Sub-$75K price for hot Benz A45 AMG

MERCEDES-BENZ has announced a lower than expected $74,900 (plus on-road costs) price for its upcoming A45 AMG hot hatch, which goes on sale in Australia this September.

That may be $6500 more than its main rival, the BMW M135i, but the Benz is more powerful, more fuel-efficient and comes with more standard equipment.

With the BMW’s $3500 optional eight-speed automatic transmission taken into account, the price gap narrows to $2500.

The official A45 price is lower than the recently mooted $80,000 price point – and way below the previously promised sub-$100K that many took to mean the high $90,000 mark.

Mercedes-Benz Australia corporate communications manager Jerry Stamoulis told GoAuto the drop in indicative pricing was due to managing expectations until the final figure was confirmed.

He said the 100 or so pre-orders already taken for the A45 was likely to quickly grow now that pricing was official and that those having placed deposits were well placed to receive their cars early.

Australian-delivered A45s will come with a higher level of standard equipment than in Europe, including a rorty AMG sports exhaust, an AMG Driver’s Package that increases top speed to 270km/h and 19-inch alloy wheels.

Further Aussie additions comprise adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, adaptive headlights, a panoramic sunroof, heated leather seats and top-spec COMAND infotainment system with sat-nav, internet access and Harman Kardon premium audio.

Australia is the world’s sixth largest AMG market and the biggest by volume per capita, but Mr Stamoulis said the arrival of the A45 was unlikely to change this due to the model’s expected world-wide popularity.

He said it was difficult to tell whether the A45 would outsell Australia’s most popular AMG hot-rod, the C63 that shifted more than 700 units last year and that volume would be dictated by supply, describing the car as “hot property” in numerous markets, particularly Japan.

The A45 AMG’s turbocharged 2.0-litre engine pumps out an almost unfeasible 265kW of power – making it the world’s most powerful production four-cylinder – and 450Nm of torque, translating into 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds.

Power and torque alone are not enough to deliver this supercar-chasing acceleration figure, for the A45 channels drive through all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with paddle-shifters.

For comparison the rear-drive M135i’s 3.0-litre turbo straight-six produces 235kW and 460Nm for 0-100km/h in 5.1 seconds but its larger displacement hurts fuel consumption, rated at 8.0 litres per 100 kilometres compared with the A45’s 6.9L/100km.

Specification wise the BMW comes with smaller 18-inch wheels, a sunroof costs $2920, lane departure warning is $1400, the equivalent infotainment/internet system costs $3700, adaptive headlights are $940.

Mercedes-Benz also revealed pricing of more upcoming AMG models, including the most expensive Mercedes-Benz ever sold in Australia (not counting the Maybach limousine), the SLS AMG Coupe Black Series at $639,000, limited to just 10 units in Australia from July.

Producing 464kW and 635Nm, the SLS Black’s V8 is 44kW up but 15Nm down on torque compared to regular, $170,680 less expensive SLS gullwing coupe, delivering the 0-100km/h sprint two tenths quicker at 3.6s – helped by a 70kg weight reduction.

The limited-run C63 AMG Edition 507 – fresh from its world debut at the Geneva motor show last week – will arrive in August with 373kW and 610Nm, up 37kW and 10Nm over the standard C63 and 15kW/10Nm over the Performance Pack.

Also packing 19-inch alloys, a Black Series bonnet and reduced chrome work, the Edition 507 replaces the Performance Package at $169,407 for the sedan, $171,407 for the wagon and $172,407 for the coupe.

Finally the facelifted E63 AMG that arrives in sportier S guise – with 0-100km/h in just 4.1 seconds – hits our shores in September.

An extra 20kW brings total output to 430kW/800Nm and standard equipment includes a locking differential, self parking, a suite of driver assistance technology and full LED headlights for $249,900.