2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG Priced From $48,375

Mercedes-Benz has announced pricing for the latest addition to its AMG sport-performance lineup, the CLA45 AMG, which comes with a starting MSRP of $48,375, including delivery.

The CLA45 AMG is the smallest vehicle in Mercedes’ AMG stable, and is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 355 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, making it the most powerful production four-cylinder engine in the world. All that force is routed through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and on to all four wheels thanks to Mercedes’ 4MATIC all-wheel drive setup. Sprinting from 0 to 60 mph takes just 4.5 seconds, while the car is limited to a 155 mph top speed.

Like the standard A-Class, the CLA45 AMG features a transversely mounted engine meaning that it is still front-wheel drive biased. To make sure that the CLA45 didn’t feature any typical front-wheel drive characteristics, engineers at Mercedes made it possible for the car to send up to 50 percent of its torque to the rear axle.

There are a few options that can be had on the CLA45, including carbon fiber interior trim for $950, a panoramic sunroof for $1,480, metallic paint for an extra $720, and upgraded infotainment system which costs $2,300.

Direct competition is scarce for Mercedes’ new small performance car. The Audi S3 sedan will stack up closest, but it is not available yet. Other, non-luxury competition includes the Volkswagen Golf R, Subaru WRX STI, and maybe even the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, though all three are considerably less powerful and cheaper, compared with the CLA45 AMG.

Pricing for the standard CLA starts at $30,825 (also including delivery), meaning the AMG version carries a roughly $18,000 premium over the base version of the car.