My A45 AMG Drive/Review

[flango]

double post

 

[andy-mc]

So in short I'm gutted and disappointed that for such a high price this car is so compromised on its drive, as I said its a fabulous place to be inside it but if you want an AMG drivers car this is not the one for you. I'm glad I drove it as it's now really focussed me looking at the C63 coupe instead for SWMBO

So I think the old adage remains true for Mercedes, " There is no replacement for displacement"

This is pretty much exactly the same experience I had with this car when I test-drove the first one MB Guildford had.

 

[PhilDR]

I completely agree that the price of these cars is expensive for what you get out of the box...

However they are very capable machines... It should also be noted that they weren't designed to tempt 63AMG owners away from their V8 and as such are a completely different experience to what many of us are used to...

As an entry into the brand though AMG have just about nailed it...

That said the amount of Stage 1 tuning we have done shows there is much room for improvement! Typically AMG holding back the magic 400bhp number for a future special...I'm sure...

 

[flango]

I completely agree that the price of these cars is expensive for what you get out of the box...

However they are very capable machines... It should also be noted that they weren't designed to tempt 63AMG owners away from their V8 and as such are a completely different experience to what many of us are used to...

As an entry into the brand though AMG have just about nailed it...

That said the amount of Stage 1 tuning we have done shows there is much room for improvement! Typically AMG holding back the magic 400bhp number for a future special...I'm sure...

I think that sums it up perfectly they are capable and will never tempt anyone away from the V8 but what it has done is drive me towards the V8 as the driving experience was not as good as the Scirroco R, BMW 135i etc. They according to MB Marketing are aimed at 40 year olds wanting an executive hot hatch, well it does tick that box but so do many others Audi RS3 etc. They've just put too higher price tag on it IMHO but if people want to pay that for badge snobbery then thats fine but I wont be one of them.

If they were cheaper I would definitely be interested but it would then be with the likes of you guys chasing the magic 200bhp per litre but with that price to start with you would be mental to buy one and then throw serious money tuning it, better to go for the C63 Coupe in the first place IMHO

 

[martyz]

Is financial management or economics the profession of the all knowing?
I guess so,they even believe their own publicity.

I guess so, they even believe their own publicity.

Corrected that punctuation for you

Sight impairment.:fail

 

[flango]

Sight impairment.:fail

No i did spot it but thought I would not be an ar*e see post #21 it wasn't really a double post it was pointing out exactly what you have just pointed out but I decided to delete it as people might think I was a prat and pedantic (not that I care)

 

[Deleted member 37751]

The A45 is aimed squarely at the Max Power generation that's growing up; it's a hot hatch on crack...

£45k for one is quite hilarious though, but I bet less than 5% of sales will be cash deals so to an extent that figure is meaningless.

 

[LTD]

Back on topic :

Ian, make sure you have a decent drive in the Cayman.

It's a sublime car.

 

[rsk21]

Why is the chap who has stepped forward as an owner getting such a hard time ? Seems rather unfair to me.

As far as the car in question is concerned whilst I probably wouldn't have one personally when I had a go in it at Brooklands it was an impressive little thing and as a point to point machine I have no doubt it's both very capable and has further potential yet.

As for sweeping statements about being crazy to switch from a C63 to an A45 and nobody will do that then I doubt that will be the case.

 

[flango]

Back on topic :

Ian, make sure you have a decent drive in the Cayman.

It's a sublime car.

I've driven and raced the Cayman which is why I mentioned it so know it pretty well. The A45 AMG was going to be for SWMBO as I'm toying with the idea of straying into E63 estate territory (blame developer for that John's car is gorgeous) so my plan was to do a deal on a pair of MB in 2015 but I like to do my homework early as the negotiation can sometimes take a few months

Nothing wrong with the A class but will see what SWMBO says and maybe step it down a notch to an A250 4matic "AMG sport" or "Engineered by AMG" I'm in Germany all this week so will be dropping into the AMG centre in Mannheim to see what deals are to be had over there.

 

[John Jones Jr]

maybe step it down a notch to an A250 4matic "AMG sport" or "Engineered by AMG"

On paper this would be my choice.

 

[grober]

My guess is that the OP experienced the curse of the modern performance car where the car drives itself rather than from driver input. Manufacturers wring enormous performance out of some of their models nowadays but to prevent all their customers [ who are not all Sébastien Loeb despite what they might think] killing themselves build in lots of stability control to prevent them getting into trouble. This inevitably blunts the raw driving experience for many. The best performance cars manage to achieve the correct balance between safe predicable handling and fun and sometimes this doesn't mean the highest performance on paper -- as witnessed by the huge success of such models as the Toyota GT 86.

 

[flango]

On paper this would be my choice.

And its only 60% of the cost of the AMG, It might just not be quick enough though at 211 bhp, my norm for our cars is 250 bhp min but I would think with a remap and a bit of tweaking high two hundreds should be achievable Will also talk to Brabus while I am in Germany this week and see what their take is on the A class.

 

[V12]

They according to MB Marketing are aimed at 40 year olds wanting an executive hot hatch, well it does tick that box but so do many others Audi RS3 etc.

What 40 yr old WANTS a hot hatch?

I just don't 'get it' at all.

Too expensive for the young market. Too tacky for the more grown up market.

I know that sales figures these days mean absolutely nothing as people end up in whatever car they can get a decent finance deal on, but it'll be interesting to see where the A45 sales head...

 

[flango]

I know that sales figures these days mean absolutely nothing as people end up in whatever car they can get a decent finance deal on, but it'll be interesting to see where the A45 sales head...

Same way as the rest of the AMG cars I suspect all on cheap lease deals, which is great for the secondhand market

 

[c63chris]

What 40 yr old WANTS a hot hatch? I just don't 'get it' at all. Too expensive for the young market. Too tacky for the more grown up market. I know that sales figures these days mean absolutely nothing as people end up in whatever car they can get a decent finance deal on, but it'll be interesting to see where the A45 sales head...

This one for one. Change in circumstances mean I don't need an estate car. Saloons are not practical and this fits the bill. Agreed it is expensive but it is a cracking car. It only looks tacky with the aero pack IMHO. Personally I think it looks great but that's me. Hoping to get one soon if I can sort the deal out.

 

[RWDpetrol]

This one for one. Change in circumstances mean I don't need an estate car. Saloons are not practical and this fits the bill. Agreed it is expensive but it is a cracking car. It only looks tacky with the aero pack IMHO. Personally I think it looks great but that's me. Hoping to get one soon if I can sort the deal out.

Don't do it, get the M135i instead

 

[flango]

Don't do it, get the M135i instead

Its also £15k cheaper and when tuned quicker than the A45, now if only I could convince SWMBO to drive a beemer

 

[del320]

...who is this flango?

 

[Dieselman]

...who is this flango?

It will be interesting to see if this was a requested change.