Mercedes CLA 45 AMG launched

To some, this new CLA 45 AMG could very well suffer from an existential crisis. Why? It's an AMG model... with a turbocharged, 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and four-wheel-drive.
But, this is the future, so strap yourselves in and hope for the best. It's the halo version of Merc's new baby saloon, with underpinnings nabbed from an A-Class and a drivetrain that features the most powerful production turbocharged four-pot engine in the world - also shared with the A-Class, in this case the A 45 AMG.
Of course, AMG is now no stranger to turbocharging, gradually phasing out the old naturally aspirated, iron-fisted 6.2-litre V8 with a 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 in the big cars. But with the CLA, they've gone little, and highly combustible. The CLA 45 AMG packs 354bhp, 331lb ft of torque and will accelerate from 0-62mph in just 4.6 seconds. Top speed is limited to 155mph.

The CLA 45 AMG packs a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, with software pinched from the SLS AMG. You get a ‘race start' function (thumbs up), three driving programmes and a double-declutching option.