying goes you can't make a horse out of a mule. I am not saying that AMG does not make great performance cars, they do and they have big HP V8's and are very fast. They are not compact cars that are designed for front wheel drive with 4 wheel drive added on. This is ricer territory

 

[Pitbull11]

It's a front wheel drive compact car with a very high output 4 cylinder engine that also under high out put driving transfer part of the power to the rear wheels. I am saying if you want a real performance car this vehicle will be at or near the bottom of the list for any reasonable buying decision when you look at performance cost dependability and cost of ownership. JMHO

 

[Pitbull11]

The 45 AMG won't be breaking any records but it is still a respectable car.

Wait till the comparisons come out before you judge. If the chassis is really that well balanced the the AMG suspension was well designed the 45 AMG could be a quick car around the track.

Just don't own one beyond the warranty period. I'm sure it is designed to last only as long as the warranty. JMHO