Mercedes: GLA 45 AMG

Bmw has had the X 1 for years now, and Audi brought in the Q3 a couple of years ago, but Mercedes had nothing to offer to premium compact SUV buyers. Rumour had it that Mercedes was working on a new compact SUV, but no one knew when it’d be ready.

Finally, a couple of months back, Merc shipped in the GLA. You may argue with me about the fact that the GLA is not a real SUV, but more of a crossover after all, it’s based on a hatchback, and has no all-wheel rive (AWD). That is true, but it also sits higher than the hatch, and there’s one mad version that sends power to all four wheels the GLA 45 AMG. And, according to TopGear logic, it makes for a proper SUV, just that you can’t call it a hardcore off-roader.

Still, what kind of off-roading is this tricked-out GLA capable of? To find out, we took it to an empty patch of land with off-road trails made by muck-seekers in the Delhi-NCR region. But, before I tell you the results of the GLA 45 AMG’s off-road test, let me run you through the mechanical bits .

The GLA 45’s claim to fame is its heart the super powerful, turbocharged four-pot petrol engine. It displaces a mere 1,991cc, and yet, churns out a massive 355bhp and 450 Nm of spin. This makes it the most powerful mass produced four cylinder engine in the world. But as I write this, Volvo has announced that its brand-new four pot engine the one that’ll power one of its upcoming offerings beats this claim by a big margin: it churns out almost 100 more horses. This, without a doubt, would have been the most heart-breaking moment for the lads at the AMG factory in recent memory.

Though it may lose the honour of having the most powerful four-pot in the world, it’s still one crazy powerhouse. The horses bolt from 2,000 revs, and continue to do so right till you hit the redline at just over 6,000rpm. While three turbos assist Volvo’s new engine, here, there’s only one.

Mercedes India chose to fit the optional sports exhaust on this particular car. This makes the already-loud exhaust note louder still. And you’ll love the pops and crackles from the pipes on the overrun when you change gears. It’ll easily get a spot on the ‘Most Entertaining Things in the World’ list… if such a thing exists, that is.

Playing in sync with this pocket rocket of a motor is the seven-speed, dual-clutch AMG SPEEDSHIFT transmission. In Comfort mode, it’ll keep the revs low and save fuel to be kind to Mother Nature, but switch to Sport, and it quickly forgets polar bears and global warming the motor’s on the boil, and the horses and the torque are anxiously waiting to pummel the tarmac.

And, unlike in the regular GLA, they don’t hit the road through the front wheels only. It utilises all four wheels to put the power down optimally, and to translate all that firepower into speed. This system is smart. It can distribute the power 50:50 to the front as well as the back wheels when more traction is required, and when it isn’t, it shuts down power to the rear wheels, and sends it to the front wheels only. And the transition is seamless. All you understand from the computers and the diffs is that the GLA 45 offers great grip levels across most surfaces. Just what the doctor ordered, then.

The GLA 45 AMG is quick. Bloody quick. If the engine temperature, ambient temperature and constellation of stars align perfectly on a certain day, you can activate the Race Start mode. And once it is activated, the GLA 45 can hit 100kph in just 4.8 seconds (claimed). But, I’ll be honest, I could never get the permutations right to activate this mode. If you manage to find an empty stretch, the GLA 45 will run into the speed limiter at 250kph with little fuss.Acceleration is rapid, and the speedo needle struggles to keep up with the increase in momentum.

This is a pure-bred AMG. And like all pure-bred AMGs, the suspension is tuned to lean more towards the handling side. The regular GLA has a softer setup that allows it to soak up bumps with ease. But this one isn’t as good in the ride department. It won’t break your back, but if you take liberties with it on rough roads, it’ll nudge your backside and remind you that it’s an AMG. That’s not good for soft-roading. Having said that, let me tell you that if you tackle the surface wisely, the GLA 45 will have no problems going over it.

It’s a champion when it comes to taking corners at high speeds. I’ve told you how good the grip levels are, and how the suspension is tuned for better handling. And that’s a lethal combo for attacking curves. There’s just a hint of sideways movement in the body, and the steering is bang on. It has the right weight, is direct and takes you right where you want to head. It chats to your palms fairly well, too, telling you exactly what the tyres are dealing with.

Usually, AMG only offers low-profile rubber on its cars. But, luckily, this one rides on not-so-low-profile tyres. And this gives me more confidence in places where the tarmac is non-existent.After doing a few runs in the trails, it’s clear that the GLA 45 isn’t the weapon of choice to assault muck and rocks, but if you’re hell-bent on taking it off the tarmac, it can do a bit of soft-roading with poise.

If you expected space at the rear to be generous in the GLA, you’re going to be disappointed. The legroom is tight, and thanks to its curvy shape, there’s not much in the way of shoulder room. Three at the back will be a tight squeeze. We never thought that the BMW X1 could beat anything in terms of space, but the GLA makes the X1 seem roomy .

Mercedes has made it a habit of offering a superb design inside and out. The dashboard layout is almost identical to the A-Class’s. And that’s a good thing. Very few cars in the market right now have an interior that comes this close to giving you a perfect blend of elegance  and sportiness. Seats? They’re excellent. Firm, but they hold you tight when lateral G-forces come into play. And they’re complemented by the red seat belts that add more of a sporty feel to the cabin.

When you see it in the flesh, it’s apparent that the GLA is not a whole lot bigger than the A-Class. And just like the A-Class, it looks the part. It looks so good, that it’s almost impossible to be satisfied with just a glance. You’ll struggle to get your eyes off this thing.

A couple of years ago, Mercedes thought that its designs were getting on a bit, and youngsters were abandoning the brand. It changed its design language radically, and now, with the CLA, CLS, A-Class, S-Class, GLA and the upcoming C-Class, I can say with full confidence that it’s achieved its goal.

When Merc gives its cars to AMG, the boffins at Affalterbach throw away the engine, drivetrain and suspension, among other things, to fit in their own units. And that sends the price of these performance vehicles shooting through the roof. Mercedes hasn’t announced the price of the GLA 45 AMG as I write, but it will have launched the car by the time you read this. For now, I can just take a wild guess at the pricing. And, to my understanding, it’ll burn a hole in your pocket the size of about Rs 85 lakh (on-road). A little too much? Yes, it is. But look at it this way if you want a performance version of a premium compact SUV, the GLA 45 AMG is your only choice. It has absolutely no direct rival in our market.

The GLA packs a real punch: it’s compact, it’s fast, it can handle curves at high speed, and to top it all, it’s a looker, too. Yes, it can’t do real off-roading, but it’s not meant to. It’s aimed at people for whom tarmac is life and mud is just a hobby. I don’t mind that. To me, the GLA 45 AMG looks like a winner.