Mercedes-Benz A45 2013 review: video

For years, tuning house AMG has been fitting large, loud V8s into Mercedes and turning swanky buyers into tyre-shredding louts. AMG Mercs are muscle cars for the well-heeled. Now it's turned that approach on its head. With the A45 AMG, it's aiming at the turbocharged hoons who buy performance hatchbacks and bringing them, well, a bit of class.

The A45 AMG is the hero model of the A-Class hatch which debuted early this year. It's one of five new small cars that expand Mercedes's presence at the bottom of the prestige market. The others include a reprise of the practical B-Class, a low-slung sedan in the CLA and a small SUV in the GLA, which debuts at Frankfurt motor show this week. Mercedes still has one car to reveal.

By inviting AMG to the party, it's sending a message: we're serious about chasing the downsizing luxury buyer. All but the B-Class will get a go-fast version and the CLA45, with the same driveline as the A45, arrives here in October.

VALUE

With small cars come small prices, and for Mercedes, the majority of customers at this level are new to the brand. They are being tempted to spend a little more for the chance to put a foot on the luxury ladder. So far, it's working. The A and B between them snare 40 per cent of small car buyers shopping above $40,000.

Bringing AMG to the segment will add sales but there's a risk: it takes AMG into territory it has never been before. Instead of thumping V8s, it's tuning a four-cylinder. Instead of sedans, coupes and the odd SUV, it's souping up a hatch. Getting that wrong would be a disaster, undermining AMG's reputation with old and new buyers alike.

Mercedes exudes confidence about this move. "We're sure it's not only going to revolutionise the hot-hatch market but the entire performance market as well," says product manager Robert Leigh. That confidence turns out to be well placed. Mercedes hasn't got it wrong; it has absolutely nailed it.

Of course, the Mercedes of yesteryear would have stuffed all this up with a stratospheric starting price of $74,900 and an option list that stings. Not any more. The A45 is a substantial premium over most of its peers, but radiates value. Australian cars are well-specced, with 19-inch alloys, intelligent lights, a glass panoramic sunroof, adaptive cruise control and satnav, among a long list. Even metallic paint -- usually a gouge -- is standard.

DESIGN

The cabin presents appealingly, with performance seats in perforated leather, a fake leather (but nicely stitched) dash, contrasting red highlights and an alcantara wheel. It gets the top-notch Merc control system and a fabulous Harman Kardon audio. There are only three options: black wheels (yes, please), body kit with wing (for tracks) and aforementioned performance suspension.

ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION

First, on performance. The four-cylinder in the A45 is the most powerful you can buy thanks to a turbocharger with fancy plumbing that delivers lots of boost. The result is 265kW -- more than the upcoming Golf R, Subaru WRX STI, Mitsubishi Evo and anything else you can think of in this class.

It's the same when it comes to torque, with 450Nm arriving at 2250rpm. With these outputs, the A45 engine is more potent than the supercharged 3.2-litre V6 fitted to the C32 AMG a decade ago.

It drives through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission adapted from the SLS AMG gullwing, the half-million dollar Merc supercar. Power goes to the front wheels by default, but a part-time four-wheel drive system transfers up to half the available oomph to the rear axle if slip is detected.

DRIVING

The result is a hatchback that is superbly tractable off the mark and driveable across the rev range. Turbo lag, the delayed response typical of forced-induction engines, is absent; the engine responds eagerly. With the slightly fussy launch control system deployed, it hits 100km/h in 4.6 seconds and pings off the line as though it were on elastic. That acceleration figure is more than half-a-second quicker than the C55 AMG from 2004, and it had a 5.4-litre V8.

Top speed is 270km/h. Down the straight at Phillip Island circuit, it was hitting 220km/h before the scary first corner. Despite this level of performance, it achieves 6.9 litres per 100km fuel efficiency thanks to an idle-stop system.

A feature of AMG engines has been their sound -- they entertain at any speed. Happily, despite the unpromising ingredients of a turbocharger and just four cylinders, AMG has plumbed in real character. A performance exhaust, fitted to all Australian cars, undoubtedly helps. This engine, like its larger relatives, constantly delights with snarls, crackles and metallic farts. Each one is signed by the worker who assembled it, just like the V8s.

The second target the A45 hits is dynamic. The next rung down the model ladder, the A250 Sport, disappointed with its handling and ride. Despite weighing an additional 110kg, the A45 is a different beast altogether. Its bump absorption at speed is first-rate and it recovers its composure quickly, without fuss. Stability for a car with such a short wheelbase is very good and it doesn't feel heavy through corners or under brakes.

On the track, it's utterly different in personality to other AMGs. It takes a while to get used to the way it turns, which has nothing in common with a rear-wheel drive car. However, it has character of its own.

The chassis has been upgraded over the standard hatch, with a new four-link rear suspension and stiffer set-up all round. There's also a performance suspension option that immediately felt at home on the circuit with flatter cornering and better power-down. But there's a depth to either set-up which rewards exploration. When I got back into a car with standard suspension, that revealed fresh layers of ability.

Torque steer -- tugging at the steering wheel typical of front-wheel drive cars -- is rarely detectable. It will understeer, or run wide in a corner, but also drift all four wheels. Unlike most performance hatches, it doesn't feel extreme -- as though it's operating at the limits of engineering. It's always doing something that makes sense; there's never a heart-in-mouth moment.

At the same time, it rides amazingly well. It should by rights be uncomfortable. It isn't. Even the brakes held up fairly well, with a bit of judicial car rotation at the track. For something at this level to whiz around a circuit all day long is very impressive.

VERDICT

When I first saw the A-Class, its design did not convince. The A45 has changed my mind. Perhaps its AMG trim makes a difference, because now its nuggety stance persuades. It's the same with the car itself. Mercedes says the A45 is a game-changer, and for once the hype is not misplaced.

The A45 redefines AMG, giving it a whole new dimension to explore. It redefines the hotted-up four-cylinder category as something desirable by other than pimply boys. It is more refined than anything previously offered at this level and represents a new performance benchmark.

With the A45, Mercedes has shown the French and Japanese how to do hot hatches -- something unthinkable even a few years ago. It's enough to make the cap-backwards brigade want to turn their hats around.

Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG

Price: from $74,900
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo; 265kW/450Nm
Transmission: 7-speed auto, AWD
Thirst: 6.9L/100km