The AMG CLA 45 has returned, but not as you remember it. Gone is the turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine, replaced by a tri-motor setup. Although the CLA sits at the bottom of the Mercedes sedan hierarchy, its performance is anything but entry-level. It borrows axial-flux motor technology from the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe in a compact package available as both a sedan and a wagon.
Combining the front-mounted motor with the two rear motors yields a peak system output of 680 horsepower. The continuous output delivered by the three electric motors is predictably lower, at 612 hp. Nevertheless, that’s still mighty impressive for an EV in this segment and well above the 416 hp produced by the four-cylinder engine in the gasoline-powered AMG CLA 45.
