Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG: 360hp, 450Nm range-topper

a 45 amg 03

Mercedes-Benz will officially premiere its most powerful A-Class in Geneva – the A 45 AMG will take its place at the top of the W176 line-up, boasting 360 hp at 6,000 rpm and 450 Nm at 2,250 to 5,000 rpm for output numbers. Prior to its arrival, the A250 Sport was the leading model of the line.

The car wears an AMG 2.0 litre twin-scroll turbo four-pot, the M132, with a maximum charge pressure of 1.8 bar, and Merc proudly states that with the abovementioned output figures, the hand-built, EU6 emissions-ready mill is the most powerful series production four-cylinder engine in the world.

Mated to an AMG Speedshift DCT seven-speed dual-clutch sports transmission – directly flange-mounted on the transversely-installed engine – and with AMG 4MATIC all-wheel drive as standard, the car has a 0-100 km/h time of 4.6 seconds and an electronically-limited 250 km/h top speed.

a 45 amg 19

Tech highlights of the mill include spray-guided direct petrol injection via piezo injectors positioned centrally in the four combustion chambers, a gravity-die sandcast all-aluminium crankcase, weight-optimised crank assembly with forged steel crankshaft and forged pistons with friction-optimised piston rings. Also on, a high-performance cooling system, with components from the SLS AMG.

Elsewhere, there’s a twin-pipe AMG sports exhaust system, which features large pipe
cross-sections and an automatically controlled exhaust flap, which is continuously adjusted by map control according to the power called up by the driver, load status and engine speed.

Optionally, there’s an AMG Performance exhaust system, again with exhaust flap and a dedicated tailpipe trim design. This one offers yet more in the way of rumble when the throttle is open and during gear shifting; the double-declutching function during downshifting and the interruption of ignition and injection during upshifting under full load makes for an audible treat, so it goes.

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On top of the double-declutching and Race Start functions, there are three driving programme modes, C (Controlled Efficiency), S (Sport) and M (Momentary M mode), the last enabling the driver to activate manual mode (M) in C or S modes without having to remove a hand from the steering wheel, simply by pressing the “up” or “down” shift paddle once. The mode offers the dynamism and performance of gear-shifting in manual mode in all of the automatic driving programmes, with automatic up- and down-shifting in the mix.

The A 45 AMG also gets a three-stage ESP with ESP Curve Dynamic Assist – for the ESP, the modes are On, Sport Handling and Off. The Curve Dynamic Assist, meanwhile, is adapted to the selected ESP mode, and provides an imperceptible braking intervention on the inside wheel to offer more precise cornering.

The suspension has also been given the AMG treatment – aside from specifically-tuned spring/damper units and larger stabilisers, the car’s three-link front suspension gets stiffer steering knuckles, more rigid bearings and totally new elastokinematics, while the four-link rear axle is new, with geometry and setup unique to the model.

a 45 amg 06

As for brakes, the car wears an AMG high-performance braking system with ventilated and perforated discs, and for wheels has twin-spoke AMG light-alloy units finished in titanium grey, wrapped with 235/40 R 18 tyres as standard.

Exterior design elements include an AMG “twin blade” radiator grille and cross strut in the AMG front apron, both finished in matt titanium grey. Side sill panels and a rear diffusor insert are trimmed in matt titanium grey, and of course there’s a Turbo AMG badge strapped on.

Inside, the car features sports seats in Artico man-made leather/Dinamica microfibre with red contrasting top-stitching. The dashboard trim, meanwhile, is in a carbon-fibre look, contrasting with the five air vents in black/red, red seat belts and the AMG door sill panels. As per usual, a host of individualisation options are available for the car.

An exclusive A 45 AMG “Edition 1” version adds an AMG Night package and Aerodynamics package as well as AMG sports stripes in matt graphite grey on the bonnet, roof and sides of the model’s cirrus white exterior. Other colour elements come in the form of red highlights on the radiator grille, exterior mirrors and rear aerofoil, red painted brake calipers and AMG multispoke 19-inch matt black alloys.

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Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • 2.0l maniac..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
    • AVH® on Feb 14, 2013 at 5:02 pm

      As usual, this car come here, it would be sold close to RM1 million. Eventhough it maybe 40,000 pounds and our tax and duties cap is ONLY 130% maximum. MBM Malaysia and Sime Darby (BMW) make a cool RM300,000 on most of their CBU cars sold

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 9
      • reality on Feb 15, 2013 at 8:13 am

        sad to tell u this. the tax structure u c one paper is only yes on paper. MOF decides the final pricing :) if we malaysia follow the tax structure..im sure we would c foreign cars for 40 50k…n also cheap diesels or even cheaper hybrids :) would MOF/gov allow that? think bout it.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
      • Eyess on Jun 28, 2013 at 2:44 pm

        dude, A45 AMG will be sold at RM340k la. sohai who say RM1mill? they wanna crack their own bowl? Use ur brain la. A45 AMG comes with only 2.0l. unless if comes with 4.0 v8. Oso oni will cost u RM 500k.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 0
        • get your fact right.. if it close to 1 mil better u take c63 amg rather than this… i ady booked this car and it will arrive this october… roughly this car only going to be cost around 348… but the saleman said, the spec option sport exhaust, rim or mayb the edition 1 exterior could be confirm yet..mayb by sept i guess… hopefully…

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • moots on Feb 14, 2013 at 1:38 pm

    Wonder what the price in Malaysia will be. Im guessing RM 500k, around the 1 series M coupe price.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 2
  • shawal on Feb 14, 2013 at 2:02 pm

    since its a rather small and compact car , does it fall into our new energy efficient vehicle policy bracket? no? … -_-” ,
    the only merc i find most desirable …

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1
  • Come on on Feb 14, 2013 at 2:18 pm

    Mercedes malaysia…. Bolt a hybrid thingy on it so we can get duties reduction. Does this thing come with lsd btw

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 3
  • crank on Feb 14, 2013 at 2:18 pm

    Dayummmm. What a beautiful looking hot hatch. If only I had the money.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 2
  • lovely car, its a 2.0 and in UK slightly more ex then a Golf R, so if Merc really wanted to, they could launch it under 300k…depends if they want volume or profits

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 5
  • first time I see no people click MEH on an article. proves how wonderful this car is

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 3
  • Dennis Loh on Feb 14, 2013 at 7:22 pm

    This car being a 2Litre & 4door. I reckon MB Mal will sell this car for not more than RM400K but close to it. Our import duty is based on engine capacity & number of doors. I expect the Mk7 Golf R to sell for about the same price or just slightly more than the present R model. The A45’s engine is already at its max running @ 1.8bar as far as power is concerned. I do not think you can squeeze any more power out of it unless you change to a bigger turbo & the car will drive like a pig with all the inherent turbo lag. There is still potential to tune the Mk7 Golf R which is rated at about 287hp. To bing it up to 360hp is def not a problem & also it won’t lighten your wallet by a 100K. The 1M is slightly over RM500K is because is a 3Litre 2door coupe. BM has to come up with a highly tuned 2Litre turbo engine soon as Audi, Vw & Merc all have a specially tuned 2Litre turbo engine. Expect that to happen around next year or 2015 when they launch the 2series. Their present N20 engine fitted to the 3 & 5 series models is not good enough to have a “M” emblem. I expect a highly tuned 2Litre turbo based on the N20 producing around 300hp.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 3
  • PauKaya on Feb 15, 2013 at 8:32 pm

    no manual? i guess its going to do well then. i do not want one, even if you give it another 100 PS.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 3
  • Ernest on Feb 17, 2013 at 7:27 am

    Benz Malaysia pls launch the basic w176 a class first la, don’t think about this a45 amg la

    I wait until zzz liao

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • Dr Cooper on Feb 17, 2013 at 10:08 am

    450 NM torque ! that’s already a 3.0 V6 territory

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
 

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