You don’t even have to drive it to sense the difference. You merely need to look: It’s there in the AMG-specific grille with vertical louvers. It’s there in the pronounced nose, in the slim, contoured headlamps, and in its lower, wider stance. It’s there in the jet-inspired air inlets. The CLA’s new design elegantly communicates a readiness to race.

But its new design is about far more than aesthetics. AMG engineers have restlessly pored over every detail, ensuring that each tweak makes the CLA 45 more responsive, more aerodynamic, and more thrilling to drive. Take the body itself: It’s been extensively reinforced to provide maximum stability, allowing for greater steering precision. From front splitter to air vents to high-mounted mirrors, the CLA 45’s aggressive style is grounded in a push to deliver the finest driving dynamics.

Nowhere is that more apparent than under the hood: The CLA’s new, handcrafted 4-cylinder engine is uniquely powerful, generating 382 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque, while achieving 100 km/h in just 4.1 seconds[1]. It, too, has been thought through relentlessly, with elements like the turbocharger and exhaust manifold repositioned for greater aerodynamics and performance. It’s paired with a new AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 8-Speed transmission that delivers millisecond-precise shifting.

With the incorporation of the new Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) operating system, the pleasure of driving the CLA 45 only increases. It’s part of an interior cabin experience that puts the driver firmly in control, even as it surrounds and supports with superior materials and striking visual details.

The 2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC+ will be available to drive later this year.