Mercedes CLA 45 S AMG

 The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 is a proper hooligan car that offers much more well-balanced ride quality compared to its competitors. The CLA 45 gets power from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that propels 382 hp and 354 lb-ft.

A swoopy Corolla-sized four door that AMG says will zing from 0-60 mph in about 4.0 seconds and reach a top speed of 155 mph, or 168 mph if you order the optional AMG Dynamic Plus Package that also gives you bigger brakes and Race and Drift modes.

The AMG CLA45 houses the world’s most powerful series-production four-cylinder engine, redefining our expectations of a sport compact car. Mercedes-Benz has revolutionized the automotive industry in ways no other carmaker has. It manufactured one of the first-ever electric-powered automobiles in 1906, it was one of the first car brands in the world to implement a crash testing program in 1958, and it invented the ABS braking technology we all take for granted today. And many even argue that the Benz Motorwagen, built in 1886, was the first actual interpretation of an automobile. With a past so abundant in innovation, it’s not surprising to see the German giant try to create new industry standards once more. This time around, Mercedes-Benz’s thirst for constant evolution targets the sport compact car segment with this: the 2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA45, arguably the wildest pocket rocket to date. When Mercedes launched the very first CLA back in 2013, it set into the highly lucrative subcompact luxury sedan segment, a category of cars Acura first gave birth to during the 1990’s with the EL, and that the Germans perfected to the point of dominating it. The CLA would prove to North American consumers that a luxury car could also be affordable. More importantly, it allowed Mercedes-Benz to rejuvenate its image by attracting new blood to dealerships in hopes of securing them within the brand as they climbed the lineup ladder. And the best part for Mercedes, is that the strategy worked. This new CLA therefore takes the entry level luxury car game even further. Except this time around, Mercedes hits the segment even harder by offering two new “cheap” models in its lineup. The Mercedes-Benz A Class, both in sedan and hatchback form, takes care of opening the door, while the CLA ranks a little higher in the lineup, while still remaining more accessible than a C-Class. Essentially riding on the same platform and harvesting similar mechanical components as an A Class, the CLA boasts a sumptuous coupe-like design and a front end that mimics more expensive models within the lineup. From some angles, you’d swear this is a baby AMG GT 4-door coupe.