Family Car Reviews

 The website Auto Monthly has released a few images that show stylized images of the new 2014 Mercedes CLA. Since the CLA is meant to debut at the Detroit Auto Show next month these have a good chance of being legitimate. This is not the first time that images of a new Mercedes models have been leaked before an auto show. Our speculation won't last much longer because in a few weeks we will know for sure if these are indeed the press photos of the Mercedes CLA.




For more details about the 2014 Mercedes CLA: http://www.ignitionspeed.com/2012/08/mercedes-cla55-amg.html

On their facebook page today Mercedes released pictures of the highly anticipated A 45 AMG.

"Be prepared for something major coming up next spring: The A 45 AMG will blow your mind and impress with stunning performance. Take a very first look!" - Mercedes.



With the success of the Ford Focus ST, Mercedes is now coming out with their own performance hatchback the A 45 AMG. Very little is currently known about the horsepower and speed this car will have, but according to Mercedes we will all know by next spring. We can expect the car to cost somewhere between $30,000 to $40,000. Lets us know what you think in the comments!

If you are in the market for a $60k European sports machine, you without a doubt have come across these three models. They are so similar yet so unique in every way. The Quattro all-wheel drive system of the Audi is so different that the brute force of the rear wheel drive C63 AMG, which is so different than the extreme handling and high revving BMW. Although even with all of these differences, each of these cars has the same simple purpose, to create the ultimate driving experience.

Performance


                                                                                                                                                       
First up is the BMW M3. A very popular sports car amongst young audiences for its stylish looks and pure power. The M3 gets 414 Horsepower at the wheels from a 4.0 Liter V8 engine. This allows the M3 to get from 0 - 60 MPH in 4.3 seconds. As for top speed, sadly the M3 is limited to 155 MPH but we know it could easily excel far above that.

Having the least horsepower and torque of the group, the thing that allows the BMW to keep up with the performance of the other two is its high revving engine and light weight. It redlines at an ear shattering 8,400 RPM which is higher than most motorcycles. This allows the M3 to stay in a certain gear for much longer because of the high max engine speed. It is also notable that the M3 is much lighter than the other two at only 3552 lbs. That's a whopping 444 lbs lighter than the C63 AMG which gives this BMW a significant advantage in performance.



The Audi RS 5 has a direct-injected 4.2 Liter V8 engine that makes 450 horsepower which propels it to 60 MPH in the same time as the BMW, 4.3 seconds. The Audi uses its famous Quattro 4 wheel drive system to put down equal power to all four wheels, giving this car the best launch of the group. It also has the highest revving engine of the group which can achieve a crisp engine speed of 8,500 RPM.

The RS 5 drives like a heavier and larger car compared to the light BMW. Even though it feels heavy it is still extremely forgiving and easy to drive, thanks mostly to its four wheel drive system. With its Quattro system the Audi is much better at putting down power to the wheels when exiting a turn as well.



Next we have the rear wheel drive C63 AMG. Coming in with the most horsepower and torque, this car takes first place for straight line acceleration. It has an incredible 451 horses under the hood with an even more impressive 443 lb-ft of torque. This allows it to move from 0 - 60 in an astonishing 3.8 seconds, blowing away the competition in acceleration. With the extra weight comes a slight relative lack in handling compared to the other two but you will completely forget about that when you press the pedal to the floor. In short, this thing is a monster.

Interior

Each one of the interiors of the German made cars is just about flawless. It is more about personal taste in the interior rather than one standing out from the others. But there are still some fairly substantial differences to note between the three.


The M3 interior at first glance comes off somewhat vintage but with the short throw shifter, concave navigation screen, and high revving tachometer it becomes immediately apparent that this is no regular 3-series, but the performance oriented M3.



The Audi seemed to have the most sophisticated interior of the group. With red inlays and sleek leather bucket seats you feel like you are in a car of 2020 not 2013.



The interior of the C63 felt like it was the most performance oriented of the three cars. It has ultra lightweight carbon fiber spread throughout the cabin as well as performance oriented leather bucket seats.

Conclusion

In the end, any one of these three cars will put a smile on your face the instant you get into them. The are so similar yet so unique. We found that the BMW was most impressive in its high revving engine and ability to handle at the same level as most porsches; with a weight approximately 400 pounds lighter than the others, it has an extreme advantage. As for the Audi, it produced the best launch results of the three thanks to its signature Quattro all wheel drive system that allows it to put power down through all four wheels. Lastly, the AMG with the highest amount of horsepower and torque produced the best straight-line acceleration results despite being the heaviest of the group. In short, whatever you choose, you can't go wrong with a top of the line German sports car in your garage.

The Mercedes-Benz CLA is expected for 2014. Considered the younger brother of the all powerful CLS, the CLA will be much cheaper and more affordable to the every day working man. The more notable CLS63 AMG packs a whopping 550 HP with the optional AMG package. According to Mercedes it accelerates to 60 miles per hour from a standstill in 4.3 seconds. We believe this is a very safe estimate considering it has been tested at 3.8 and 3.9 zero to sixties repeatedly.

For the CLA, we can certainly assume the AMG version will debut shortly after it arrives in 2014. We speculate it will contain the smaller, naturally aspirated V8 engine that is currently found in the 2013 SLK55 AMG. The 5.5 Liter engine produces 422 HP with 398 lb-ft of torque. With the CLA expected to weight slightly less that the new bulky SLK we think we can expect a zero to sixty time of around 4 seconds.
The new CLA is coming soon to dealers near you...and we expect it to haul some serious tail.