2014 Mercedes-Benz GLA 45 AMG : Slick And Slippery SUV – 2014 Lite GLA

2014 Mercedes-Benz GLA 45 AMG Concept

“A Cd reduction of six points has the same effect as removing 200kg of mass from a vehicle, and getting vehicle mass down by such an amount is virtually impossible. The only way to reach a 200kg reduction target is to invest heavily in a carbon fibre body structure, but that is very expensive and it creates disposal issues.”

The GLA’s development team didn’t just rely on the creation of a wagon that cleaves the air with samurai-sword sharpness to prune the SUV’s fuel consumption to a low of 4.3-litres/100km (200 CDI model). For the vehicle is said to be only 30kg heavier than an equivalent A-Class hatch. That’s despite the fitting of a power-operated tailgate, wider tyres on larger-diameter wheels, and the GLA’s more rigid, slightly larger body. For Woll, the most satisfying thing about the new model range is that the diesel-powered entry version can be caned down the Autobahn at its maximum velocity, and it will still log consumption figures of just 6.5L/100km.

2014 GLA 45 AMG Exterior wing and garish decals

This is good stuff if you want a versatile family wagon that helps you have a guilt-free holiday in some low-lying Pacific nation, but SUV buyers aren’t generally known for having any awareness of their environmental footprint. This is where the AMG-fettled performance flagship of the range steps in. Power and torque outputs of the $99,900 AWD GLA 45 AMG model jump exponentially higher than the $64,900 GLA 200 CDI front-drive entry-point, and the $76,900 GLA 250 4MATIC turbo-petrol which represents the midpoint in the NZ range. Where the 200 develops 115kW/250Nm, and the 250 4MATIC generates 155kW/350Nm, the AMG easily trumps both with its 265kW/450Nm head of steam. Merc says you can reach 100 from rest in 4.8 seconds, less than half the time required by the 200 CDI (10.0 secs) and more than two seconds ahead of the GLA 250. Launch control, and an exhaust with more pops and bangs than a Mexican birthday party are other attractions of the most powerful GLA.

Be warned though that all that performance comes at some cost, and not only at purchase time. The AMG runs a heady 1.8 bar of boost pressure and the world’s most powerful four-cylinder engine requires a constant stream of cooling air to soothe its fevered cylinder head. The grille shutters that help make the ‘ordinary’ GLAs so aero-efficient are therefore off-limits for the AMG, and wider tyres and much-enlarged frontal orifices conspire to raise the drag figure for the vehicle to 0.34. Add the optional race-strength rear spoiler, and drag has regressed back to the class average of 0.35. Towing, meanwhile, is an absolute no-no with the AMG and will void the warranty.

2014 Mercedes-Benz GLA 45 AMG AMG model gets the red treatment in the interior and all the options

The need to stuff 7.5 litres of petrol into the AMG’s 2.0-litre power plant every 100km will be seen as a necessary evil by anyone who values it’s limpet-like grip, more eager steering, and a sports-handling mode that loosens up the rear end of the car to provide a well-monitored game of chase-the-tail. Mind you, there’s nothing much wrong with the non-AMG versions in the chassis stakes either. The more affordable Mercs exhibit exemplary body roll control, feel well-balanced despite their less sporty foundations, and possess handling characteristics similar to their A-Class cousins as their mass and higher centre of gravity are balanced by the extra rubber and torsional body rigidity. 

The GLA range reaches NZ showrooms in April with the GLA 250 4MATIC expected to be the best seller.

The AMG easily trumps both with its 265kw/450nm head of steam. Merc says you can reach 100 from rest in 4.8 seconds, less than half the time required by the 200 CDI.