[MmmmmM2]

Just saw one of these today and decided to check out the specs. 2.0L 4 cylinder turbo with 385hp/369tq. AWD on a FWD layout. It's quick at 0-60 in 4.1 seconds but m6 question is why would you spend $70K on a 4 cylinder FWD based car? Kind of strange.

[dcpatters]

Originally Posted by F30ZHP

Just saw one of these today and decided to check out the specs. 2.0L 4 cylinder turbo with 385hp/369tq. AWD on a FWD layout. It's quick at 0-60 in 4.1 seconds but m6 question is why would you spend $70K on a 4 cylinder FWD based car? Kind of strange.

Don't know, but a review I read was solid. If equipped, the car has a drift mode and apparently behaves like a rear drive.

[Top speed]

Originally Posted by F30ZHP

Just saw one of these today and decided to check out the specs. 2.0L 4 cylinder turbo with 385hp/369tq. AWD on a FWD layout. It's quick at 0-60 in 4.1 seconds but m6 question is why would you spend $70K on a 4 cylinder FWD based car? Kind of strange.

You mean why would anyone spend $54K

[dcpatters]

For the most part, there's a majority that lease premium brands. In either case, I've seen a couple around. Looks good. But everyone has different tastes

[10"]

Not sure where you're getting $70k from.

$55k and it will blow the pants off anything BMW makes for $55k and be a 4 door sedan doing it.

I think that's pretty cool. RS3 is its natural rival.

0-60 in 4s and all the reviews say this general of A/CLA45 AMG is a total hooligan.

[Red Bread]

The CLA uses an older version of Haldex and is 100% fwd until it detects slip. Maximum rear transfer is limited to 50%.

The RS3 has a newer version of Haldex (exclusive to VAG) and sends a fixed rate of 10% to the rear and more as it slips to a max of 50% also.

That's very different in comparison to a normal quattro or 4Matic car that will be 60% fixed to the rear (already more than full slip in the above two) and can send 100% to the rear and typically have an available lsd to shuffle power side to side too.

[dreamingat30fps]

Aren't pretty much all the German cars in this category 4 cylinder turbos? Pretty much what killed my interest in BMWs.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

Aren't pretty much all the German cars in this category 4 cylinder turbos? Pretty much what killed my interest in BMWs.

Solid logic.

[IMG]https://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/ima...bo-1643_19.jpg[/IMG]

But yes, except for the RS3, which is a 5.

[bkfastwagon]

I saw one the other day. It sounded like my microwave when it's making popcorn.

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Solid logic.

[IMG]https://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/ima...bo-1643_19.jpg[/IMG]

But yes, except for the RS3, which is a 5.

Ok so old BMWs were also small turbocharged engines... probably wouldn't have been a fan of BMW if I were into cars back then either.

To be honest it's not just the switch to small turbocharged engines... while I prefer na engines, specifically in my fun sporty cars, it's also the fact that many of the other manufacturers have stepped up their game. Not that long ago in order to get a car that looked decent inside and out you had to get a German car. Now so many manufacturers are putting out great cars that IMO BMW has lost it's edge for me.

[MmmmmM2]

Once you start adding options you aren't going to be paying $54K. I built one for fun on the MB site and it was pushing $80K.

They aren't bad looking but I think they are overpriced.

[MmmmmM2]

Ok so maybe not $80K, but $73K is up there.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

Ok so old BMWs were also small turbocharged engines... probably wouldn't have been a fan of BMW if I were into cars back then either.

To be honest it's not just the switch to small turbocharged engines... while I prefer na engines, specifically in my fun sporty cars, it's also the fact that many of the other manufacturers have stepped up their game. Not that long ago in order to get a car that looked decent inside and out you had to get a German car. Now so many manufacturers are putting out great cars that IMO BMW has lost it's edge for me.

I agree about BMW, sold our last one a few years ago. But have a manual four cylinder instead and don't regret anything about it.

[MmmmmM2]

Originally Posted by jstein55

The CLA is definitely a looker (at least for its class), but I'd actually really like to drive one of these

Yep. That's the shooting brake right? Won't be coming stateside though.

[chassis]

Cool concept but not enough utility (space, long distance comfort) for me.

[MmmmmM2]

Originally Posted by jstein55

That is the A45 hatch, I believe its quite a bit smaller as the CLA is actually surprisingly the size of the G20 3er. The shooting brake also looks super cool though.

Yes that is super cool!

[AlexFL]

Originally Posted by jstein55

The CLA is definitely a looker (at least for its class), but I'd actually really like to drive one of these

A45s is one of the Mercs I could imagine owning. Must be incredibly fun to drive.

[Redd]

The A/CLA/GLA45s are extremely popular here. Awesome bang for the buck! Highly tunable and much faster than you imagine a 2L turbo ought to be. On hill runs my Stage 2 E92 M3 gets decimated by the 45s.

But for some reason most of my friends talk about selling after 2-3 yrs. They say the car is massively capable, but once the initial excitement of acceleration wears off they say they are quite boring to drive. I'm just repeating what I've been told since I don't own one.

[MisterF80M3]

Originally Posted by F30ZHP

Ok so maybe not $80K, but $73K is up there.

Surprisingly the CLA45 and 340i have nearly identical MSRP.

My buddy has one and he said his CLA45 is quicker than 340/335 (stock for stock).

[F87source]

I had a cla 45 amg (2014 edition one in white) for a short period of time, it was quite nice and I really liked it. The interior imo with the recaro buckets is significantly nicer than bmw's with the exception of the nav, the mercedes nav display and interface in that car sucked. I also moved away because the mods were so limited for that car, and the bmw world was so much more flexible with an abundance of parts, obd2 capable tuning, coding, factory level diagnostics so you do not need to guess torque specs or how to fix things etc.

It would have been a very nice daily though, I do wish the a45 amg was available in NA since I would have prefered that one over the coupe design as the coupe roof sloped so much it made the back seat nearly useless with very little head room.

[heavyD^2]

I really like the AMG CLA 45 but unless you get a stripper it's just too much money for a 4-cylinder car with a Haldex style AWD system. The interior is very, very nice and a massive upgrade over last gen that was a disgrace at the price point. As a person that's owned EVO, STI, Golf R, etc all these cars feel and drive similar while they excel at grip, the fun factor is lower than a RWD car and 4-cylinder engines all sound terrible and lack character. Once you option one of these up you are at a price where MB and other brands offer much more compelling vehicles.

[MmmmmM2]

Originally Posted by MisterF80M3

Surprisingly the CLA45 and 340i have nearly identical MSRP.

My buddy has one and he said his CLA45 is quicker than 340/335 (stock for stock).

Yeah they are quicker for sure. I'm just not a big fan of a FWD based AWD with a 4 cylinder turbo.