Super-hatch Showdown Part 1: Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG

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Living in a city does have its advantages: there is a grocery store 5 minute away, a coffee shop downstairs, and you don't have to worry about driving home after a visit to a pub. Yet there are limitations in terms of what kind of car you can own, and that's where super hatch-backs from premium brands come in.

Back in July we have already looked at the brilliant new Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG, which was displayed from the day it was announced in Japan at Mercedes Benz Connection in Roppongi

In the beauty of a showroom floor we went over various details of Edition One Model that was available in limited numbers and had additional visual and performance upgrades, such as AMG sports seats, aerodynamics and carbon fiber package, sports suspension and 19 inch black rims.

Today, we finally get to drive the A45 AMG, and not just the Edition One, but the standard version as well

In this review, we will go over some of the features of both standard and Edition One models, as I will try to depict some of the highlights of how it actually feels to drive that beast on the streets of Tokyo

We start with the design though.  When compared to the Edition One, the standard A45 looses the mad spoilers and stripes and becomes more similar to the standard A Class

The long wheelbase of the car is very noticeable from the side.  You cannot  disregard its practicality, as designers at Mercedes Benz did their absolute best to maximize interior space and at the same time, maintain such sleek lines that make this car stand out.

And speaking of sleek lines, entire lineup from A180 to A45 Edition One looks absolutely fantastic from any angle.  Considering the substandard looks of previous generations this car is a true leap forward in terms of design and innovation.

Of course, as with any recent models, designers at Mercedes had to place some identifying marks on the AMG version, such as the vents in rear bumpers and quad exhaust that produces absolutely astounding note accompanied by massive cracks and pops on up-shifts and lift offs, but more about that later.

AMG model comes standard with 5 dual spoke light alloy wheels wrapped in 235/40 R 18 Continental Sport tires...

...with massive 350 x 32 millimeters at the front and 330 x 22 millimeters at the rear ventilated brakes disks clearly visible behind.

The beautiful black 235/35 R 19 equipped on the Edition One are optional, but make the car look a lot more aggressive.

The headlights are also a distinct feature of the new A class, which are equipped with HID as standard as well as LED DRL's, position, and turn indicator.  Future revisions will most likely include optional LED headlights as the feature is rapidly growing in popularity.

The A45 AMG lets everyone know about its features through badges indicating all the bells and whistles, from turbo...

to drivetrain, to AMG brand, to model name and number - it's all there, just read it and weep!

All conveniently positioned on the back, as that's the part that most other drivers will be seeing.  Before I get to that part, however...

... let's have a look at the interior.  The moment you open the door, you are indeed treated to something special.  Inside of A45 AMG it is only available in black with red and aluminum accents. 

The cabin is ergonomic and is beautifully laid out.  The design is unique, but most Mercedes Benz owners will find themselves right at home with all switches and knobs at their usual places.  Edition One also features alcantara coated steering wheel, AMG sports seats and Edition One badge in the center.  A45 Base model comes with standard leather seats, which, to be honest felt very similar, but lacked the flair and the aluminum inlay and badging.

The sporty feel of the A45 cabin is undeniable with everything being driver orientated, but despite an odd plastic here and there there is plenty of luxury feel as well, with dash beautifully wrapped in leather accompanied with carbon-looking plastic trim. All the knobs and switches felt solid, and the car had all the features you can think of from parking and distance assists, to heated and powered seats, as well as HDD satellite navigation system, and optional premium stereo with 9 speakers.

A45 Maintains the practicality of a hatchback with plenty of space in the back...

...and a fairly substantial luggage space

That shopping day out is guaranteed to be fun and comfortable with soft leather seats underneath, mean sounding exhaust in the back and alcantara wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters controlling the twin clutch gear box in font.

Especially if that gearbox is mated with this monster of a four-banger producing 360 Horse Power and 450 N·m of torque, which can propel the 1480kg super hatch from 0 to 100 kph in 4.6 seconds!

Heat resistance and cooling are vital parts of this engine as extracting 180 horses out of 1L of displacement is a challenging task.  Extremely powerful turbos achieve that via race-car like 26 psi of boost.  Engineers had to manufacture special pistons and bearings that are similar to components found in diesel engines to ensure durability under so much pressure.

All of that combine for one of a kind driving experience.  Even though there is plenty of lag and not much happening at lower RPM, the remarkably quick 7 speed Speed Shift DCT gear box will be happy to find the right gear to shoot the car forward.  Hard acceleration will push you into comfortable AMG seats and they will hold your torso well positioned should you try throwing the car around some corners.

Having tried the car on wet as well as dry tarmac, there is virtually no difference as there is no sign of car loosing grip.  Car is certainly doing a lot of things as you test the laws of physics as it provides plenty of audible feedback through quite impressive concerto of automotive sound effects.  Burble of the exhaust, revs of engine, hissing of the blow-off valve, whistle of the turbo, and whining of 4matic system are heard at any given time depending on what car is doing and that just adds to the sensational feeling of driving this car.

With so many automobiles made with only comfort and usability in mind it is an absolute delight to get behind the wheel of one of these monsters and tear down the streets of Tokyo on Sunday morning.  I drove this car a few times around the same set of streets, but it never gets boring!

So there you have it, Mercedes Benz have created a true masterpiece of a hatch-back. 

It truly did borrow some of the best features from each Mercedes Benz model in terms of design and innovation,

as it created a true class of its own: The luxury sport super-hatch.

We've Got Stance

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A remarkable step has been taken to make the "parade-mobile" truly live up to it's name.  After all, the only thing worse than rolling on 17's was having the ride quality ruined by the bricks that are known as run-flat-tires.

I was in the market for a new set of wheels for while; from the day we sealed the deal for this car, to be exact.  There seemed to be plenty of options, especially on yahoo auctions, but given the nature of the car and its surroundings my preference lied with JDM style wheels.

So without further ado, I introduce to you: Rays Homura 2x7 wheels sized 19/8.5/+36 in front and 19/9.5/+36 in the rear.

This is what is commonly referred to as "tuner size", which expands the track even further and pushes the boundaries of legal width to the limit. 

Choice of tires was purely "value for money" as I managed to pick up a set of Hankook Ventus K110 with 235/19/R35 in front and 265/19/R30 in the back for a laughable 100 dollars per corner.

 Lowering was executed to perfection by Sunbeam using a set of H&R springs,

while fitment was done by BigFoot Soka-ten.  While the shop specializes in restoring and selling used wheels, they had a set of brand new Homura's just for me.

All around the fitment looked fantastic as myself and the shop staff could not help walking around and taking pictures.

The drop by H&R springs virtually eliminated the annoying fender gap while already present negative camber of stock MSport suspension gave the car a very sporty stance.

The color combination also worked perfectly in my opinion with blue and silver generating an excellent, yet friendly to the eye contrast.

Amazing job by the guys and Big Foot and of course Sunbeam who are known to be excellent suspension specialists for German vehicles in Tokyo.

What came as a pleasant surprise was a significant improvement in ride quality.  Hankook Ventus K110 are known for their somewhat soft side-wall, so despite running a slightly higher pressure as well as decreased profile the ride was soft and smooth.

I did notice a bit of a rub when taking a corner at high speed.  I will need to investigate this ASAP as well as have these wheels coated.  Staying away from curbs is the ultimate challenge in chaotic Tokyo, which is known for its narrow and unforgiving streets.

First Look: Mercedes Benz A45 AMG Edition 1

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Please go here for full review and test drive of A45 AMG

Mercedes Benz is on a roll, and they have no intention of slowing down.  In a surprise move during somewhat quiet summer season they have just unveiled the CLA and CLA AMG for Japan, all that while the world is preparing itself for the S class debut.  What a year it has been for the Stuttgart automotive giant, so in today's post I will do a visual introduction of the phenomenal A45 AMG Edition 1, which went on sale in Japan on July 1st.

 

When Mercedes Benz unveiled the replacement for the soccer mom uneventful A class the whole world froze in amazement as it took a little while to sink in.  Nobody could find anything similar between the old and new A Class, and that’s definitely a good thing.  Once it went on sale, everyone also recognized that it wasn't just looks, the A class was also a great fun to drive.

Then the AMG division came in and said: we'll make it even better! And so they did.  They took the world by storm when the A45 AMG was finally uveiled earlier this year as a lot of skeptical journalists were looking for a flaw, something to criticize... and they couldn't find anything!

Now that I see it in front of me, it is obviously clear how amazing this car is.  Attention to details is phenomenal as it borrows luxuries from other models and shows all other hot hatches how it's really done.

It does feel luxurious inside. The seats are made from top quality leather, central console storage cover is soft and comfortable, and aluminum accents are beautifully incorporated into elegantly curved dash. Red stitches, accents, and seatbelts blend beautifully with all black interior components creating a very joyful but at the same time comfortable atmosphere.

All dials and controls are top quality, just like in any other Mercedes Benz model.

Despite the smaller size of the vehicle there is room in the back for two adults to enjoy a long trip.

And there is plenty of storage space as well.  Rear trunk panel is removable, and seats are collapseble.  This is indeed a perfect family hatch, which maintains its focus on perfomance and fun.

Aluminum paddles behind the leather and alcantara wrapped steering wheel and are same as you would find in other higher end AMG models.

Overall interior is very roomy and nicely designed, definitely appealing for variety of tastes. The only two negatives I could point out is the cheap looking snap-on Command NAV system screen and central console made from hard plastic.

But let's not get carried away with the luxuries.  This is not what this car is all about.

 

It is about raw power, and lots of it.  Delivered from a small 2 liter engine it sends whooping 360 horses to all 4 wheels (most of power goes to front) via 4matic torque vectoring system that allows rear wheels to get up to 50% of torque when needed.  This is very impressive machine, and while I am not new to automotive tuning world, where 360 horses out of 2 liter engine has been done before, never it has been accompanied with a 3 year unlimited mileage warranty.

What they've done here is show how far ahead of the game Mercedes Benz really is; not only in terms of technology and innovation, but also how the whole corporation functions as a single unit. This car is result of excellent team work, dedication, and progressive corporate culture. 

Engineers at Mercedes Benz have been perfecting diesel engines for quite a while and have achieved very impressive efficiency and performance numbers.  What they haven't achieved with diesel engines however, is an appeal to car enthusiasts.

So what they did here is utilize the knowledge, technology and components designed for high pressure diesel engines and create a brand new petrol engine.  Result is phenomenal power, response, fuel efficiency, resilience and reliability up to Mercedes Benz highest standard.

Perhaps the only evidence of incorporation of diesel engine technology is red line of 6250 RPM with peak power at 6000.   

Priced at whooping 6.4 (over 7 million for Edition 1) million yen, the car is not cheap, but because of these factors it is very reasonable to own.  A bonus for Japanese market is that it sits in the same vehicle tax bracket as Subaru Impressa WRX or Suzuki Swift Sport!

So far this is turning out to what appears to be one amazing car.  It may not be for everyone, but it does raise the bar for all that follow.  I can't drive it yet, because it is yet to be street legal in Japan, but as soon as Mercedes Benz Japan has one available there will be a full review here! 

Thank you for reading everyone.  There will be more A class goodness in the next update as I take the A250 Sport for a spin around Tokyo.

Please go here for full review and test drive of A45 AMG