Within seconds of pinning the throttle for the first time in Mercedes’ CLA45 AMG, we were pretty convinced that it wouldn’t be long before its torquey, 2.0-liter turbo four appeared under the hood of something else. Given that the GLA-class small crossover shares its bones with the CLA, it’s only natural that it would find a home in the GLA45 AMG concept that debuted at this year’s Los Angeles auto show.
Not only does the GLA45 concept get the feisty 335-hp four-cylinder, but also host of AMG-specific cosmetic and performance mods that set it apart from the suburbia-bound GLA. Set off by a large gloss-black splitter, canards, and larger air intakes, there’s no mistaking its sporting intentions. An aggressive twin-blade grille gets red-treated accents, and any remaining doubts regarding its pedigree are squelched by a large—bordering on cheesy—AMG banner plastered to the top of the windscreen. The red accents continue throughout the vehicle, appearing as pinstripes on the 21-inch matte-black cross-spoke wheels, on the side-mirror caps, on the brake calipers, and again on the faux-center-lock caps.
The rear follows the same aggressive philosophy, sporting a diffuser down low and a sizeable wing above the hatch, both wearing red accents of their own. Quad rectangular exhaust exits bracket the diffuser, melding perfectly into the assertive design. This particular example wears a large “45” graphic on the front doors—you know, so passers by three blocks away can be certain your Benz is powered by a hot four-cylinder—and the rocker panels get gloss-black inserts.
An AMG seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is on hand to handle all 335 horses and 332 lb-ft of torque that the four-banger doles out, channeling the power to an AMG-spec 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system. An electronically controlled variable-vane system modulates the exhaust to keep it sounding as aggressive as the concept looks.
Like it or not, it seems the small-crossover segment is here to stay, and Tobias Moers, CEO of AMG says that with the GLA45 AMG concept, Benz’s performance arm is “setting a stake firmly in the ground of the strongly growing market segment of compact SUVs.” Those sound like fightin’ words to us.
Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG Concept - Auto Shows
Reviewed by BlogCarShow
Published :
Rating : 4.5
Published :
Rating : 4.5
