Mercedes A45 AMG 2016 model

[SO8]

Wow! I think we all knew it was going to happen. When you get that 'itch' you just need to scratch it. So Spec? Colour?

Oh and most importantly is the E89 being traded or are you going to try and sell privately?

End of May isn't that far and between then and now if you've still got the E89 you might get a last few blasts in before you cocoon yourself with a fixed roof.

A45 AMG , black metallic, privacy glass, 19" alloys (silver/grey - not black). Exclusive pack (basically that means leather seats and dash), premium pack (Panoramic sunroof, keyless go, electric seats, harmon kardon surround stereo), adaptive suspension.

E89 sold privately

 

[Angie4m]

Sounds like you've got a good spec there. Love the fact it's black, I've only seen two actually A45 AMGs on the road, one was white and the other silver and as every other current A Class seems to be white of silver with AMG styling or the occasional blue chucked in for good measure black will stand out.

At least you've gone panoramic roof, one of my favourite options on a fixed roof car. Just makes it feel more spacious when you let the light in.

 

[SO8]

Sounds like you've got a good spec there. Love the fact it's black, I've only seen two actually A45 AMGs on the road, one was white and the other silver and as every other current A Class seems to be white of silver with AMG styling or the occasional blue chucked in for good measure black will stand out.

At least you've gone panoramic roof, one of my favourite options on a fixed roof car. Just makes it feel more spacious when you let the light in.

Thanks.

I thought long and hard about the spec as I wanted all the toys (as I had most on my 35iS) but not to go too mad paying a fortune for options I wouldn't get my money back on. The panoramic roof is part of a premium pack and contains the roof, electric memory seats, keyless go, cruise and the HK Hifi. It was £1900 which I thought was pretty good value for that lot !

The mineral white of my 35iS was probably the best colour I have ever had for not needing massive amounts of attention. Sadly I know my choice of black will mean regular pain and machine polishing to keep it good :roll: ... that said a clean black car looks awesome :evil:

Now, until the end of May, I am in my Smart diesel and getting used again to 16.5 to 62 :headbang:

 

[TitanTim]

Out of interest how did you find the exhaust pop when going through the gears, I noticed Chris Harris mentioned it when he did the review of the M135i and A45.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOA5YN6ryz4

Does it only make the noise in sport mode? or all the time, just wandering how annoying it would be if all the time but OK when the mood takes you.

Tim.

 

[SO8]

Out of interest how did you find the exhaust pop when going through the gears, I noticed Chris Harris mentioned it when he did the review of the M135i and A45.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOA5YN6ryz4

Does it only make the noise in sport mode? or all the time, just wandering how annoying it would be if all the time but OK when the mood takes you.

Tim.

It does it in Sport not Comfort AFAIK. I found it annoying - coming from a car like the 35iS to be frank it sounded pathetic. In comfort the car is very much a go to the shops car but if the mood takes you then you can put it in sport and it makes the silly noises.

I have spec'd adaptive suspension so I can use the individual setting to say have the throttle response sharp but suspension soft - which is what I will prefer. Until I get it I am not 100% but he definitely told me noise is in sport and it did seem it.

It sounded very loud in sport on the one I drove but that did have the sports exhaust - thus I haven't spec'd that !! The annoying noise was offset somewhat but the astonishing turn of acceleration over 5K rpm which I was not expecting and tbh is what sold me the car. Not slow anywhere but genuinely fast at high revs. Not turbo like in my experience at all. More VTEC ... followed by silly bang if in sports mode.

 

[TitanTim]

Out of interest how did you find the exhaust pop when going through the gears, I noticed Chris Harris mentioned it when he did the review of the M135i and A45.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOA5YN6ryz4

Does it only make the noise in sport mode? or all the time, just wandering how annoying it would be if all the time but OK when the mood takes you.

Tim.

It does it in Sport not Comfort AFAIK. I found it annoying - coming from a car like the 35iS to be frank it sounded pathetic. In comfort the car is very much a go to the shops car but if the mood takes you then you can put it in sport and it makes the silly noises.

I have spec'd adaptive suspension so I can use the individual setting to say have the throttle response sharp but suspension soft - which is what I will prefer. Until I get it I am not 100% but he definitely told me noise is in sport and it did seem it.

It sounded very loud in sport on the one I drove but that did have the sports exhaust - thus I haven't spec'd that !! The annoying noise was offset somewhat but the astonishing turn of acceleration over 5K rpm which I was not expecting and tbh is what sold me the car. Not slow anywhere but genuinely fast at high revs. Not turbo like in my experience at all. More VTEC ... followed by silly bang if in sports mode.

Cheers for the feedback, Its how I imagined, a little like mine in that all the noise appears in Sport mode which is how you would want it I guess then calming things down a little in comfort mode. The sports exhaust would probably add an extra 10db on overall sound when accelerating but not much power wise. I don't think the 4 cyl will ever match your Zeds for overall appeal but still a hell of an engine considering standard power output. I must try and bag a test drive before placing an order for my replacement car, AWD is still very appealing to me come replacement time.

Look forward to seeing some pics when it arrives

Tim.

 

[sars]

Congratulations, Obsidian black, not as bad to keep clean as you might think, certainly easiernthan DSB

 

[SO8]

Dealer has emailed ... my car will be in the UK this week and hopefully available for me from w/c 16th

Much as my Smart diesel is very good for what it is ... I am missing my Z4's power and need the new car NOW !! :evil:

 

[TitanTim]

Sounds good, get some pics up when it arrives, would be interested to know how you fare with Mercedes as a dealer compared to BMW. I'm holding out for the M140i now, hopefully something will be announced soon.

Tim.

 

[gooner90]

Have owned a 14 plate A45 AMG for nearly a couple of months now and have to say what a car! How they got hat much power out of a 2 litre engine still amazes me. I love the interior too and everyone always comments on the sound when they hear it.

 

[SO8]

Have owned a 14 plate A45 AMG for nearly a couple of months now and have to say what a car! How they got hat much power out of a 2 litre engine still amazes me. I love the interior too and everyone always comments on the sound when they hear it.

Excellent :evil:

I am collecting mine on Thursday at 9.30am.

I have seen it and taken some photos on my phone in their pound - looks great but will save photos for here if I can get the wife to take some 'properly' for me (as she is a professional photog).

I have managed to get Thurs and Fri off work so am looking to make big inroads into the running in period asap ! It's all insured now for Thurs and GAP paid for ... just have to wait ... it's going to be a long 6 days ...

 

[gooner90]

Nice SO8 looking forward to seeing what colour etc you went for, here are a couple of mine on pick up and shortly after. Will have to get some more pics soon.

 

[SO8]

Well, I have it

No pics yet worthy of posting ... managed to get it up to 82 miles of the 1000 mile run in. It will be a long haul. The AMG man was specific about following the instructions - and made a special point of saying it was important for this particular engine / gearbox so I will be good.

Really pleased and more of a review & pictures when I actually have some proper miles on it and experience of how it is.

One comment though ... the ride - this car has been abused for having a harsh ride yet it, even on 19's, is a lot softer than the Z4 35iS !! I have opted for adaptive so that may make a difference and also maybe MB listened to their customers and the press when the penned the facelift model I have.

Just need the miles on it now ... then :evil:

 

[SO8]

The garage teased me last week by letting me see it ... not until this week to get it !
These are the best I can do as the photographer wife is away and the car is already getting dusty ... and being black I doubt it will look like this for much longer !!

 

[Johnnymiller]

Looks sweet, just been to look at one of these, was googling and came across this thread.

Sold my Imola Z4M for an M135i back in 2014, great car, but a bit jack of all master of none for me, it was fast and comfortable, but i didn't find it particularly fun in the medium term.

Be interested in your impressions of the A45 AMG facelift, i've specced one up via carwow and its reasonable numbers for the spec i want, mainly i suspect because i've no interest in any of the aero bits which seem expensive to me. How are you finding the adaptive dampers? does it make it more compliant on the daily grind? they are a must have option i think, i thought that on my m135i and thats nowhere near as stiff as these.

 

[SO8]

Looks sweet, just been to look at one of these, was googling and came across this thread.

Sold my Imola Z4M for an M135i back in 2014, great car, but a bit jack of all master of none for me, it was fast and comfortable, but i didn't find it particularly fun in the medium term.

Be interested in your impressions of the A45 AMG facelift, i've specced one up via carwow and its reasonable numbers for the spec i want, mainly i suspect because i've no interest in any of the aero bits which seem expensive to me. How are you finding the adaptive dampers? does it make it more compliant on the daily grind? they are a must have option i think, i thought that on my m135i and thats nowhere near as stiff as these.

I will post a proper review when I've had the car longer as only at 800 miles currently - but loving it !!

The facelift seems a lot more sorted than the pre facelift to me - the gearbox is as good as my 35iS DCT was ... in fact it seems to change down quicker ! The build is better than the pre FL and I just think they have ironed out the issues people moaned about - the main one other than the gearbox being the suspension.

Now, I haven't driven a FL with the 'standard' suspension and I do believe it is softer than the pre FL was ... but the adaptive is great and IMO a must have as I am told 'comfort' is softer than the standard suspension anyway. Sport setting tightens it up and feels about the same as the pre FL was.

It is a very easy car to drive 'normally' as I am finding out on route to the 1000 mile run in ! It is not a soft car but not as hard as my 35iS suspension was. The seats are firm but are Recaro and absolutely stunning on a long drive - so comfy !

 

[Z4_35i]

Glad you're enjoying your new FL A45.

We test drove a FL A45 on Friday last week with the optional 19" wheels and standard suspension and it was a very well balanced setup. It's a very well put together package now, but we're still not sure if it's the right car for us when we change from our 35i. We also test drove the new C63s coupe, would love one of these, but the PCP and lease deals are close to four figures per month, an alternative though is the new C43 Coupe, only a V6 rather than the V8, but has the added benefit of 4WD.

 

[SO8]

Glad you're enjoying your new FL A45.

We test drove a FL A45 on Friday last week with the optional 19" wheels and standard suspension and it was a very well balanced setup. It's a very well put together package now, but we're still not sure if it's the right car for us when we change from our 35i. We also test drove the new C63s coupe, would love one of these, but the PCP and lease deals are close to four figures per month, an alternative though is the new C43 Coupe, only a V6 rather than the V8, but has the added benefit of 4WD.

The new FL A45 AMG is totally different to the original IMO ... far, far better screwed together ! C43 looks lovely - good luck with it

I retire in 4 1/2 years so maybe the C63S would be a good present to myself .... Hmmm, just mustn't tell the wife :evil:

 

[Z4_35i]

I retire in 4 1/2 years so maybe the C63S would be a good present to myself .... Hmmm, just mustn't tell the wife :evil:

MB Brooklands have a new C63S demo car, we drove it, you know you want to ...

 

[SO8]

I retire in 4 1/2 years so maybe the C63S would be a good present to myself .... Hmmm, just mustn't tell the wife :evil:

MB Brooklands have a new C63S demo car, we drove it, you know you want to ...

.... the dealership I bought my A45 from .... oh dear .... :? :lol: