Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 - three motors, 680hp and fake sounds

The legacy high-performance brands are taking their sweet time to transition from traditional internal combustion engines to electric cars. BMW has been working on an electric M3 for years, and it apparently is just around the corner. Mercedes-AMG decided to beat BMW to the punch and has officially revealed its take on electric fun - the CLA 45 4MATIC+.

The new electric CLA 45 replaces the previous gasoline-powered version, which used a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Buyers can choose between two distinct body styles: a four-door saloon and a sleek, wagon-style Shooting Brake. The AMG division clearly wants to capture the attention of a younger demographic with these new EVs, mixing classic styling cues with plenty of advanced tech.

The performance numbers are a massive jump from the previous generation. The older gasoline model delivered 421 horsepower - the new electric powertrain delivers a peak output of 500 kW - that's 680 horsepower. And let's not forget about the 1,297 lb-ft mountain of torque. This much power launches the saloon from a standstill to 62 mph in 3.0 seconds flat, though tests using an American one-foot rollout benchmark lower that figure to 2.7 seconds. In its standard configuration, the new AMG reaches a governed top speed of 155 mph. Opting for the upgrade package increases the maximum speed ceiling to 168 mph.

Three independent electric motors drive the vehicle, creating a fully variable all-wheel-drive system - there is one motor on the front axle and two separate motors on the rear axle. These units use a flat disc design known as axial flux technology. This layout allows the magnetic flux to run parallel to the motor axis rather than at right angles, making the motors incredibly compact. The front motor is just 9 cm wide, with each rear motor measuring roughly 8 cm wide. The front motor acts as an intelligent booster, generating up to 225 kW (360 horsepower) when needed, but it can completely uncouple under low loads to eliminate drag and save energy.

The new model weighs 5,027 lb, making it much heavier than its gasoline predecessor. Providing the electricity is a lithium-ion battery pack with a usable energy capacity of {{94 kWh}}. The battery cells use advanced anodes that mix silicon oxide with graphite, which increases the energy density by up to 20 percent compared to older designs. This setup gives the saloon a maximum driving range of over 416 miles, and the Shooting Brake wagon manages up to 398 miles on a full charge.

The 800V battery system supports a peak DC charging power of up to 330 kW. Under ideal conditions, a driver can recharge the battery from 10 percent to 80 percent in 22 minutes. If a driver is in a rush, a quick ten-minute charging stop can add about 168 miles of range. A clever multi-source heat pump helps optimize this charging efficiency by managing temperatures - it pulls waste heat simultaneously from the ambient air, the powertrain, and the battery pack to preheat or cool the cells before arriving at a charging station.

To keep this heavy EV under control, the sports suspension uses steel springs paired with an adaptive three-way damping system. The front suspension has a three-link setup with forged aluminum components, while the rear uses a multi-link design to maximize cornering stability. The braking relies heavily on electric regeneration, which can slow the vehicle at up to 5 m/s² and bring it to a complete stop. For high-demand situations or track use, massive hydraulic brakes take over. The front wheels house 390 x 36 mm internally ventilated discs with six-piston fixed calipers, while the rear wheels use 350 x 22 mm discs with single-piston floating calipers. Standard 19-inch wheels come wrapped in staggered tires, with 20-inch alloy or forged options available as well.

The new AMG CLA 45 has five standard drive modes - Slippery, Comfort, Sport, ECO, and Individual. The RACE mode comes with an upgraded performance package. Mercedes spent a lot of effort attempting to make this quiet electric car feel like a loud, old-fashioned AMG. The "AMGFORCE S+" mode activates an internal combustion engine simulation that uses no less than 1,600 audio files recorded from an old AMG A 45 S hatchback. This system uses real-time mixing to blast simulated engine noises inside and outside the car. It even coordinates built-in seat shakers to vibrate the front seats during simulated gear changes, while the car emits a heartbeat sound when locked and a deep boom when plugged into a charger… It all sounds like quite a bit of overthinking from AMG, but it must be fun, no doubt.

Visually, the fastest CLA looks reassuringly similar to the older gasoline models despite its missing tailpipes. The front end sports a distinctive grille featuring ten vertical chrome slats, flanked by narrow headlamps that purposefully skip the horizontal light bar found on the standard base model. Active aerodynamics play a big role in extending the driving range. The front bumper hides active radiator fins that stay tightly shut at speeds up to 155 mph to minimize air resistance, opening only when components need cooling air. At the back, an active rear spoiler on the saloon and a roof-edge spoiler on the Shooting Brake automatically adjust their angles based on speed and drive modes, though drivers can also activate them manually via steering wheel buttons.

Inside the cabin, the layout is a strict four-seat configuration with heavily contoured front sports seats wrapped in synthetic leather and microfiber. Practical cargo space includes a 390-liter trunk for the saloon and a larger 450-liter cargo area for the Shooting Brake wagon, along with an extra 101 liters of space inside the front trunk, or frunk. The dashboard runs the fourth-generation MBUX infotainment system powered by the new MB.OS software, which integrates artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini into a virtual assistant avatar. For track enthusiasts, there is an optional digital racing coach app pre-loaded with tracks like the Nürburgring, which displays ideal braking points directly onto the head-up display.

There is absolutely no doubt that Mercedes-AMG beat BMW here. The rumors say that the new M3 will have around 1,000 horsepower on tap, and the new AMG looks weak on paper here, but it is Mercedes that will be selling fast electric salons and wagons, while BMW keeps twirling its thumbs. And who knows? By the time M3 arrives, AMG might release a wild "55" version of the CLA with four electric motors for those who think 680 horsepower is not enough for daily errands.

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