They say the manual gearbox is almost dead and that's a bad thing. But we think of it as a musical instrument. Most people won't know who to play it perfectly by themselves, so why not have a professional do it for almost the same money?
ASMR videos are really popular on YouTube right now and the only ones related to cars feature the repair of small parts. However, watching a car like the new CLA 45 S carving up a road can be just as relaxing with that musician playing the quad bagpipes out the back.
The hot CLA is technologically identical to the A45, but with its body being longer, the design is much more appealing. It's hard to think of a small sedan or four-door coupe that's this hot. Some people don't like this brushed metallic paint, and it's undeniably expensive, but it also brings out the subtle curves.
You don't get a big wing over the back like with the A45, but that's fine when the front is so elegant. As for the interior, it feels even sportier than a C63, though build quality may not be on par.
As with the A-Class, two versions have been produced, though they won't be available all over the world. You have the base CLA 45 with its 2-liter making 387 HP and 354 lb-ft (480 Nm) of torque. It is connected to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and a standard all-wheel-drive system. This setup enables the car to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 4.1 seconds, before hitting the limited top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h).
For a bit more money, most people are going to have the CLA 45 S with the same displacement but 421 HP and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque, shaving off a tenth and lifting the speed up to 168 mph (270 km/h).
The four-door coupe also sports AMG Torque Control, a sport-tuned suspension, and a high-performance braking system.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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