Mercedes-Benz has unveiled it’s performance 4-door coupe, the CLA45 AMG at the 2013 New York International Auto Show. The CLA45 AMG takes its design inspiration from the extremely stylish CLS63 AMG. With the advent of the CLA45, Mercedes-Benz wants to inspire newer customers, especially the younger-at-heart ones who would have never considered the luxurious brand earlier. Mercedes has worked on the pricing of the CLA45 AMG which costs less than the C250 sedan.
Mercedes-Benz claims the CLA45 AMG to be the most powerful 4-cylinder engine to enter series production. The engine is a newly developed 2.0-litre turbocharged AMG engine with peak power of 355 BHP at 6000 RPM and a maximum torque of 450 Nm between 2250-5000 RPM. High-tech engineering techniques have gone into the making of this new AMG engine. Few points worth a mention are all-aluminum crankcase, weight-optimized crank assembly, pistons with friction-optimized piston rings, NANOSLIDE cylinder lining technology, ECO Start/Stop function. Multiple injection and multi-spark ignition improves thermodynamic efficiency and consumes less fuel.
Converting this power from the engine to the road is a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox, linked to the 4MATIC all-wheel drive system. The top-speed is electronically limited to 250 km/hr and the powerful 4-door coupe can reach 0-100 km/hr in 4.6 seconds. The front sports a signature AMG twin-blade grille. Enhancing the airflow are the large air inlet ports and winglets at the side and a large diffuser at the rear. Impressive quality, high-end materials and typical high-performance AMG elements are fitted on this vehicle. Apart from this, numerous customization options will be provided with the CLA45 AMG.
Mercedes-Benz bets big on this newly competitive segment of entry-level luxury cars. The CLA45 AMG should be made available at US dealers by November and will wear a price tag of $47,450 (~ Rs. 25 lakhs) and the CLA 250 will be priced at $29,900 (~ Rs. 16.5 lakhs). Mercedes itself doesn’t want to clash the CLA with the C-Class and slots the former at a lower position than the C-Class. The C-Class in India starts at around Rs. 31 lakhs (ex-showroom).
