An old tuned 1.8 or 2.0 VW or subaru or whatever can make this peak power and higher, but the refinement across the rev range of this engine, and the way it works as a package with the whole car is far superior. I am a long time modified car enthusiast and have owned many cars that accelerate much harder, but you have to go and drive this thing to experience the difference. It is a work of art. And it has factory warranty! I have ordered mine
I love how after all the years of writers trashing AMG's handling abilities, Merc just decides to show everyone how it's done with this and the new E63 4matic. Out of BMW, Audi, and Merc, Mercedes will always be the best.
2.0liter turbos are the future, my 2013 SantaFe has a twin scroll, gas direct injection turbo motor, with 270hp and 275ftlbs, amazing to think in my high school days Mustang GT5.0 only had 250hp and got like 15mpg....technology is awesome!
one the first AMG tests that i have ever seen without massive tire smoke and where the car actually looks like it want to stay on the road. Well done Merc. Finally! - the RS3 should be in that test - come on really?
It is the Bilster Berg Drive Resort near Bad Driburg in Germany. For this video they actually divided the track into two parts, so more cars could be tested at the same time. The whole length is 4.2km and its amazing!
Cars like this are the future. Small displacement, turbocharged, performance plus efficiency. Lots of hot hatches out there, but there is only so much you can do with FWD. There have been AWD turbo cars for sometime, but no where near as efficient as this. It is gonna take some time for the other car makers to catch up, and for this come down in price
The clicking of the paddles is reminiscent of that timeless, evocative sound of my fingers clicking the trigger buttons whilst playing Gran Turismo or Forza at home. Ahhh halcyon days of digital motoring.
I just checked the specs. The engine is rated at 359 PS which is 354 horsepower vs the 355 horsepower of the Benz. But the engine is considerably more torquier at 492 N.m against 450 N.m for the A45. That said, the FQ-400 is actually a tuned which is done by Mitsubishi. Similarly like how the Veyron SS holds the world record for a car that has a higher tune that the stock one. It'd be more accurate if the reviewer said that the A45 is the world's most powerful 4-cylinder in production.
I've got a late build 2018 with all of the options other than the (silly) wings. It has some mild mods. But it's a bit of a dull handler. I concur on the steering, which is great, as are the brakes, but coming from an LZ Focus RS, I really miss the rear biased handling that the RS had. The AMG is a superior car in every way except for the drive. Which makes me actually miss the Focus. Go figure!
The gear dont change down on manual if you got high rpm in order to protect the engine and it wont let you up the gear if your rpm is to low not to stop the engine :) It`s smart
I had sport cars , i had family cars . And one think I've learned is you cant have everything in a vehicle To have one good feature you need to sacrifice others . My worst car was the most beautiful and sporty car I ever own 18 inch wheel chrome wheels were stunning to look at . However it made my 3.0 L v6 slower it increased the MPG and ride confort became outrageous combined with my sport suspension . A pot hole damaged my steering rack as every bump was like a crash
i think its the best looking hatch right now,mercedes done it just so right from every angle before mercedes spoiled the looks,i think their pre-facelifted E-class coupe was the best looking car in the world
a performance car as an everyday proposition that even the wife can enjoy driving. clever, 40mpg, i can live with that mon - fri and 20 mpg sat and sunday
All FQs are modified ONLY for UK market. So factory don't make them with 360, 400hp etc. so you can't consider FQs as production models. AMG comes out of factory with 355hp, and FQs come out of factory as normal EVOs and in UK they are tuned up to 300, 360 or 400 hp.
Is that the car with 5,000 mile service intervals and holds the Guinness book of records award for 'narrowest power band' and 'most turbo lag'? Forgot about that!
The Evo 8 FQ-400 has the highest specific power out put of any engine ever, but the A45's motor has the highest specific power output of any current production vehicle. :)
also its so the manufacturer can have complete control over shift points and so give it really short gearing that hunt for higher gears to increase fuel economy.
The a45 is tuned by AMG, the FQ400 is tuned by rally art... what differentiante is the marketing. The FQ400 was made in lower numbers, but is still a production car. The koenigsegg holds a few records for production car, and less than 150 have been built
I'm actually surprised with this. At didn't really like the a class but this is a good car. Normally when manufacture go for small engines with high hp you get turbo lag, poor throttle response, and poor longevity. But as technology improved with direct injection etc.. This is much improved ! If only it had a good interior like golf gti. Golf r on order!!
Looks fantastic, probably best looking hatch out there at the moment.Still opt for the bmw though, cheaper, manual,100 kg's lighter, better steering feel from what I understand, probably better weight distribution too. Looking forward to follow-on review.
You're probably more right about who the Merc is copying (if any). It still seems like Merc copies BMW. BMW brings out the 125i, Merc brings out the A250 sport. BMW brings out the M135i, Merc brings out the A45 AMG. It's been like that for quite some time now. 320d, C220CDI. 330d C320CDI. M3 CxxAMG. Albeit different engines to achieve the same thing. The BMWs still kick their asses. :)
I have never been a Merc fan, cant quite get my head around the "Badge" but when i saw the specs on this car i just had to have a look. A couple of hours on the net and decision made...1000 bucks down and wait for the new toy. My golf R has been a great car but I was always pissed VW Australia detuned the car to 188KW for our market. Obviously Australia is not too hot a climate for AMG to use 265KW. I must congratulate AMG for giving the customer what they want. Good bye VW Hello A45 Yeah yeah!
Nope that's the FQ400. The FQ360 has minimal turbo lag. It's actually fairly economical if driven gently. I know, cause I used to own one a few years ago.
well you dont get it because you describe this thing not as a real car. Not everyone wants a big ass car, alot of folks want a small compact fast car. And mercedes can give you one hell of good car. And people sure want to pay more for less, if they get what they want. And its not tue that the hot hatch market is alot of fun for not alot of money. Because alot of the good hatchbacks are expensive! maybe not as expensive as the A45 AMG but also not as good. The A45 AMG is a class of its own...
Generally speaking, the reason paddle-shifting gearboxes were invented was in order for drivers not to miss the gear shifts in quick cars which rev very fast. In my opinion they're pointless in anything under 450 - 500 bhp.
The Racetrack is ze new Bilster Berg Drive Resort which opened last week. It's located in central Dschörmenie - as well as "The Ring" in ze middle of nowhere.
Wow!!! it really looks impressive! 40mpg!! :O Thats brilliant. The only downside it seems is that it costs 40000 pounds.....but a couple of years ago a Top of the line BMW Z4 would hav costed more having produced much lesser power
Nope, the FQ300, 360 and 400 were production cars. The 330 wasn't, it was defined as post production tuned. I should know, I have one and the little certificate that comes with it to prove it's a 330. That doesn't come with the others because they are official models.
so this is awd, don't really get why they made it like that. AMG is kinda known for its rwd lunacy and ofc brutal engines... a shame i think but it does look like a very good awd system and it just looks so sexy, i like it a lot
i've never been a massive fan of auto's but could live with the fact that's where all cars are headed. but this just evokes sitting in an office clicking buttons, especially with the muffled synthesised engine note. hard to get excited about modern cars
Looks like a great way to get up to the hedges very quickly & an even nicer way to keep out of them . But a difficult one if there is not to be a Gatso fest in your life .
Really. I must have missed the 2.0 turbo charged, transverse engined, 4WD BMW hatchback.If it's a copy of anything, it's the rally homologation specials. Delta, Lancer, Impreza etc.
it actualy holded the record for more hp per liter and more torque per liter before the koenisegg agera came out... I understand your point, and I totaly agree with you, but if the koenigsegg and bugatti that are made in incredible limited number (ler alone the american SSC than made 20 or less) count to those statistics, the FQ400 should count aswell. the fact that's made for a market, doesn't mean it doesn't count
Except it isn't production. Those figures aren't from a factory car, the car is built in a factory stock and then modified to make those figures in the UK before being sold from a dealership. It doesn't roll off the assembly line that way. Just because a modified car is sold at a dealership doesn't mean it isn't modified.
An old tuned 1.8 or 2.0 VW or subaru or whatever can make this peak power and higher, but the refinement across the rev range of this engine, and the way it works as a package with the whole car is far superior. I am a long time modified car enthusiast and have owned many cars that accelerate much harder, but you have to go and drive this thing to experience the difference. It is a work of art. And it has factory warranty! I have ordered mine
I love how after all the years of writers trashing AMG's handling abilities, Merc just decides to show everyone how it's done with this and the new E63 4matic. Out of BMW, Audi, and Merc, Mercedes will always be the best.
I realize Im kinda randomly asking but does anybody know of a good website to watch new series online ?
@Hamza Alfredo Flixportal
@Emerson Devin thank you, signed up and it seems like a nice service =) Appreciate it!
@Hamza Alfredo No problem :D
Respect mercedes but you re deluded asf if you believe they re bmw level in handling
I bought one yesterday =D
still have it?
@@poopoocaca8079 No i had it for 3 years. Great car! I miss it but i also lost a lot of Money... dont know if it was wurth it!
I wish it was available in the U.S. instead of the CLA45.
You and me both.
***** it looks like a cartoonish CLS wannabe. The proportions are way off.
If this was a manual it would be the only car id ever want
Tell this to the F1 drivers also,who drive their cars with paddles.
It actually has a M mode with shifers
Paddle shifters are not manual. I manual means CLUTCH
2.0liter turbos are the future, my 2013 SantaFe has a twin scroll, gas direct injection turbo motor, with 270hp and 275ftlbs, amazing to think in my high school days Mustang GT5.0 only had 250hp and got like 15mpg....technology is awesome!
one the first AMG tests that i have ever seen without massive tire smoke and where the car actually looks like it want to stay on the road. Well done Merc. Finally! - the RS3 should be in that test - come on really?
It is the Bilster Berg Drive Resort near Bad Driburg in Germany. For this video they actually divided the track into two parts, so more cars could be tested at the same time. The whole length is 4.2km and its amazing!
Look at that 4wheel drift at the start. WOW
Cars like this are the future. Small displacement, turbocharged, performance plus efficiency. Lots of hot hatches out there, but there is only so much you can do with FWD. There have been AWD turbo cars for sometime, but no where near as efficient as this. It is gonna take some time for the other car makers to catch up, and for this come down in price
The clicking of the paddles is reminiscent of that timeless, evocative sound of my fingers clicking the trigger buttons whilst playing Gran Turismo or Forza at home. Ahhh halcyon days of digital motoring.
Can't wait for THAT tripple test!
38k! No. M135i all day long & 7k to spend on LSD & tune, 5 trips to the ring & track days in the UK. I would still have change left!
Back here in holland they don't. But one thing we would agree on this amg version is very badass.
355hp, AWD, 40MPG, 4-Cylinder, 0-60 in 4.6sec????? Fucking perfect, absolutely fucking perfect. Proper little pocket rocket. Good Job Mercedes
I just checked the specs. The engine is rated at 359 PS which is 354 horsepower vs the 355 horsepower of the Benz. But the engine is considerably more torquier at 492 N.m against 450 N.m for the A45. That said, the FQ-400 is actually a tuned which is done by Mitsubishi. Similarly like how the Veyron SS holds the world record for a car that has a higher tune that the stock one. It'd be more accurate if the reviewer said that the A45 is the world's most powerful 4-cylinder in production.
I've got a late build 2018 with all of the options other than the (silly) wings. It has some mild mods.
But it's a bit of a dull handler. I concur on the steering, which is great, as are the brakes, but coming from an LZ Focus RS, I really miss the rear biased handling that the RS had.
The AMG is a superior car in every way except for the drive. Which makes me actually miss the Focus.
Go figure!
The gear dont change down on manual if you got high rpm in order to protect the engine and it wont let you up the gear if your rpm is to low not to stop the engine :) It`s smart
when i saw that smoky sliding tail i tought it was a propultion car, but you are right, it's awd
Another awesome car the US isn't getting. Wonderful.
I think it has its own character, not an AMG V8, but really special and a nice grunt
sutcliffe is a very underrated car reviewer
I had sport cars , i had family cars
.
And one think I've learned is you cant have everything in a vehicle
To have one good feature you need to sacrifice others
.
My worst car was the most beautiful and sporty car I ever own
18 inch wheel chrome wheels were stunning to look at
.
However it made my 3.0 L v6 slower it increased the MPG and ride confort became outrageous combined with my sport suspension
.
A pot hole damaged my steering rack as every bump was like a crash
i think its the best looking hatch right now,mercedes done it just so right from every angle
before mercedes spoiled the looks,i think their pre-facelifted E-class coupe was the best looking car in the world
a performance car as an everyday proposition that even the wife can enjoy driving. clever, 40mpg, i can live with that mon - fri and 20 mpg sat and sunday
All FQs are modified ONLY for UK market. So factory don't make them with 360, 400hp etc. so you can't consider FQs as production models. AMG comes out of factory with 355hp, and FQs come out of factory as normal EVOs and in UK they are tuned up to 300, 360 or 400 hp.
Is that the car with 5,000 mile service intervals and holds the Guinness book of records award for 'narrowest power band' and 'most turbo lag'?
Forgot about that!
Can't wait for that comparison test!
the FQ-400 isn't a production version, it's been tuned after it comes out of the production line by rallyart
It looks a million times better then the last one, I think this AMG version looks awesome
The Evo 8 FQ-400 has the highest specific power out put of any engine ever, but the A45's motor has the highest specific power output of any current production vehicle. :)
they can pull the power down lower so you shift earlier, but they cant make you put it in fifth at 30 mph or whatever like some systems like to do
Now imagine how good this would be 60kg lighter and without AWD.
Are you complaining about a 36k pricetag?? In Norway you pay 40k for a A180!
also its so the manufacturer can have complete control over shift points and so give it really short gearing that hunt for higher gears to increase fuel economy.
the clicking sound of the paddle shift , makes the car feel like a toy.....
LOVE MANUAL transmission.
Meanwhile in F1 cars
*Same sound
The a45 is tuned by AMG, the FQ400 is tuned by rally art... what differentiante is the marketing. The FQ400 was made in lower numbers, but is still a production car. The koenigsegg holds a few records for production car, and less than 150 have been built
I'm actually surprised with this. At didn't really like the a class but this is a good car. Normally when manufacture go for small engines with high hp you get turbo lag, poor throttle response, and poor longevity. But as technology improved with direct injection etc.. This is much improved ! If only it had a good interior like golf gti. Golf r on order!!
It might have trouble holding up in the long run, but if not good for merc that would be a beast
Looks fantastic, probably best looking hatch out there at the moment.Still opt for the bmw though, cheaper, manual,100 kg's lighter, better steering feel from what I understand, probably better weight distribution too. Looking forward to follow-on review.
You're probably more right about who the Merc is copying (if any). It still seems like Merc copies BMW. BMW brings out the 125i, Merc brings out the A250 sport. BMW brings out the M135i, Merc brings out the A45 AMG. It's been like that for quite some time now. 320d, C220CDI. 330d C320CDI. M3 CxxAMG. Albeit different engines to achieve the same thing.
The BMWs still kick their asses. :)
I have never been a Merc fan, cant quite get my head around the "Badge" but when i saw the specs on this car i just had to have a look. A couple of hours on the net and decision made...1000 bucks down and wait for the new toy. My golf R has been a great car but I was always pissed VW Australia detuned the car to 188KW for our market. Obviously Australia is not too hot a climate for AMG to use 265KW. I must congratulate AMG for giving the customer what they want. Good bye VW Hello A45 Yeah yeah!
Nope that's the FQ400. The FQ360 has minimal turbo lag. It's actually fairly economical if driven gently. I know, cause I used to own one a few years ago.
This car is so much fun and to be honest in my opinion it's more fun than the c63
THIS IS AMG ISN'T IT? SO IT MEANS IT IS MIRACLE! AMG BUILDS THE BEST ENGINES AND THE MOST COMFORTABLE PREMIUM CLASS CARS IN THE WORLD!!!
well you dont get it because you describe this thing not as a real car. Not everyone wants a big ass car, alot of folks want a small compact fast car. And mercedes can give you one hell of good car. And people sure want to pay more for less, if they get what they want. And its not tue that the hot hatch market is alot of fun for not alot of money. Because alot of the good hatchbacks are expensive! maybe not as expensive as the A45 AMG but also not as good. The A45 AMG is a class of its own...
Generally speaking, the reason paddle-shifting gearboxes were invented was in order for drivers not to miss the gear shifts in quick cars which rev very fast. In my opinion they're pointless in anything under 450 - 500 bhp.
As for that comparison test, it'll be hard for the GTi not to be outclassed. This seems like more of a rival for an Audi RS3 than a VW GTi.
Sutcliffe is excellent...as always,
The Racetrack is ze new Bilster Berg Drive Resort which opened last week. It's located in central Dschörmenie - as well as "The Ring" in ze middle of nowhere.
Wow!!! it really looks impressive! 40mpg!! :O Thats brilliant. The only downside it seems is that it costs 40000 pounds.....but a couple of years ago a Top of the line BMW Z4 would hav costed more having produced much lesser power
Were you able to get any on-power oversteer?
A shame it's not available with manual gearbox, isn't it?
Well FQ400 is not mass produced car and it is made only for UK. So FQ400 is considered as tuning (also it has short maintaince intervals).
Now that's cool hot hatch !!
Nope, the FQ300, 360 and 400 were production cars. The 330 wasn't, it was defined as post production tuned. I should know, I have one and the little certificate that comes with it to prove it's a 330. That doesn't come with the others because they are official models.
Can't wait for the comparative test with new GTI and BMW!!
so this is awd, don't really get why they made it like that. AMG is kinda known for its rwd lunacy and ofc brutal engines... a shame i think but it does look like a very good awd system and it just looks so sexy, i like it a lot
what track is this? I understood it got designed by hermann tilke but where is it?
The gearbox, the turbo lag and the expected reliability kill it for me, honestly. M135i (or M235i when it comes out) all the way...
You are right, but the FQ400 was only exclusive for the UK. The rest of the planet got a much slower Evo.
Great car.sweet sound and great handling
What he meant was a mass produced 2 liter turbo. Limited edition car only for UK i don't think you can call it a mass produced.
Nice entry, Mr Sutcliffe
i've never been a massive fan of auto's but could live with the fact that's where all cars are headed. but this just evokes sitting in an office clicking buttons, especially with the muffled synthesised engine note. hard to get excited about modern cars
Is that awesomely crazy turbo whine gone from the earlier videos?
best hothatch in the market
Looks like a great way to get up to the hedges very quickly & an even nicer way to keep out of them . But a difficult one if there is not to be a Gatso fest in your life .
I really want one, but it costs over $100,000 here in Indonesia. No joke.
Really. I must have missed the 2.0 turbo charged, transverse engined, 4WD BMW hatchback.If it's a copy of anything, it's the rally homologation specials. Delta, Lancer, Impreza etc.
powerful 4 cylinders are time bombs
they'll never be as good as a 4L 6 or a 6l v8
Great video Autocar!
I'm really looking forward to the A45 AMG Saloon. Anyone know when that's coming out?
wish they had this in the US
Wish they would release this car in America
unless I am making a mistake all FQ variants were uk only and modified by a tuner.
it actualy holded the record for more hp per liter and more torque per liter before the koenisegg agera came out...
I understand your point, and I totaly agree with you, but if the koenigsegg and bugatti that are made in incredible limited number (ler alone the american SSC than made 20 or less) count to those statistics, the FQ400 should count aswell. the fact that's made for a market, doesn't mean it doesn't count
nvm A45 , does A-class package well enough to steal from 1-hatch & golf?
You are a brave guy.. thar looks relly fun
Wish we had this in America
Wonder if new focus rs will pull same figures for less money?
SumkindaHuman it can drift this understeers
Hey Steve, In comparison to the e46 m3, what would you prefer? In terms of price difference, hp, weight. cheers.
m3 and A are in different categories
BAR PSI?
Every manufacturer is able to do this. But not every brand has the same target/goal.
come on AMG, give your croud a 30/70 front/rear power distribution and give us a feel of the "proper" AMG models
They are production cars like Alpina or brabus... they are modified cars, but actualy count for records and that stuff
a little, but gentler on the eyes
cars of the future
Except it isn't production. Those figures aren't from a factory car, the car is built in a factory stock and then modified to make those figures in the UK before being sold from a dealership. It doesn't roll off the assembly line that way. Just because a modified car is sold at a dealership doesn't mean it isn't modified.
i have one. love it
i can't understand how they made this incredible engine with only 2 litre......
I finaly get it ! 45 in A45 AMG name means that it does 0-60 MPH in 4.6 seconds , no .
This car is amazing, and the limited edition has appeared in my school carpark :D
Bruh..
I want one so badly!
because there is a big market for hot/fast/loud/good looking hatchbacks. And mercedes diddnt had a car for that market, now they do.
Everyone has different opinions, and by all means your entitled to yours.
Hot hatch alert!
The Evo FQ400 is actually a bit more powerful, and that was a production model. :)
FQ400 is not a series production car.
They were modified by Mitsubishi UK and HKS.
The only thing it lacks is a manual gearbox. That's a shame!
I think it is the new Blister Berg Race Resort
why doesn't this video load properly?? @autocar