First Drive: 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG

Review and photos by Michael Bettencourt

Hanover, Germany – Avoiding the performance pipsqueak label was job one for the Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG development team, and man have they ever succeeded. Yes, this smallest and most affordable of AMGs uses half the cylinders of its V8 siblings, is natively front-wheel drive, and uses an engine that’s less than a third of the size in displacement of the next least expensive AMG model, the C 63 AMG.

At the Bilster Berg racetrack in northern Germany, none of that mattered.

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG. Click image to enlarge

With a performance-tuned 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, the 355 horsepower the CLA 45 squeezes out of just two litres of displacement is literally a new production car record. Mercedes-Benz calls it 181 hp/litre, since the engine is officially 1,991 cubic centimetres – the exact same cc count as the garden-variety 207-hp front-wheel-drive CLA 250. Its 332 lb-ft of torque is nothing to sneeze at either, even if there is a whiff of launch delay if you’re not in Sport mode.

Add up the CLA 45’s all-wheel drive, launch control system, slight 1,585-kg curb weight and big turbo boost, and Mercedes-Benz quotes a 0–100 km/h time of just 4.6 seconds, a mere 0.1 seconds behind the current 451 hp C 63 AMG sedan with its honking big 6.2-litre V8. Perhaps that’s why Mercedes-Benz is pumping up the C 63 AMG to 507 hp for 2014, in what appears to be swan song for this husky brute of an engine.

This will push down the time for the C 63 AMG sedan to 4.2 seconds, widening the gap slightly. But if Benz’s CLA 45 numbers hold up in actual testing, the CLA will still be less than half a second behind its pricier sibling, with the advantage of all-wheel-drive traction for significantly less money, and much better fuel economy, if you don’t thrash it as we did at Bilster Berg. It was the first corporate event at the brand spanking new track, and fitting that Mercedes-Benz christened the circuit with this international launch for the CLA 45 AMG.

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG. Click image to enlarge

Also making an appearance was the tragically not-for-North America *sigh* A 45 AMG hatchback.

What the starting price or fuel consumption will be by the time this car launches in November are still unknown, but we can make a few good estimates here. The CLA 45’s U.S. starting price was announced at US$47,450, as well as a European overall fuel economy average of 6.9 L/100km. Our figures will differ, but likely not by huge amounts – the regular CLA that launches a couple months before the AMG will cost $4,000 more in Canada, so a low- to mid-50s price tag seems most likely.

The current “entry-level” AMG product, the C 63 sedan, starts at CDN$65,300, though transaction prices for that C 63 AMG tend to be closer to $80,000, according to Ola Kaellenius, CEO of Mercedes-AMG. Thus both the CLA 45 and the Euro-centric A 45 AMG are new, much more affordable entry points to AMG ownership, with the goal of roping younger and up and coming buyers into the AMG family, before doing a Jeffersons-like “movin’ on up” climb of the AMG ladder.

So how does this all work on actual public roads? Here it has much more of a conflicted personality: conflicted between providing sporting performance and fuel-efficiency.

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG. Click image to enlarge

Similar to most Mercedes-Benz AMG models, the CLA 45 doesn’t sacrifice all comfort for the sake of performance, but there’s a definite note of increased aggression. This is obvious as soon as the driver drops into the well-bolstered optional Performance seats, which are not quite as bear-hugging as, say, a Fast and Furious–inspired Ford Focus ST, but close. The ride is not harsh compared to most sports cars, but firmer than most luxury-oriented sedans. The lowered AMG sports suspension doesn’t offer any electronic adjustability to switch between comfort and sport modes.

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG. Click image to enlarge

Roads in this part of Germany are relatively smooth, but even the first speed hump we crossed registered a notable thump in the rear (ours, not the car’s). More carefully traversed humps soon after had us looking forward to some curves, off-ramps and autobahn-burning, to let the mighty 2.0L off its leash.

As mentioned, that 2.0L is at more of a subdued gurgle when you’re just starting off, with some softness to the throttle response in the default C mode. The seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission is obviously pushing hard to achieve the best fuel economy possible, starting in second and shifting up multiple gears before you barely leave the intersection.

This is also to keep engine and exhaust noise low for those times when you’re aiming more for the nearest Starbucks than the nearest apex. With the ride, it’s hardcore all the way. Still, the tame throttle response in C is a bit surprising, given the huggy seats and sharp suspension settings, but it showcases the dual-personality nature of the CLA 45, at least in terms of engine performance.

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG. Click image to enlarge

Push that transmission’s C button to swap into S (for Sport) however, and the beast inside awakes. Bury your right foot and all 355 horses plus a resonant exhaust note come rushing up to meet you at redline. It will shift up automatically for you in S, but not in M, although it will downshift in either one when approaching a stop.

Sure, it doesn’t have the immediate shove in the back of a large V8, but this is big-time acceleration out of a car that costs about the same as a typically optioned C-Class sedan.

Style-wise, the car looks sportingly low and taut, but not hugely different from a regular CLA equipped with the Sport package. A twin-bar grille in front and matte grey lower body accents add up to a slightly more aggressive look, but there are also black plastic “clips” in the large air intakes and every wheel well that don’t appear very well integrated.

Inside, it’s pretty much the same overall layout as any CLA, the four-door “coupe” version of the B-Class, with a few notable exceptions. The steering wheel has a flat bottom (and top in our tester), while the shifter returns to the floor to the right of the driver, instead of the column-mounted unit in other CLA and B-Class models, and is the same metallic loop as on the 200-plus grand SLS. There’s a unique 320 km/h speedo, even though top speed is limited to 250 km/h, and a timer function allows you to record lap times if you ever take your baby AMG Benz to a track.

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG. Click image to enlarge

As with most German cars, even top of the line ones, there’s a long list of available upgrades and option packages. This includes an amazing panoramic fixed glass roof, a navigation system complete with apps and a rear-view camera, a self-parking function as well as lane-keeping assist and blind spot assist safety features.

Depending on the price of these and the official CLA 45’s as-yet-unannounced starting price, buyers may find themselves approaching C 63 territory, since it’s clear that Mercedes-Benz has focused much of its resources on the performance instead of luxury side of this car.

That C 63 is a much more family-friendly car, as the CLA’s backseat is tight for a sedan, with no useful seatback pockets. Still, it’s much roomier and easier to access than any real two-door coupes. The trunk is also surprisingly spacious for such a small car, although the presence of the A 45 AMG had us hatchback lovers pining for a low but mean AMG five-door as well, be it A- or B-Class based.

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG. Click image to enlarge

But even with that reasonably priced and awfully appealing C 63 AMG sedan and coupe looming in the background, it’s easy to see that the CLA 45 AMG will hold more real-world appeal for many buyers. Not only should it prove much less expensive, but the standard all-wheel drive and reasonable fuel consumption – if driven gently – will usher in a new era of performance for AMG. The body measurements, displacement and engine sizes may be way down, but the driving thrills are still well up from pipsqueak levels.

Manufacturer’s Website:
Mercedes-Benz Canada

Photo Gallery:
2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG

Pricing: 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG
Base price: (est.) $52,000
Option packages (on base CLA 45):
Premium Package (Rear-View Camera, Electronic Compass, Auto Dimming Mirrors (Rear-View & Driver’s Side), Panoramic Sunroof, Exterior Power Folding Mirrors, THERMOTRONIC Dual Zone Automatic Climate Control, Passive Blind Spot Assist, Passive Lane Keeping Assist
Exclusive Package (Black Red Cut Leather with Red Contrasting Stitching, Artico Leather Dashboard with Red Contrasting Stitching, Artico Door Centre Panels with Red Contrasting Stitching, Artico Beltlines with Red Contrasting Stitching, Convenience Window Open/Close Function via Infrared Key)
Standalone Options: AMG Exterior Carbon Trim (Front splitter in carbon fibre, Rear apron trim in carbon fibre, Carbon fibre inserts in the side sill panels, Twin blade AMG radiator grille in silver chrome), Integrated Garage Door Opener, Parktonic w/Active Parking Assist, COMAND Online Navigation w/MB Apps, Media Interface, 19-inch AMG Multi-Spoke Wheels in Titanium Grey, 19-inch AMG Multi-Spoke Wheels in Matte Black, AMG Performance Seat, designo Red Seatbelts, harman/kardon Logic7 Surround Sound System (nine channel DSP amplifier with total output of 450 watts, 12 high performance speakers).
Freight: (est.) $2,000
A/C tax: $100
Price as tested: (est.) $70,000