CLA 45 AMG ROAD TEST

LOW cost and high brand value –  perhaps the prime draws for those opting for new entry-level models from luxury car makers. And the car makers are definitely riding the wave, in terms of pure numbers. This is why, the A- and B-Class, based on the NGCC (New Generation Compact Cars) platform, have been doing extremely well for Merc. So we can expect the CLA compact sedan that sits on similar underpinnings to make its way to India too. We’ll have to wait for the launch of the 2015 C-Class for that to happen. But until then, Mercedes-Benz India keeps up the anticipation with the entry of the CLA 45 AMG.

CLA 45 MG (COURTESY:TOPSPEED)

There are the customary AMG badges too, but this time, there’s a new one – ‘turbo’, calling attention to the all-new engine from Affalterbach – a 2.0-litre, inline four-cylinder turbocharged petrol. AMG’s smallest engine ever, puts out 360PS and 450Nm, which coming from an AMG motor, are clearly not the kind of numbers that will make you jump out of your seat. But for the tiny sedan that the CLA is, this output is claimed to be enough to take this car from naught to 100kmph in 4.6 seconds – a good 0.3s quicker than the SLK 55 AMG! But enter the real world, India to be specific and even a Race Start launch (launch control) catapulted this baby AMG to 100kmph in 5.6 seconds, a whole second slower than the claimed figure, thanks to the lower octane fuel available in the country.

The CLA’s stock gearbox is replaced with AMG’s seven-speed dual-clutch SpeedShift sports transmission. It is quick to respond when you step on the throttle, however, on part-throttle, it tends to be slower to downshift. But with an AMG, you are better off using those sporty, aluminium paddle shifters. In typical AMG fashion, it matches revs when you downshift, but at the same time you’ll miss the series of little explosive sounds that you get from AMGs with bigger engines. Speaking of which, this engine doesn’t sound throaty like the V8 mills. Instead it sounds more like a proper four-cylinder Euro hot hatch –  inside the cabin it’s more muffled, good insulation to be blamed here. But what you will simply love is the wastegate whistle – which is sweet enough to give the tuner cars a run for their money.The transmission feeds all the power and torque down to the all-wheel 4Matic drive system. Predominantly, this system runs in a front-wheel drive configuration for better fuel efficiency. In town, the CLA returned a best figure of 8.1kmpl while on the highway, it increased to 12.4kmpl. The same transmission intervenes when you need better grip on slippery surfaces or when you want to put all the thrust down to the road, up to fifty per cent of the power and torque is sent to the rear wheels – and that is enough to get the tail wiggly if you intend to.

CLASSY ENGINE

GREAT INTERIOR 

The CLA 45 AMG then is a car that looks great, has the performance to match and acoustics that are new to an AMG, but every bit as mesmerising. Like any other sportscar sold in India, the CLA 45 AMG’s only downsides are the ride quality and ground clearance. But more importantly, unlike most other exorbitantly priced sports sedans, we expect the CLA 45 AMG to be priced lower than the C 63 AMG – which itself is quite a bargain.