If there was any doubt that Mercedes-AMG intended to make the electric era every bit as outrageous as its turbocharged past, the new CLA 45 4MATIC+ just erased it.
Forget everything you know about compact performance cars. The latest AMG doesn’t merely replace a gasoline engine with batteries—it completely rewrites the formula. With an astonishing 680 horsepower, a claimed 0–62 mph (100 km/h) time of just 2.7 seconds, and a trio of cutting-edge axial-flux electric motors, the CLA 45 arrives with performance figures that would embarrass yesterday’s exotic machinery. And somehow, Mercedes-AMG insists it’s still practical enough to be your daily driver.
That’s a bold claim. Judging by the hardware, it may not be far from the truth.
Three Motors, One Mission
The headline numbers are impressive enough: 500 kW (680 hp), fully variable all-wheel drive, and acceleration that places the compact CLA firmly in Porsche 911 Turbo territory.
The real story, however, lies beneath the sheet metal.
Instead of relying on conventional radial electric motors, AMG equips the CLA 45 with three axial-flux motors—one driving the front axle and two independently powering the rear wheels. These compact motors debuted in the flagship AMG GT electric four-door, but bringing them into the CLA represents a significant democratization of AMG’s newest technology.
Axial-flux motors differ from conventional EV motors by arranging the magnetic field parallel to the motor shaft rather than perpendicular to it. The result is dramatically higher power density in a much smaller package. The front motor measures just nine centimeters thick, while each rear motor is only about eight centimeters wide.
Those dimensions might sound trivial, but they allow AMG engineers to package supercar performance into a compact sports sedan—and wagon—without sacrificing interior space.
More importantly, having three independently controlled motors gives the CLA abilities that conventional all-wheel-drive systems simply can’t replicate.
Torque Vectoring Goes Fully Electric
Traditional performance cars shuffle torque using clutches and differentials.
The CLA 45 barely needs either.
Each rear wheel receives power from its own dedicated motor, allowing torque vectoring to happen instantaneously and with remarkable precision. The front motor seamlessly joins the party whenever additional traction—or efficiency—is required, disconnecting entirely during low-load cruising to reduce energy losses.
The result is what AMG calls a fully variable Performance 4MATIC+ system, capable of shifting from rear-wheel drive to all-wheel drive almost imperceptibly.
If the technology works as advertised, this could become one of the sharpest-handling electric performance cars yet built.
A Chassis Designed to Keep Up
Delivering nearly 700 horsepower is one thing.
Making it enjoyable is something else entirely.
AMG has developed a dedicated RIDE CONTROL suspension featuring forged aluminum components, adaptive three-way dampers, a three-link front suspension, and a multi-link rear arrangement usually reserved for larger luxury cars.
Drivers can choose between Comfort, Sport, AMGFORCE S+, Slippery, ECO, Individual, and—if equipped with the AMG Dynamic Plus Package—the no-compromise RACE mode.
Unlike many performance EVs that simply deliver brutal acceleration, AMG appears determined to make this one feel alive through corners as well.
Fake Engine? Surprisingly Convincing.
Here’s where things get controversial.
AMG knows many enthusiasts still associate performance with sound, vibration, and gear changes. Rather than ignoring those expectations, the company leaned into them.
The new AMGFORCE S+ mode recreates the soundtrack of the legendary AMG turbocharged four-cylinder using recordings from an A 45 S. Engineers reportedly captured more than 1,600 audio samples using 13 microphones before digitally reconstructing the engine’s personality.
But the illusion doesn’t stop at sound.
Artificial gear changes interrupt power delivery. Seat-mounted transducers simulate engine vibration. The digital instrument cluster displays a tachometer and gear indicator. Steering-wheel paddles trigger simulated shifts complete with torque interruption.
Purists will undoubtedly roll their eyes.
Others may appreciate that AMG is trying to inject personality into an experience that many high-performance EVs still struggle to deliver.
Fast on the Road—Fast at the Charger
Performance means little if the battery can’t keep up.
The CLA 45 packs a substantial 94-kWh usable battery operating on an 800-volt electrical architecture. Charging peaks at an impressive 330 kW, allowing a 10-to-80-percent recharge in approximately 22 minutes.
Even more impressive is the claim that just ten minutes plugged into a high-speed charger adds over 270 kilometers (168 miles) of driving range.
Official figures estimate more than 670 kilometers (416 miles) of range for the sedan and 640 kilometers (398 miles) for the Shooting Brake, making this one of the longest-legged high-performance EVs currently announced.
Helping achieve those numbers is an advanced thermal management system, silicon-oxide battery chemistry, a multi-source heat pump, and active aerodynamic elements that continuously optimize drag and cooling.
Active Aero Isn’t Just for Supercars Anymore
The CLA 45 introduces something previously unseen in its class: active rear aerodynamic devices.
The sedan receives a deployable rear spoiler, while the Shooting Brake features an active roof spoiler. Combined with adaptive front radiator shutters, the system balances downforce, efficiency, and stability depending on speed and selected drive mode.
In ECO mode, everything stays tucked away as long as possible.
Select AMGFORCE S+ or RACE, and the aero immediately prepares for maximum performance.
It’s functional engineering rather than decorative styling—a welcome trend in an era where many performance cars rely on oversized wings that accomplish little beyond attracting attention.
Track Day Included
AMG hasn’t forgotten the Nürburgring crowd.
The optional AMG Dynamic Plus Package unlocks TRACK PACE, effectively transforming the CLA into a rolling data acquisition system.
Telemetry records more than 80 parameters ten times every second. Augmented reality overlays ideal racing lines. The head-up display indicates braking points, while Predictive Performance Manager intelligently adjusts power delivery around the circuit to maximize lap times instead of simply unleashing full power everywhere.
For serious drivers, it’s as close as you can get to having an engineer riding shotgun.
The Familiar AMG Look Evolves
Visually, the CLA 45 walks a careful line between tradition and electrification.
The Panamericana grille remains, flanked by muscular wheel arches, aggressive splitters, flush-fitting 19-inch wheels (or optional 20s), and a diffuser featuring six pronounced fins.
Unlike some EVs that attempt to hide their performance credentials behind smooth bodywork, the CLA embraces its AMG identity.
The Shooting Brake, arguably the prettier of the two variants, retains its long roofline while integrating active aerodynamic elements almost invisibly.
Inside, the cabin continues the performance theme with deeply sculpted sports seats, AMG steering wheels, aluminum trim, and the latest generation of Mercedes’ MB.OS infotainment system.
Artificial intelligence from ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Bing is integrated into the new MBUX Virtual Assistant, making the CLA one of the first performance cars to blend cutting-edge AI with dedicated track-focused software.
The new Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC+ doesn’t simply represent another fast electric sedan.
It represents AMG’s most ambitious attempt yet to prove that electrification doesn’t have to come at the expense of excitement.
Yes, simulated engine sounds and virtual gearshifts will divide opinion. But they’re only one small part of an extraordinarily sophisticated package built around genuinely innovative hardware. Three axial-flux motors, torque-vectoring unlike anything else in the segment, adaptive aerodynamics, rapid charging, and over 400 miles of range suggest this isn’t an EV trying to imitate a performance car—it is a performance car, just with a different heartbeat.
Whether enthusiasts ultimately embrace the digital theatrics remains to be seen.
One thing is already clear: if Mercedes-AMG wanted to build the quickest, most technologically advanced compact performance car it has ever produced, the CLA 45 4MATIC+ looks more than capable of delivering on that promise.
Source: Mercedes-Benz