I love how after all the years of writers trashing AMG's handling abilities, Merc just decides to show everyone how it's done with this and the new E63 4matic. Out of BMW, Audi, and Merc, Mercedes will always be the best.
An old tuned 1.8 or 2.0 VW or subaru or whatever can make this peak power and higher, but the refinement across the rev range of this engine, and the way it works as a package with the whole car is far superior. I am a long time modified car enthusiast and have owned many cars that accelerate much harder, but you have to go and drive this thing to experience the difference. It is a work of art. And it has factory warranty! I have ordered mine
Is that the car with 5,000 mile service intervals and holds the Guinness book of records award for 'narrowest power band' and 'most turbo lag'? Forgot about that!
I just checked the specs. The engine is rated at 359 PS which is 354 horsepower vs the 355 horsepower of the Benz. But the engine is considerably more torquier at 492 N.m against 450 N.m for the A45. That said, the FQ-400 is actually a tuned which is done by Mitsubishi. Similarly like how the Veyron SS holds the world record for a car that has a higher tune that the stock one. It'd be more accurate if the reviewer said that the A45 is the world's most powerful 4-cylinder in production.
one the first AMG tests that i have ever seen without massive tire smoke and where the car actually looks like it want to stay on the road. Well done Merc. Finally! - the RS3 should be in that test - come on really?
It is the Bilster Berg Drive Resort near Bad Driburg in Germany. For this video they actually divided the track into two parts, so more cars could be tested at the same time. The whole length is 4.2km and its amazing!
The Evo 8 FQ-400 has the highest specific power out put of any engine ever, but the A45's motor has the highest specific power output of any current production vehicle. :)
The clicking of the paddles is reminiscent of that timeless, evocative sound of my fingers clicking the trigger buttons whilst playing Gran Turismo or Forza at home. Ahhh halcyon days of digital motoring.
I've got a late build 2018 with all of the options other than the (silly) wings. It has some mild mods. But it's a bit of a dull handler. I concur on the steering, which is great, as are the brakes, but coming from an LZ Focus RS, I really miss the rear biased handling that the RS had. The AMG is a superior car in every way except for the drive. Which makes me actually miss the Focus. Go figure!
Cars like this are the future. Small displacement, turbocharged, performance plus efficiency. Lots of hot hatches out there, but there is only so much you can do with FWD. There have been AWD turbo cars for sometime, but no where near as efficient as this. It is gonna take some time for the other car makers to catch up, and for this come down in price
All FQs are modified ONLY for UK market. So factory don't make them with 360, 400hp etc. so you can't consider FQs as production models. AMG comes out of factory with 355hp, and FQs come out of factory as normal EVOs and in UK they are tuned up to 300, 360 or 400 hp.
a performance car as an everyday proposition that even the wife can enjoy driving. clever, 40mpg, i can live with that mon - fri and 20 mpg sat and sunday
The gear dont change down on manual if you got high rpm in order to protect the engine and it wont let you up the gear if your rpm is to low not to stop the engine :) It`s smart
The a45 is tuned by AMG, the FQ400 is tuned by rally art... what differentiante is the marketing. The FQ400 was made in lower numbers, but is still a production car. The koenigsegg holds a few records for production car, and less than 150 have been built
I had sport cars , i had family cars . And one think I've learned is you cant have everything in a vehicle To have one good feature you need to sacrifice others . My worst car was the most beautiful and sporty car I ever own 18 inch wheel chrome wheels were stunning to look at . However it made my 3.0 L v6 slower it increased the MPG and ride confort became outrageous combined with my sport suspension . A pot hole damaged my steering rack as every bump was like a crash
also its so the manufacturer can have complete control over shift points and so give it really short gearing that hunt for higher gears to increase fuel economy.
Nope, the FQ300, 360 and 400 were production cars. The 330 wasn't, it was defined as post production tuned. I should know, I have one and the little certificate that comes with it to prove it's a 330. That doesn't come with the others because they are official models.
i think its the best looking hatch right now,mercedes done it just so right from every angle before mercedes spoiled the looks,i think their pre-facelifted E-class coupe was the best looking car in the world
Generally speaking, the reason paddle-shifting gearboxes were invented was in order for drivers not to miss the gear shifts in quick cars which rev very fast. In my opinion they're pointless in anything under 450 - 500 bhp.
Nope that's the FQ400. The FQ360 has minimal turbo lag. It's actually fairly economical if driven gently. I know, cause I used to own one a few years ago.
The Racetrack is ze new Bilster Berg Drive Resort which opened last week. It's located in central Dschörmenie - as well as "The Ring" in ze middle of nowhere.
You're probably more right about who the Merc is copying (if any). It still seems like Merc copies BMW. BMW brings out the 125i, Merc brings out the A250 sport. BMW brings out the M135i, Merc brings out the A45 AMG. It's been like that for quite some time now. 320d, C220CDI. 330d C320CDI. M3 CxxAMG. Albeit different engines to achieve the same thing. The BMWs still kick their asses. :)
Except it isn't production. Those figures aren't from a factory car, the car is built in a factory stock and then modified to make those figures in the UK before being sold from a dealership. It doesn't roll off the assembly line that way. Just because a modified car is sold at a dealership doesn't mean it isn't modified.
Really. I must have missed the 2.0 turbo charged, transverse engined, 4WD BMW hatchback.If it's a copy of anything, it's the rally homologation specials. Delta, Lancer, Impreza etc.
so this is awd, don't really get why they made it like that. AMG is kinda known for its rwd lunacy and ofc brutal engines... a shame i think but it does look like a very good awd system and it just looks so sexy, i like it a lot
I'm actually surprised with this. At didn't really like the a class but this is a good car. Normally when manufacture go for small engines with high hp you get turbo lag, poor throttle response, and poor longevity. But as technology improved with direct injection etc.. This is much improved ! If only it had a good interior like golf gti. Golf r on order!!
I have never been a Merc fan, cant quite get my head around the "Badge" but when i saw the specs on this car i just had to have a look. A couple of hours on the net and decision made...1000 bucks down and wait for the new toy. My golf R has been a great car but I was always pissed VW Australia detuned the car to 188KW for our market. Obviously Australia is not too hot a climate for AMG to use 265KW. I must congratulate AMG for giving the customer what they want. Good bye VW Hello A45 Yeah yeah!
Looks fantastic, probably best looking hatch out there at the moment.Still opt for the bmw though, cheaper, manual,100 kg's lighter, better steering feel from what I understand, probably better weight distribution too. Looking forward to follow-on review.
ah ok ! but it is a normal 4 line cylinders ? i've seen an explanation by an amg engineer and he said that have used a big air water intercooler .......
i've never been a massive fan of auto's but could live with the fact that's where all cars are headed. but this just evokes sitting in an office clicking buttons, especially with the muffled synthesised engine note. hard to get excited about modern cars
Looks like a great way to get up to the hedges very quickly & an even nicer way to keep out of them . But a difficult one if there is not to be a Gatso fest in your life .
it actualy holded the record for more hp per liter and more torque per liter before the koenisegg agera came out... I understand your point, and I totaly agree with you, but if the koenigsegg and bugatti that are made in incredible limited number (ler alone the american SSC than made 20 or less) count to those statistics, the FQ400 should count aswell. the fact that's made for a market, doesn't mean it doesn't count
Wow!!! it really looks impressive! 40mpg!! :O Thats brilliant. The only downside it seems is that it costs 40000 pounds.....but a couple of years ago a Top of the line BMW Z4 would hav costed more having produced much lesser power
I love how after all the years of writers trashing AMG's handling abilities, Merc just decides to show everyone how it's done with this and the new E63 4matic. Out of BMW, Audi, and Merc, Mercedes will always be the best.
I realize Im kinda randomly asking but does anybody know of a good website to watch new series online ?
@Hamza Alfredo Flixportal
@Emerson Devin thank you, signed up and it seems like a nice service =) Appreciate it!
@Hamza Alfredo No problem :D
Respect mercedes but you re deluded asf if you believe they re bmw level in handling
I bought one yesterday =D
still have it?
@@poopoocaca8079 No i had it for 3 years. Great car! I miss it but i also lost a lot of Money... dont know if it was wurth it!
An old tuned 1.8 or 2.0 VW or subaru or whatever can make this peak power and higher, but the refinement across the rev range of this engine, and the way it works as a package with the whole car is far superior. I am a long time modified car enthusiast and have owned many cars that accelerate much harder, but you have to go and drive this thing to experience the difference. It is a work of art. And it has factory warranty! I have ordered mine
I wish it was available in the U.S. instead of the CLA45.
You and me both.
***** it looks like a cartoonish CLS wannabe. The proportions are way off.
If this was a manual it would be the only car id ever want
Tell this to the F1 drivers also,who drive their cars with paddles.
It actually has a M mode with shifers
Paddle shifters are not manual. I manual means CLUTCH
355hp, AWD, 40MPG, 4-Cylinder, 0-60 in 4.6sec????? Fucking perfect, absolutely fucking perfect. Proper little pocket rocket. Good Job Mercedes
Look at that 4wheel drift at the start. WOW
Is that the car with 5,000 mile service intervals and holds the Guinness book of records award for 'narrowest power band' and 'most turbo lag'?
Forgot about that!
Now imagine how good this would be 60kg lighter and without AWD.
Can't wait for THAT tripple test!
I just checked the specs. The engine is rated at 359 PS which is 354 horsepower vs the 355 horsepower of the Benz. But the engine is considerably more torquier at 492 N.m against 450 N.m for the A45. That said, the FQ-400 is actually a tuned which is done by Mitsubishi. Similarly like how the Veyron SS holds the world record for a car that has a higher tune that the stock one. It'd be more accurate if the reviewer said that the A45 is the world's most powerful 4-cylinder in production.
one the first AMG tests that i have ever seen without massive tire smoke and where the car actually looks like it want to stay on the road. Well done Merc. Finally! - the RS3 should be in that test - come on really?
It is the Bilster Berg Drive Resort near Bad Driburg in Germany. For this video they actually divided the track into two parts, so more cars could be tested at the same time. The whole length is 4.2km and its amazing!
The Evo 8 FQ-400 has the highest specific power out put of any engine ever, but the A45's motor has the highest specific power output of any current production vehicle. :)
The clicking of the paddles is reminiscent of that timeless, evocative sound of my fingers clicking the trigger buttons whilst playing Gran Turismo or Forza at home. Ahhh halcyon days of digital motoring.
I've got a late build 2018 with all of the options other than the (silly) wings. It has some mild mods.
But it's a bit of a dull handler. I concur on the steering, which is great, as are the brakes, but coming from an LZ Focus RS, I really miss the rear biased handling that the RS had.
The AMG is a superior car in every way except for the drive. Which makes me actually miss the Focus.
Go figure!
when i saw that smoky sliding tail i tought it was a propultion car, but you are right, it's awd
38k! No. M135i all day long & 7k to spend on LSD & tune, 5 trips to the ring & track days in the UK. I would still have change left!
Back here in holland they don't. But one thing we would agree on this amg version is very badass.
Another awesome car the US isn't getting. Wonderful.
Cars like this are the future. Small displacement, turbocharged, performance plus efficiency. Lots of hot hatches out there, but there is only so much you can do with FWD. There have been AWD turbo cars for sometime, but no where near as efficient as this. It is gonna take some time for the other car makers to catch up, and for this come down in price
All FQs are modified ONLY for UK market. So factory don't make them with 360, 400hp etc. so you can't consider FQs as production models. AMG comes out of factory with 355hp, and FQs come out of factory as normal EVOs and in UK they are tuned up to 300, 360 or 400 hp.
the FQ-400 isn't a production version, it's been tuned after it comes out of the production line by rallyart
a performance car as an everyday proposition that even the wife can enjoy driving. clever, 40mpg, i can live with that mon - fri and 20 mpg sat and sunday
they can pull the power down lower so you shift earlier, but they cant make you put it in fifth at 30 mph or whatever like some systems like to do
The gear dont change down on manual if you got high rpm in order to protect the engine and it wont let you up the gear if your rpm is to low not to stop the engine :) It`s smart
sutcliffe is a very underrated car reviewer
The a45 is tuned by AMG, the FQ400 is tuned by rally art... what differentiante is the marketing. The FQ400 was made in lower numbers, but is still a production car. The koenigsegg holds a few records for production car, and less than 150 have been built
I think it has its own character, not an AMG V8, but really special and a nice grunt
I had sport cars , i had family cars
.
And one think I've learned is you cant have everything in a vehicle
To have one good feature you need to sacrifice others
.
My worst car was the most beautiful and sporty car I ever own
18 inch wheel chrome wheels were stunning to look at
.
However it made my 3.0 L v6 slower it increased the MPG and ride confort became outrageous combined with my sport suspension
.
A pot hole damaged my steering rack as every bump was like a crash
also its so the manufacturer can have complete control over shift points and so give it really short gearing that hunt for higher gears to increase fuel economy.
It looks a million times better then the last one, I think this AMG version looks awesome
It might have trouble holding up in the long run, but if not good for merc that would be a beast
Are you complaining about a 36k pricetag?? In Norway you pay 40k for a A180!
a45 amg > rs3 ?
Is that awesomely crazy turbo whine gone from the earlier videos?
unless I am making a mistake all FQ variants were uk only and modified by a tuner.
Nope, the FQ300, 360 and 400 were production cars. The 330 wasn't, it was defined as post production tuned. I should know, I have one and the little certificate that comes with it to prove it's a 330. That doesn't come with the others because they are official models.
i think its the best looking hatch right now,mercedes done it just so right from every angle
before mercedes spoiled the looks,i think their pre-facelifted E-class coupe was the best looking car in the world
This car is so much fun and to be honest in my opinion it's more fun than the c63
He drive it like a Diesel (RPM)
Can't wait for that comparison test!
Generally speaking, the reason paddle-shifting gearboxes were invented was in order for drivers not to miss the gear shifts in quick cars which rev very fast. In my opinion they're pointless in anything under 450 - 500 bhp.
wish they had this in the US
What he meant was a mass produced 2 liter turbo. Limited edition car only for UK i don't think you can call it a mass produced.
i can't understand how they made this incredible engine with only 2 litre......
Nope that's the FQ400. The FQ360 has minimal turbo lag. It's actually fairly economical if driven gently. I know, cause I used to own one a few years ago.
The Racetrack is ze new Bilster Berg Drive Resort which opened last week. It's located in central Dschörmenie - as well as "The Ring" in ze middle of nowhere.
THIS IS AMG ISN'T IT? SO IT MEANS IT IS MIRACLE! AMG BUILDS THE BEST ENGINES AND THE MOST COMFORTABLE PREMIUM CLASS CARS IN THE WORLD!!!
You're probably more right about who the Merc is copying (if any). It still seems like Merc copies BMW. BMW brings out the 125i, Merc brings out the A250 sport. BMW brings out the M135i, Merc brings out the A45 AMG. It's been like that for quite some time now. 320d, C220CDI. 330d C320CDI. M3 CxxAMG. Albeit different engines to achieve the same thing.
The BMWs still kick their asses. :)
the clicking sound of the paddle shift , makes the car feel like a toy.....
LOVE MANUAL transmission.
Meanwhile in F1 cars
*Same sound
Except it isn't production. Those figures aren't from a factory car, the car is built in a factory stock and then modified to make those figures in the UK before being sold from a dealership. It doesn't roll off the assembly line that way. Just because a modified car is sold at a dealership doesn't mean it isn't modified.
Were you able to get any on-power oversteer?
A shame it's not available with manual gearbox, isn't it?
best hothatch in the market
Well FQ400 is not mass produced car and it is made only for UK. So FQ400 is considered as tuning (also it has short maintaince intervals).
powerful 4 cylinders are time bombs
they'll never be as good as a 4L 6 or a 6l v8
Wish they would release this car in America
Really. I must have missed the 2.0 turbo charged, transverse engined, 4WD BMW hatchback.If it's a copy of anything, it's the rally homologation specials. Delta, Lancer, Impreza etc.
Can't wait for the comparative test with new GTI and BMW!!
I really want one, but it costs over $100,000 here in Indonesia. No joke.
Wish we had this in America
so this is awd, don't really get why they made it like that. AMG is kinda known for its rwd lunacy and ofc brutal engines... a shame i think but it does look like a very good awd system and it just looks so sexy, i like it a lot
come on AMG, give your croud a 30/70 front/rear power distribution and give us a feel of the "proper" AMG models
You are right, but the FQ400 was only exclusive for the UK. The rest of the planet got a much slower Evo.
Every manufacturer is able to do this. But not every brand has the same target/goal.
Well we can leave the 'will it drift' section out now
a little, but gentler on the eyes
As for that comparison test, it'll be hard for the GTi not to be outclassed. This seems like more of a rival for an Audi RS3 than a VW GTi.
Hot hatch alert!
I'm actually surprised with this. At didn't really like the a class but this is a good car. Normally when manufacture go for small engines with high hp you get turbo lag, poor throttle response, and poor longevity. But as technology improved with direct injection etc.. This is much improved ! If only it had a good interior like golf gti. Golf r on order!!
Sutcliffe is excellent...as always,
and what if i told you it is four wheel drive ;D
why doesn't this video load properly?? @autocar
I have never been a Merc fan, cant quite get my head around the "Badge" but when i saw the specs on this car i just had to have a look. A couple of hours on the net and decision made...1000 bucks down and wait for the new toy. My golf R has been a great car but I was always pissed VW Australia detuned the car to 188KW for our market. Obviously Australia is not too hot a climate for AMG to use 265KW. I must congratulate AMG for giving the customer what they want. Good bye VW Hello A45 Yeah yeah!
Looks fantastic, probably best looking hatch out there at the moment.Still opt for the bmw though, cheaper, manual,100 kg's lighter, better steering feel from what I understand, probably better weight distribution too. Looking forward to follow-on review.
I think it is the new Blister Berg Race Resort
Now that's cool hot hatch !!
It's the Bilster Berg Drive Resort in germany.
ah ok ! but it is a normal 4 line cylinders ? i've seen an explanation by an amg engineer and he said that have used a big air water intercooler .......
You are a brave guy.. thar looks relly fun
What are they doing?
This AMG is the strongest 2.0L engine ever in a production car.
The 7th Gen Golf R is still in development.
i've never been a massive fan of auto's but could live with the fact that's where all cars are headed. but this just evokes sitting in an office clicking buttons, especially with the muffled synthesised engine note. hard to get excited about modern cars
hmmm... you do know that the A class is front wheel drive? Not rear wheel drive?
Nice entry, Mr Sutcliffe
Looks like a great way to get up to the hedges very quickly & an even nicer way to keep out of them . But a difficult one if there is not to be a Gatso fest in your life .
FQ400 is not a series production car.
They were modified by Mitsubishi UK and HKS.
I wish this were in the States.
Wonder if new focus rs will pull same figures for less money?
SumkindaHuman it can drift this understeers
because there is a big market for hot/fast/loud/good looking hatchbacks. And mercedes diddnt had a car for that market, now they do.
Why not compare it to the Golf R instead of the GTI? Seems like a closer comparo.
it actualy holded the record for more hp per liter and more torque per liter before the koenisegg agera came out...
I understand your point, and I totaly agree with you, but if the koenigsegg and bugatti that are made in incredible limited number (ler alone the american SSC than made 20 or less) count to those statistics, the FQ400 should count aswell. the fact that's made for a market, doesn't mean it doesn't count
40plus MPG AMG amazing
Wow!!! it really looks impressive! 40mpg!! :O Thats brilliant. The only downside it seems is that it costs 40000 pounds.....but a couple of years ago a Top of the line BMW Z4 would hav costed more having produced much lesser power
cars of the future
What about the Mitsubishi Evo FQ400 which has 405hp stock. Haven't exactly done your research on that one have you.
They are production cars like Alpina or brabus... they are modified cars, but actualy count for records and that stuff
I really hated the old A class, people were literally just paying for the badge. This one though.. doesn't actually seem to bad
The only thing it lacks is a manual gearbox. That's a shame!
At least it doesn't make everyone inside 50 years old :) And I'm only talking about the engine. BTW EVO X FQ-400 is still in production.