Mercedes-AMG CLA 45: Price starting at 356,700 Polish zlotys. “Like a V8, just more powerful” and delivering a religious experience for the president
Ola Källenius, Mercedes’ president, said that after his first drive in the AMG CLA 45, he felt like a “Christian born again,” probably someone who, in ecstasy of faith, renewed his baptism and might even have started speaking in tongues, since it was “the best V8 he has ever driven” (source). All this is because the new CLA 45 offers “the excitement of a combustion engine at your fingertips,” or more precisely, within the reach of a finger tap. A quick adjustment to the settings is enough for the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 Electric to simulate engine roar and delays caused by the transmission.
Mercedes-AMG CLA 45: Prices, specifications, and everything we know
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Mercedes-AMG CLA 45: Prices, specifications, and everything we know
Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 Electric: specifications and interesting facts
In diesel cars, “AMG” meant a larger and more powerful engine, stiffer suspension, and less comfortable driving, although even in the previous generation of AMG CLA it was still a highly turbocharged four-cylinder engine. In the new electric Mercedes CLA EQ, AMG CLA 45, we have a completely different technology. Instead of traditional engines, there are three disc brakes [Yasa], currently used in production models only by Mercedes — and that’s in just two cars from the AMG line. There is also a gear shift simulation.
In the AMG CLA 45 4Matic+, one disc brake motor drives the front wheels, with two at the rear. The car’s total maximum power is 500 kW/680 HP (450 kW/612 HP in continuous mode), and the maximum torque is 1,760 Nm. It also comes standard with a battery having a capacity of ~100 (94) kWh, a maximum WLTP range of 678 miles, and 0-100 km/h acceleration in 3 seconds. For comparison: the Mercedes CLA 350 4Matic Electric — whose manufacturer has quietly dropped the “EQ Technology” terminology — features a battery with a capacity of ~90 (85) kWh, a WLTP range of 769 miles, and 0-100 km/h acceleration in 4.9 seconds.
Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4Matic (c) Mercedes
We quickly realize that brushless motors may offer high power, but they certainly aren’t energy-efficient. Despite a 10.6 percent increase in battery size in the CLA 45 Electric, its range is 11.8 percent worse than that of the CLA 350 4Matic Electric. Such a disparity can’t be offset even by larger wheels. Fortunately, the car accelerates to 330 kW with a charger and can charge from 10 to 80 percent in 22 minutes. Sometimes even faster, as shown by early tests of the same battery in larger Mercedes models.
Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 Electric, Technical Specs and Interesting Facts
The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 Electric has only four seats in the cabin, a payload of just 345 kilograms, and a trunk volume of only 390 liters in the back (plus 101 liters in the front measured by volume for irregular items). Its maximum allowed weight is 2.7 tons, so it cannot be parked on sidewalks. The standard equipment is limited, including MBUX navigation as a subscription (with upfront payment), non-adaptive LED headlights, a grille illuminated by LEDs, a glass roof (standard on the CLA), electrically folding exterior mirrors and an automatically dimming interior mirror, heating for the driver’s and passenger’s seats, lumbar support, 19-inch AMG wheels, and a 14-inch central display.
A top speed of 250 km/h, and all of this for 356,700 zlotys:
The configurator lists 2,512 złotys for adaptive matrix headlights, but such headlights don’t work in a Mercedes without door-mounted switches, ambient lighting inside the cabin, and a Bluetooth connection system, so we actually end up paying an additional 8,330 złotys. Tinted rear windows cost another 1,587 złotys, while the ability to adjust the transparency of the glass roof requires an extra 5,553 złotys. Inside, we were worried about the [additional] cost of choosing leather upholstery in light brown (“oak brown”) color, even though we prefer light and warm colors. We stuck with microfiber upholstery in black with light inserts (+688 zł).
The low price (264 PLN) tempted us to opt for the massage function in the front seats, but we skipped the AMG Performance sports seats and the birch or oak finishes with open grain. Sports seats are designed mainly for tracks and curves, while AMG models are primarily bought by people who pride themselves on pressing the accelerator to the floor on a straight highway stretch — at least that’s the impression we get from watching videos on Instagram.
To keep my wife satisfied, we opted for an additional two-zone climate control system (+2,697 zł). For the driver’s comfort, we added a steering wheel heater in the Winter Package and a head-up display (HUD, +3,967 zł). In a premium car, a Burmester 3D audio system (16 speakers; sound quality inferior to Volvo’s, +4,787 zł) and wireless phone connectivity were also essential. Now all that’s left is a 360-degree camera parking assistant (+6,215 zł) and an onboard converter that allows charging using older 400 V chargers (Superchargers! cheaper!), and there it is.
Our dream Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4Matic+ Electric at a price of 396,658 złoty (configuration tool HERE):
Editor’s note from Elektrowozu: It’s still a bit chilly inside, but this car is meant for overtaking others, not inviting them in
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