Soo I Test Drove An A45amg

[PaulAr]

I test drove the A45, 8V S3 and 135i back to back as potential replacements for my 8P S3.

The 135i was the best to drive, cheapest PCP, but ultimately little bit too cramped to be my daily family car. Very tempting though.
The A45 was brilliant, pretty hardcore, but the PCP deal was silly as the residuals were awful, APR high, discounts low.
The S3 was also excellent but also expensive as a PCP proposition.

On balance, and as a daily then I would have probably gone for the S3.
If the Merc was closer to the S3 price wise (it should be IMO) then that would be different.

Ultimately ended up with none of the above.

 

[Messi_alli]

Yep... totally agreed.. our pricing here is a bit weird in trinidad where i live. The diff in the car prices have narrowed here.

 

[cemerson]

I've just had a test drive of a different car as well... Tesla Model S. What an incredible car!

 

[auroan]

Erm.... Audi's halo model for the A3 range is the RS3 (they will have a 8V soon) Merc's A class halo model is the A45AMG ...

So why are we comparing the S3 driving dynamics to the A45AMG, when it should be RS3 (when it arrives) ?

 

[steeve]

Erm.... Audi's halo model for the A3 range is the RS3 (they will have a 8V soon) Merc's A class halo model is the A45AMG ...

So why are we comparing the S3 driving dynamics to the A45AMG, when it should be RS3 (when it arrives) ?

I suppose because currently that's all there is to compare it with in the Audi range that's similar. I imagine when the RS3 peeps out from under the blankets and becomes available the comparisons will alter to suit what's on the market.

Then of course there's the R400 Golf. Which I have my name down for, but I might not follow up on it.

 

[coddy85]

Why is nobody mentioning the S5? Easy 400BHP and is still better looking and around the price of an A45.

-I'll get my coat....

 

[Longy]

Why is nobody mentioning the S5? Easy 400BHP and is still better looking and around the price of an A45.

-I'll get my coat....

Maybe because the other two a 2ltr turbo cars.

 

[steeve]

Why is nobody mentioning the S5? Easy 400BHP and is still better looking and around the price of an A45.

-I'll get my coat....

S5? Perhaps as its not really an S3 competitor, certainly too big for what I was looking for.

 

[coddy85]

Maybe because the other two a 2ltr turbo cars.

S5? Perhaps as its not really an S3 competitor, certainly too big for what I was looking for.

Yea OK that I agree, but the most discussed things here were price, specification and performance. I think the S5 has that balanced nicely.

 

[Longy]

Price wise in Australia, the gap is huge between S3 and S5.

S3 sedan - $65k

S5 - $145k

 

[geefunk1978]

As a side note, the dealer sent me this yesterday...

 

[steeve]

Looks very nice, they do have quite an 'aggressive look'

 

[cuke2u]

To me that is too 'american' or even Japanese in its styling...

 

[auroan]

From any direction but the front, the A class looks like a fat Kia Procee'd

 

[dstama]

yep, not a fan unfortunately

 

[tankclark]

I like them although you really have to know your car's to know it isn't a regular A class derv, which is why I couldn't buy one without the aero kit

 

[veeeight]

Like, looks matter if you're after a Drivers car.

 

[tankclark]

Don't think they can be classed as a drivers car, very few 4wd care are what I'd call fun to drive, capable yes but not fun.

 

[veeeight]

Much more fun that the S3. Unfortunately the S3 is sedate and mundane after stepping out of the A45.

very few 4wd care are what I'd call fun to drive, capable yes but not fun.

A few years ago when they were leading, the Evo's and Scooby's were definitely much more fun and a drivers car.

 

[tankclark]

They are both pretty boring to drive imo if you'd buy an S3 for a 'fun' drive then there's something wrong.

 

[veeeight]

They are both pretty boring to drive imo if you'd buy an S3 for a 'fun' drive then there's something wrong.

Huh?

A 300PS car shouldn't be 'fun' to drive? Really?

An 'S' car not fun? Really?

 

[tankclark]

Yeah, before deciding to put a big overpayment on my mortgage I had desires for a GTR, went and drove loads and although it was probably the most capable car I've ever driven it wasn't fun, ask any proper driver what they think of a GTR and they will say it's brutally fast but lacks feel and driver input.
If I wanted something raw and involving That required real driving and I had 40k to spend I'd rather an M3 or C63 than an A45

 

[veeeight]

Except that an A45 will work in the winter, the M3 and C63 won't.

 

[tankclark]

Oh I agree, it's the reason I'm going S3 and not staying with my M135i because it's a better allrounder but compared to the S3 and the A45 I had on order a couple of months back it's much more fun and more of a drivers car, but it's ugly and useless in the wet and ice lol

 

[Vertigo1]

Put it like this.. if you took that AMG badge of that car, I would not buy it when compared to the S3. My wife asked me so why I am so concerned about it being an AMG. I said this would probably the only AMG car I could afford. That AMG badge somehow makes you want to just own it. Credit to Mercedes and their marketing insight here.

AMG to me, and to many other people I suspect, means engines and little else. If you compare AMG to the likes of BMW's M-division, then the latter has a history of cars not only with amazing engines but also superb balance and handling. AMG has no such reputation. Whilst they're getting better recently, historically it's been a synonym for dropping a monstrous engine into a car and not much to do with handling or finesse.

You only have to look at cars like the C63 which was intended to compete with the M3. Yes it has more power etc etc but it's a blunt instrument with none of the poise or handling of an M3 and gets annihilated by one in any real test. AMG has an image of "brashness" or "brute force" and those who aspire to own one are usually just after the prestige of the badge itself, rather than the driving experience.

To be fair, Audi suffer from a similar issue with many of their RS models. With the exception of the R8 and B7 RS4, the RS models again are just huge engines and little else. The handling is sub-standard for the price and competition from the likes of BMW and they're not proper driver's cars. Sorry to anyone here who owns one but it's the truth.

With regards to the A45 AMG discussed here, firstly this is competing with a forthcoming RS3 surely, not the current S3? It's more powerful and more expensive and I'm not sure a direct comparison with the S3 is valid.

Secondly, a four cylinder engine? Seriously?! Not only is that a joke in a car of this price but also, for a company such as AMG whose main USP is their engines, badging a four-cylinder car as an AMG is farcical. Can you imagine BMW selling an M-division car with four cylinders? Even Audi put a five pot in the RS3. Smacks of totally cynical marketing exercise to me.

Rant over, flame away, I don't care

 

[geefunk1978]

It all depends what you want out of a car. At the end of the day the A45 is the fastest point to point car you can buy for the money brand new and is hugely practical. It's a modern incarnation of Scooby's and Evo's which obviously aren't to everyone's tastes. Yes there are probably better machines out there but they won't work all year round. It's also way more exciting than the S3 and I suspect it'll be better than the new RS3 if all the other latest RS cars are anything to go by. And yes I've driven them all, RS4,5&6.

 

[veeeight]

I don't think Vertigo1 read any of the previous posts in this thread, re: what makes an AMG.

You say it's not hand built, but they build it as an A250 on the same production line as all A class, then send it to AMG, who strip it (engine, gearbox, brakes, suspension, interior) then rebuild it as an AMG. If that's not a proper AMG car I don't know what is.

Whereas an S3 is just a go faster version of an A3 with a larger turbo and remap, and body kit. Built on the same production line as a 1.2 TFSI. And the pricing difference for an AMG reflects the build process.

Oh, hand built engine, anyone!

 

[Vertigo1]

"Way more exciting than the S3"? If your definition of exciting is just stupidly fast in a straight line perhaps.

EVO had this to say:

Its nearest foes are the rear-drive, 316bhp BMW M135i (priced from £30,570 though £32,700 as an eight-speed automatic equipped five-door to match the A45) and the all-wheel-drive, 296bhp Audi S3 quattro (£30,640 basic/£32,740 as a five-door auto). Both are less powerful than the mad Merc, with more focused M Division and RS3 versions likely in the future, yet they manage to be more involving too. The BMW especially, which alongside the Renault Megane 265, is one of the best hot hatchbacks on sale. At over ten grand cheaper than the A45 in basic trim, the excellent new mk7 VW Golf GTI is worth a look too.

This is the whole point - the AMG is a blunt instrument. It's an engine and little else.

 

[Vertigo1]

I don't think Vertigo1 read any of the previous posts in this thread, re: what makes an AMG.

I don't care how it's built, I care about the end result and how it drives. Hand-building a car or engine doesn't make either great by definition.

AMG drivers and aspirers are after the badge and engine and that's it. Anyone after a proper driver's car would go elsewhere.

 

[veeeight]

You said EVO said....... blah blah,

And yet CAR said:

"Verdict

It means, after 48 hours, 500-odd miles, 269 litres of premium unleaded, and three fresh shirts, the A45 AMG takes the trophy ahead of the BMW and the Audi, off-putting price tag notwithstanding. The M135i feels like a neatly spiced up 1-series, the S3 feels like an S-line A3 with more poke. In contrast, the A45 feels more AMG than A-class, more special than mainstream, more bespoke than bespoilered. For the time being, this Mercedes rules the microcosm that was once owned by Scooby, Mitsu & friends."




Buy what you want, it's your choice, but you really don't have to justify why you couldn't afford the better car on here

 

[tankclark]

Like I said if hand building a car means I have to put up with the rattles and squeaks and turbo problems I've experienced then give me a machine build any day. Ive got to give it to merc, as said above merc have always been known as not being able to compete with BMW for drivers cars so have normally just cranked the engine up to 11 to compensate, not so with the A45 yes it's got big BHP but it handles it.
Not quite so sure about merc plugging the biggest output for its size on any production car rubbish, although only just technically correct it dosent distort the fact that Mitsubushi have been making cars with more output than the merc from the same size engine for years ie the 360, 400. And also the FQ400 would muller the merc in all areas and even gave the GTR a ****** noes on a mag test. Also there is a limited edition model coming with 450 bhp which massively eclipses the merc, and before anyone goes on about build quality I've had a handful of evos and although not plush they don't rattle and if left unfettled don't blow turbos

 

[Pulp84]

Lets not kid are selves also that the RS3 won't be a minimum of £40k BEFORE tasty options.

A well specced A45 AMG is £40k. I think if Audi get the pricing and options wrong for the RS3 it will lose business to the A45 AMG.

I personally could have afforded the A45 AMG - but when putting all the figures side by side the S3 was a much better package for 8/10 the performance. I have to admit when my S3 is due to be replaced in couple of years I will be looking at RS3 and A45 AMG......I want something even more dynamic next time.

I never thought the 8P RS3 was that much more special over the 8P S3. Going to be interesting once it finally does get launched.....

 

[veeeight]

Steve Sutcliffe - Autocar

A45 AMG v BMW M235i

"The BMW isn't as lit (up) as the AMG"

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-video/mercedes-a45-amg-vs-bmw-m235i-which-best-drivers-car

 

[tankclark]

A well specced A45 isn't 40k though on the road it's about 40k, they don't do any discounts either. I test drove a basic spec one and it looked almost identical to an A class derv inside and out, so for me it HAD to have the aero pack which is over £1000 and it HAD to have the 19's, and inside I had to get rid of the horrible material on the dash which meant going for the exclusive pack, then resale is pants if you haven't got command so that HAS to be added that gives you a basic shell of a decent looking car that stands out from the rest of the range as it should and will be about 44k then you think to yourself that you are driving an AMG that is top of the pecking order yet you don't get half of what you get in a big boys AMG so you feel the need to spec panoramic roof, electric seats etc and then your at high 40's.
I do think it's funny all the merc fan boys saying 'your just jealous because you can't afford one as they drive off in their poverty spec mercs because they had to stretch to afford one and as such can't afford half the options for it lol

 

[tankclark]

Steve Sutcliffe - Autocar

A45 AMG v BMW M235i

"The BMW isn't as lit (up) as the AMG"

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-video/mercedes-a45-amg-vs-bmw-m235i-which-best-drivers-car

Yet the M235I beats it round the track? What was that about not being able to find a new car faster point to point? Lol

 

[veeeight]

Yet the M235I beats it round the track? What was that about not being able to find a new car faster point to point? Lol

Funny how you choose a different point at a different time to argue to support your case

Shall we re-run the fastest point to point car on a wet day?

Though we were debating which was the more involving drivers car

 

[Longy]

Hope your A45 AMG doesn't end up like this:

http://www.ausmotive.com/2014/08/01/mercedes-a45-amg-lights-my-fire.html

 

[Pulp84]

A well specced A45 isn't 40k though on the road it's about 40k, they don't do any discounts either. I test drove a basic spec one and it looked almost identical to an A class derv inside and out, so for me it HAD to have the aero pack which is over £1000 and it HAD to have the 19's, and inside I had to get rid of the horrible material on the dash which meant going for the exclusive pack, then resale is pants if you haven't got command so that HAS to be added that gives you a basic shell of a decent looking car that stands out from the rest of the range as it should and will be about 44k then you think to yourself that you are driving an AMG that is top of the pecking order yet you don't get half of what you get in a big boys AMG so you feel the need to spec panoramic roof, electric seats etc and then your at high 40's.
I do think it's funny all the merc fan boys saying 'your just jealous because you can't afford one as they drive off in their poverty spec mercs because they had to stretch to afford one and as such can't afford half the options for it lol

January of this year Carfile put me in touch with Poole Mercedes Benz who would do £1750 off the price so discounts are available.

Don't agree about all the "have to have" options. For me it's fine with the upgraded exhaust, steering wheel, heated seats and aero pack - GFV on the A45 AMG didn't seem to move much if £44k or £40k list. So on the basis I expect to get some of my deposit back come trade in and I will always be sticking £1,000's in to these things (which I am happy with). I'm not going to have useless options to keep some second hand buyer happy in three years time! PCP makes all that irrelevant now a days IMHO.

If it's about the driving experience - having the crappy Merc command pack left out is fine by me.....just enjoying the engine would be enough

 

[tankclark]

It was one of the merc fan boys on here said it was the fastest point to point new car you can buy and you have proven that to be incorrect.

And soon as though you love reviews so much and talking about 'drivers cars'

http://www.evomagazine.com.au/mercedes-benz-a45-amg-vs-bmw-m135i/

 

[veeeight]

Context is everything through, want to place any bets about the A45 being the fastest point to point car vs the M235i on a wet day? Or how about on a different track?

And soon as though you love reviews so much and talking about 'drivers cars'
http://www.evomagazine.com.au/mercedes-benz-a45-amg-vs-bmw-m135i/

Already been posted!

I didn't say or imply that I loved reviews so much - the point being made was that reviews are subjective and I posted one in response to another that came to a different conclusion about the cars being tested. ie: one review favoured the BMW, the other favoured the A45 !

Do keep up!