Car and Driver: Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG Is Sterile and Lacks the Excitement Of Other AMG Models

At 178 horsepower per liter, the CLA45 just knocked off the Porsche 911 Turbo in claiming the title of most power-dense production engine in the world. AMG’s secret sauce is a BorgWarner twin-scroll turbocharger custom-made for this application and capable of producing up to 26.1 psi of boost. Thus strapped, the CLA45’s four-cylinder makes 355 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 332 lb-ft of torque at 2250 rpm. Although dimensionally identical to the CLA250’s turbo four, AMG’s M133 engine uses a stronger sand-cast—rather than die-cast—aluminum block. There’s also a low-temperature cooling circuit that feeds a water-to-air intercooler.

Unfortunately, those upshifts aren’t as quick or direct as we expect them to be. Mercedes’ new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic was the source of our largest gripe with the CLA250, and it remains so for the CLA45. The hardware is strengthened, but the engine interface still relies on a pair of dry-clutch packs. The Volkswagen Group’s wet dual-clutch transmissions shift faster and more crisply.


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GermanNut - 6/19/2013 2:13:16 PM

+5 Boost

The initial reviews of the CLA and CLA45 AMG are not the best. This really leaves the door open for Audi's S3 sedan to attract buyers that would have opted for the CLA45 AMG instead.

With a rumored base price of just $39-42K with a 300 horsepower, 2.0 TFSI 4-liter engine capable of propelling the car from 0-62 mph in just 4.9 seconds and with an interior that many believe will be best-in-class, the S3 is looking like a real bargain in comparison to the CLA45 AMG.

LexSucks - 6/20/2013 5:23:52 PM

-8 Boost

Sometimes you have to check out the car for yourself, and think for yourself. You are already dismissing the car based off of someone's else's opinion. What about your opinion?

cidflekken - 6/19/2013 3:09:21 PM

-11 Boost

I would certainly hope Mercedes wouldn't make a car with same driving characteristics as an Evo. And I probably wouldn't expect it to make a car with the same driving characteristics of a 1Series.

LexSucks - 6/20/2013 5:22:43 PM

-9 Boost

"Lacks the Excitement Of Other AMG Models" You mean the other AMG's that cost twice as much? What was he expecting?

cidflekken - 6/30/2013 4:14:55 AM

+1 Boost

Haha. Look at the deboosts on here. The Audi fandom is at it again.

Anyway, this online article makes no sense. This online article is by Eric Tingwall and calls the CLA45 AMG "sterile". Yet, the Aug 2013 publication of C&D, written by Juergen Zoellter calls it "the nimblest, most tossable AMG of all time".