2027 Mercedes-AMG CLA 45: 500kW Electric, Australia 2027

The petrol AMG rasp is dead, and that changes everything

Mercedes-AMG has pulled the combustion engine out of its most focused compact performance car. The new 2027 CLA 45 is now fully electric. Gone is the 2.0-litre turbo four that made the old car a cult favourite.

In its place sits a trio of electric motors making a claimed 500kW and 1759Nm. That is a monster figure for a small four-door, and it reshapes what this badge means for Australian buyers.

The headline is a 2.7-second 0-100km/h sprint. For context, that is hypercar pace in a car that used to be a fast-hatch alternative. The real question is whether buyers who loved the old car's noise will follow it into near silence.

What is actually under the skin

The powertrain borrows heavily from the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door. Two axial flux motors sit on the rear axle and one on the front, giving a fully variable all-wheel drive system that can run rear-drive until it needs more traction.

Continuous output is 450kW, with the full 500kW available in the hottest drive modes. Mercedes quotes 2.7 seconds to 100km/h with a one-foot rollout, 3.0 seconds from a dead stop, and a 270km/h top speed with the Dynamic Plus package.

Underneath sits a 94kWh battery on an 800-volt architecture. That allows DC charging up to 330kW, a claimed 10 to 80 per cent top-up in around 22 minutes, and up to 670km of WLTP range depending on the variant.

Those are strong numbers for a performance EV. Range anxiety is not the story here. The story is how far the price will climb to pay for all of it.

The noise problem, and Mercedes' answer

AMG knows the old car's exhaust bark was half the appeal. Its fix is a mode called AMGForce S+ that pipes in a simulated combustion soundtrack and even fakes gear changes by briefly cutting traction.

Mercedes says it recorded a real A45 S engine using 13 microphones and more than 1600 measurements to build the effect. Whether that satisfies buyers who wanted the real thing is a personal call.

It is worth being honest about what this is. It is a synthesised experience, closer to what the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N does with its own simulated gears and sound. The tech is clever, but it is theatre, not mechanical noise.

Track hardware you probably will not use, but pay for anyway

Standard kit includes active aerodynamics, adaptive suspension, and big brakes with 390mm front discs clamped by six-piston callipers. Wheels start at 19 inches, with 20s optional and likely standard on Australian cars.

There is an AMG Track Pace system that records more than 80 data points ten times a second to coach you around a circuit. Most owners will use only a fraction of this on a public road.

That is normal for the segment, but buyers should factor it in. You are paying for a full track toolkit whether or not you ever book a lapping day.

Practicality takes a small hit

The electric CLA 45 is a strict four-seater. The old middle rear seat is now a storage bin, so this is not the car for a third child or a squeezed-in fifth passenger.

Boot space is 390 litres in the sedan and 450 in the Shooting Brake wagon, only 15 litres down on the regular electric CLA. There is also a 101-litre front boot for charging cables.

For a performance car this is livable. Just go in knowing the four-seat limit, because it is an easy detail to miss until delivery day.

When it lands, and the wait that comes with it

Mercedes-Benz Australia has confirmed the CLA 45 sedan for local sale in the first half of 2027. The Shooting Brake wagon is still under consideration and not locked in.

Local pricing and full specification will come closer to launch. That means anyone interested now faces a wait of roughly a year or more before first deliveries.

Long lead times on halo models tend to bring deposit-taking and tight allocation. Watch for dealers asking for early commitment on cars with no confirmed price, and be very cautious about non-refundable deposits.

What it will cost, and why that matters

Here is the number that frames everything. The superseded petrol CLA45 AMG was priced at $126,500 before on-road costs.

The electric car adds far more power, a big battery, and a stack of new technology. It would be a surprise if it landed cheaper, and a price north of $130,000 before on-roads looks realistic.

That price band carries a sting for buyers chasing EV tax breaks. A car this expensive sits well above the fuel-efficient luxury car tax threshold, so it will not qualify for the electric vehicle FBT exemption that makes cheaper EVs so attractive on a novated lease.

In plain terms, do not buy this expecting the salary-packaging savings that apply to a sub-$91,000 EV. This is a full-freight luxury performance purchase.

The rival that undercuts it badly

The obvious comparison is the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N. It chases the same thrill of a fast electric sedan with simulated gears and sound, for a lot less money.

If the emotional experience is largely synthesised in both cars, the value gap becomes hard to ignore. A buyer who wants the sensation rather than the badge has a much cheaper path to it.

That is the real buyer question with the CLA 45. You are paying a heavy premium for the three-pointed star and the AMG engineering, on a car whose signature sound is now software either way.

The Carseekers take

The electric CLA 45 is genuinely fast and well resolved on paper. As a piece of engineering it is impressive, and the charging and range figures are strong.

But the value case is narrow. The old car's soul was its engine, and replacing that with a recorded soundtrack asks buyers to pay more for less of what made the badge special.

If you want one, wait for confirmed Australian pricing before committing a cent, and compare it honestly against cheaper rivals. Carseekers exists to help you chase the real drive-away number rather than the sticker, and on a car like this that gap will be well worth the effort.

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