Mercedes-Benz GLA 45 AMG

The description of the Mercedes-Benz GLA 45 AMG, as seen on the bumf, says SUV. On Mercedes India’s own webpage, they have listed it under their ‘off-roader’ line up. We have heard others describe it as an “entry-level AMG” or “just another fancy looking Merc”. But nobody refers to it as a practical, four door sports car which is exactly what it is.

The GLA 45 AMG is one oddly likeable machine. On the one hand it’s a comfortable family vehicle, brimming with all manner of creature comforts and technology, and on the other it’s a full on, low-slung sports car with performance that outdoes most Porsches on the road. That being said, it’s still more of a subdued, less wild AMG than we are accustomed to. There is no big, unruly V8 powerhouse lurking under the hood and neither is all the power in the world left to the mercy of the rear wheels. Instead, the power is sourced from a turbocharged, four-cylinder engine and channelled to all four corners with the surefootedness of an all-wheel drive system. However, do not for a second conclude that this AMG is a bit weak-hearted.

The GLA 45, in fact, is a machine purpose-built for delivering as much driving pleasure as possible from what is basically a crossover platform. Accordingly it’s much more powerful, lower to the ground and with a heavily beefed-up suspension set up compared to the regular GLA. The question now is how well does a purpose-built machine as such, be intended as an everyday performance car?

The GLA already is one good looking brute so you can expect this AMG fettled model to leave a positive first impression. As the flagship model of the GLA Class, the GLA 45 combines the elegant lines of the regular model with the go-faster bits exclusive to AMG. Upfront, the twin blade radiator grille housing a rather large Mercedes-Benz logo takes dominance, followed by the gaping air intakes on the bumper.

The aggressively designed front splitter (finished in matte titanium grey) is hard to miss and so is the AMG lettering between the blades on the radiator grille. Mercedes says the latter design element will make its way into all upcoming AMG vehicles for easy recognition although I really doubt if any of these high-performance models from Affalterbach need any more introduction.

Move along the sides and what catches the eye first are those distinctive 19-inch alloy wheels tucked under large wheel arches. Special AMG touches here include the side sill panels (also finished in matte titanium grey), some nice ‘Turbo AMG’ emblems on the front wings, aluminium roof rails and enormous red brake calipers. The side profile is also where you will begin to realise just how low slung the GLA 45 is even for a sporty crossover. The regular India-spec GLA has a decent 183mm of ground clearance, but for this hunkered down sports car of a crossover, Mercedes has dropped the ride height by 15mm to 168mm. The GLA 45 AMG, as a result, sits closer to the ground than all the other premium crossovers by a long shot. Now this is both good and bad news. Good because it translates to a lower centre of gravity and bad (for select people, that is) because the same set up also makes the GLA 45 look more like a hatchback than a crossover.

The rear end is entirely dominated by those tasty looking pair of rectangular tailpipes and the optional diffuser finished in grey. Also optional are the garish stickers running down the side which, if you ask me, fail to do a very convincing job as far as aesthetic appeal is concerned. All in all, the GLA 45 AMG is a serious looking piece of kit, one that is designed to set your pulse racing with aggression and ferocity comparable to that of the turbo four-pot motor that rests under the hood.

You know its business as usual at Mercedes-AMG when you make your way inside the cabin and are surrounded by red seatbelts, body-hugging sports seats and drilled aluminium pedals besides the executive level appointments. The cabin design and layout of materials in here nearly mimics the regular GLA but with a tinge of more toys and luxury as standard. The Recaro designed sport seats do a much better job of holding you in place than those found in the regular GLA thanks to bigger bolsters. Plus, they are covered in leather with beautiful contrasting stitching, making the cabin that extra bit special to be in. What comes as a surprise though is that they do not sacrifice much in terms of seat comfort.

Being an AMG, the GLA 45 comes with all the goodies imaginable in a car of its size. There’s the COMMAND infotainment system with a 7-inch screen, reversing camera, a panoramic sunroof, electric seats with memory function, bi-xenon headlights with daytime running LEDs and what not.

The real purpose of this car, of course, is to be found only after getting behind the wheel. The sporty, three-spoke steering wheel with red contrasting stitching and the aluminium paddles shifters indicate the business end of things. With a variety of adjustments for both the driver’s seat and the steering column, finding the ideal driving position is fairly easy. The trim on the instrument panel is finished in brushed aluminium and in tandem with the stainless-steel AMG front door sills, emphasising the sporty character of the car.

The cabin, otherwise, is identical to that of the regular GLA and that can only mean one thing – it is a bit short on space. While the seats themselves are very comfortable, there isn’t much space to move around, especially at the back. Visibility all round, too, is compromised by the thick A-pillars and the tiny rear glass. All things considered, the cabin is decently practical for urban commutes or a short weekend getaway although I suspect getaways in this car will be much quicker than those in the regular GLA.

Be it the GLA 45 or the CLA 45, if you browse through the bumf you will see Mercedes repeatedly explaining how this turbocharged 2-litre unit is the most powerful series-produced four-cylinder engine till date. One look at the spec sheet and it’s easy to believe the German automaker’s claim. Three hundred and sixty – that’s the total sum of brake horsepower coming out of the 2-litre unit. Impressive, right? Better still, it’s the peak torque of 450Nm between 2,000 and 5,000rpm that can put even the most thoroughbred of sports cars to shame. So how has AMG managed to squeeze so much power out of what is a commonly displaced engine capacity?

For starters, the handmade engine is fitted with a twin-scroll turbocharger for optimum throttle response and multiple fuel injectors. The twin-scroll setup allows for a more spontaneous build-up of the exhaust back pressure compared to a conventional turbo. This, then, leads to a quicker build-up of torque already at low engine speeds and is also the key to the car’s manic mid-range response.

Another highlight of the drivetrain is the 7-speed dual clutch gearbox or AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT, as Mercedes likes to calls it. Featuring three different models to suit different driving instances, this 7-speed unit also features a launch control system and, much to the delight of stick shift enthusiasts – a double-declutching function.

Assuming that’s enough details on the engine and gearbox, it’s time to see how well this clever powertrain shifts the GLA 45 AMG out on the road.

A few minutes into the drive, I remember looking ahead at this flat, slightly dusty stretch of tarmac and planting the throttle expecting fireworks. What I got was 911-baiting performance and the sinister roar of an evil spirited turbocharged motor as all four wheels scrambled for traction through the first and second gear. “How can this thing be so loud?” I mumbled just as the dual-clutch gearbox quickly grabbed third from the seven ratios available. With the rise in speed, the throaty exhaust noise got drowned out by wind and tyre roar although not as much to make things any less thrilling. Whomsoever grousing on the absence of a V8 in this AMG would be happy to know that the GLA 45 is anything but quiet.

On a good day, the GLA 45 will rip through the zero to 100kmph run in well under five seconds, before topping out at an electronically-limited top speed of 250 kmph. Unlike V8 engined AMGs, the GLA 45 is not outrageously quick or loud but it is still plenty fast for the kind of roads that we have. Triple digit speeds are achieved in a jiffy and even high speed overtaking manoeuvres needn’t require downshifts – such is the engine’s midrange punch. However, it’s still not an engine that can lunge forward on its torque at low revs without a gear shift. Find yourself in the wrong gear and the GLA 45 feels handicapped for almost a second of turbo lag, and that’s quite a long wait. As for the gearbox, the 7-speed dual clutch unit complements the engine rather well and manages to find the right set of gears for most occasions. Of the three modes, it performs the best when put in S (Sport) mode wherein gear changes are lightning quick and fairly smooth at the same time. For pottering around town though, it’s better to shift to C (Controlled Efficiency) and let the drivetrain work in the least stressful manner.

As pretty as it is to look at, the CLA 45 AMG just doesn’t match up to something like an Audi S4 when it comes to everyday usability – it’s low, quite small inside and bad for your back with its stiff ride quality. Being a crossover, the GLA 45 AMG comes across as a nicer proposition, thanks to its higher ground clearance (plus the higher seating position) and a versatile cabin. The improved ride height also ends up delivering decent ride quality over broken surfaces. Despite the beefed-up springs and revised damper setting, the GLA 45 takes on big jolts without letting out any form of unnerving clunks.

The basic layout and suspension geometry of the GLA 45 are more like a hunkered down sports car than that of a typical crossover. The McPherson front axle is fitted with stiffer steering knuckles and new bushes. The four-link rear axle has also been newly developed with high cornering speeds and grip in focus. The AMG sports suspension, meanwhile, includes specially tuned spring/damper units and bigger anti-roll bars.

It’s safe to say, then that the grip and cornering speeds on this AMG – thanks to the all-wheel drive system, heavily revised suspension, massive cross-drilled brake discs and the 235-section Continental tires – go well beyond a regular GLA or even many a sports cars including the Nissan 370Z, BMW Z4 and a few entry-level Porsches, for that matter. However, it’s still not a perfect track tool as the front end tends to push on under heavy cornering thanks to the all-wheel drive and the understeer cannot be eliminated totally as Mercedes won’t let you turn off the electronic driving aids completely.

Concluding that the GLA 45 AMG is the ultimate everyday performance car is hard to argue. It’s mind-bendingly quick, good looking, easy to get into and out of and reasonably versatile if you have a family of four. The only big downside I can think of at this moment is that it’s a niche within a niche market i.e. the high-performance crossover segment. Sure, there’s the Porsche Macan Turbo which shares a similar appeal but there is no hiding away from the fact it’s ludicrously expensive at well over a crore.

At Rs 70.90 lakh (ex-showroom), the GLA 45 AMG is much easier on the pocket although it is still not cheap by any definition. Pricing aside, why Mercedes-Benz India chose to bring in a niche product and whether us Indians need a high-performance crossover that costs a bomb goes out the window the moment you plant your foot on the throttle. It’s a world away from driving to business meetings or dropping the kids off to school – the kind of duties the regular GLA is meant to deal with.