Germany
Mercedes-AMG has unveiled the new CLA 45 4MATIC+, and for the first time the nameplate drops its turbocharged four-cylinder engine entirely. The car is now fully electric, sold in two body styles: a sedan and a Shooting Brake estate, both built on the same architecture as the standard CLA.
Three electric motors do the work, one on the front axle and two on the rear, splitting torque across all four wheels. Combined output is 680 hp, enough for 0-100 km/h in 2.7 seconds. Top speed is capped at 250 km/h, or 270 km/h with the optional AMG Dynamic Plus package.
The 94 kWh battery sits on an 800V architecture, allowing charging rates up to 330 kW. Mercedes-AMG quotes a 10-80% charge in 22 minutes, and says 10 minutes on a fast charger adds up to 270 km of range. WLTP range tops out at 670 km for the sedan and 640 km for the Shooting Brake, the heavier estate body accounting for the difference.
AMG has also built in a set of effects that mimic the outgoing combustion car: simulated gear shifts, a synthesized engine note modeled on the brand’s four-cylinder soundtrack, a tachometer readout, a gear indicator, and vibration through the seats timed to the virtual shifts. It’s a deliberate attempt to carry the AMG driving character over into an electric drivetrain. Mercedes has not announced pricing or an on-sale date.
