Tag: A45 AMG

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Audi

Audi cedes power to BMW and Mercedes

2013 Audi S3 Sportback

Audi S3: 206kW/380Nm
BMW M135i: 235kW/450Nm
Mercedes A45 AMG: 265kW/450Nm

Hang on a minute, doesn’t the new S3 have 221kW? Well, yes it does, but as with the outgoing 8P model, not all of its kilowatts are deemed suitable for Australia’s “hot” climate. So, when the 8V S3 Sportback arrives in Australia in December it will have a peak power figure of 206kW, down 15kW on its overseas tune.

We feared this would happen, but when we were given an official pricing tip from Audi Australia back in April the peak figure of 221kW was quoted. Great, we thought, the might of the Volkswagen Group has worked out how to overcome this rather quaint set of circumstances. Is the Australian climate is so vastly different to southern Europe, for example, that it warrants a different tune? Apparently so.

“There will be a lower power output just for hot weather countries,” confirmed Audi Australia spokesperson Shaun Cleary. “The power output will be 206kW while the European car has 221kW.”

Understanding that local buyers will need some reassurance, Cleary added, “The torque is the same and the acceleration is the same to 100 km/h, which is 5.1 seconds.”

In contrast, hot hatch buyers shopping at BMW and Mercedes-Benz dealerships will get the full complement of power on offer from their respective S3 competitors.

On paper, the S3 is fighting a losing battle against its German rivals. Where it once had the premium hot hatch segment to itself in Australia, the S3  can now ill-afford to cede further ground in a market place that is more competitive than it has ever been.

The S3 is expected to undercut the M135i and A45 AMG on price, for Audi’s sake let’s hope they can stuff the S3 chock full of standard kit.

[Source: SMH]

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BMW Mercedes-Benz Volkswagen

VIDEO: Hot hatch mixed masters

Autocar A45 AMG v Golf GTI v M135i

Steve Sutcliffe from Autocar has had the enviable task of comparing a trio of very different hot hatches. There’s the 265kW four-cylinder all-wheel drive Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG, the 250kW inline six-cylinder rear-wheel drive BMW M135i and the 169kW front-wheel drive Volkswagen Golf GTI.

They are three very different hot hatches. Indeed aside from country of origin and the fact all three are turbocharged they don’t really have a lot in common. Pricing, especially, is very different. And yet, if you had the chance to drive all three on the same roads on the same day you’d grab the opportunity with both hands.

So put aside the practical differences for a moment and enjoy the ride. Then, at the end, you can try and rationalise the outcome.

[Thanks to John for the tip]

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2013 Geneva Motor Show in pictures – part 2

2013 Geneva Motor Show

You can have your fancy pants limited-edition Lambo, or your stonking new LaFerrari, even the McLaren P1; we’re not really interested. The car of Geneva, for us, is the Porsche 911 GT3. That’s the one we’d like to take home and get intimate with. And so begins the second and final part of our Geneva Motor Show image gallery. There’s over 120 new  images to see and enjoy.

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Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG revealed

Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG

The hot hatch world has a new hero. Mercedes-Benz. Yes, Mercedes-Benz, the company known for ferrying around African dictators in its armoured S Class saloons is now chasing the well to do dudes who used to wear their baseball caps backwards. Or something.

The car up for discussion here is, of course, the A45 AMG, sitting atop the A Class range, and it brings with it the rather bold claim that it has the most powerful four cylinder production engine IN THE WORLD!

So what are its numbers? The 2.0 litre turbocharged four-pot—hand built by AMG no less—pumps out an impressive 265kW at 6000rpm, which is accompanied by a very healthy 450Nm of torque from 2250–5000rpm. Low-end torque is achieved in part thanks to the use of a twin scroll turbo.

Mercedes has followed the fashionable twin clutch tranny route and with the 7-speed AMG Speedshift DCT doing its thing the A45 can knock off 100km/h in 4.6 seconds. That sprint time is also helped, no doubt, by the 4matic all-wheel drive system. A more measured driving approach can result in fuel consumption of just 6.9l/100km, Mercedes claim. Also, the engine complies with EU6 emissions regulations which don’t come into force until 2017.

The A45 AMG does boast a beautiful set of numbers, it must be said.

Naturally, the A45 also boasts a heap of AMG goodies and technological wizardry thanks to the Mercedes-Benz boffins. We quite like the sound of “Momentary M mode”, which is not a BMW-inspired bit of kit as the name suggests, but rather it refers to the ability to use the steering-wheel mounted flappy paddles to manually change gears at any time; much like Volkswagen Group’s DSG transmissions.

The 4matic set up sounds pretty much like an improved version of the Haldex units found in the Audi S3 and Golf R. Mercedes say their system is up to 25% lighter than its rivals, but it still works in front-wheel drive mode until grip at the rear is required. On the basic reading below, the maximum torque sent to the rear axle is 50%.

Other highlights include a three-stage ESP system, AMG-tuned independent suspension (front and rear), 18″ alloys, a specially tuned exhaust system and a whole lot more from the AMG parts bin, of course.

The A45 AMG will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month, going on sale in Europe a month later. In Australia we’ll have to wait until October and while $80,000 is the figure being bandied about on the interwebs, don’t be surprised if your real-world driveaway number starts with a nine, or maybe even a 10, if you tick too many options.

But the real question that needs answering is, just how will the A45 AMG stack up against the highly acclaimed BMW M135i?

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