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By Jonathan Crouch

The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4MATIC+ develops some of the most impressive numbers of any production vehicle. Jonathan Crouch reports.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 44

Handsome, efficient, capable and devastatingly rapid thanks to all-wheel drive and a 421hp power output, the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S 4MATIC+ offers the proper AMG package condensed into a more compact four-door coupe or Shooting Brake body shape. It does look fairly expensive though.

Backgroundword count: 122

A decade or so back, few would have predicted that AMG would be selling a compact four-wheel drive, 2.0-litre model built on the chassis of a Mercedes A-Class and that it would be entirely credible, yet that's exactly what we have in the rather handsome shape of the CLA 45 S 4MATIC+. The products from Affalterbach have never been in better shape. Want the most powerful series-production four-cylinder engine in the world? Step right up. There's a choice here of two body shapes, either a four-door Coupe or a Shooting Brake estate. That's if you don't want exactly the same powertrain plumbed into a GLA crossover or an A-Class small hatch. The CLA offers this recipe with a bit more pavement presence.

Driving Experienceword count: 218

Naturally, putting 421hp to the tarmac through the four wheels of a Mercedes-Benz CLA makes for some impressive performance figures. Mercedes claims a sprint to 62mph in just 4.1 seconds before running onto an electronically limited top end of 168mph. You'll be able to replicate this if you like, thanks to the 'race start' launch control system. The AMG 4MATIC all-wheel drive system has torque control in the rear axle differential allowing drive torque to be separately distributed to both rear wheels. There's also drift mode for track use and six AMG DYNAMIC SELECT driving modes - Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Individual and RACE. Adaptive AMG RIDE CONTROL suspension is included too. Under the skin it's much the same as the A 45 AMG hatch, tacking on a little more weight on but keeping the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the same accurate electric power steering, an identical eight-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 8G twin-clutch automatic gearbox, even the same spring rates for its strut and multi-link suspension. The only difference between the cars are the damper settings, the CLA's being a little more accommodating. This engine possesses none of the off-boost lethargy that you'd normally associate with such a highly-boosted turbo installation. It even manages to sound like a proper AMG powerplant too, with a delightfully woofly exhaust note.

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