2017 Mercedes-AMG A45: 2nd Overall

“THERE it goes,” a commentator would scream. “Rounding onto the Bang For Your Bucks home stretch the Mercedes-AMG A45 has elbowed its way into second overall, jumping two spots from a category fourth place”.

This comeback won’t make any clickbait-y top-10 lists, but we haven’t seen such a leap since we split the event on price. It’s more perplexing when you consider the relatively pricey AMG rubs shoulders with the cheap stuff in the overall formula. A couple things contribute to this.

Here the Holden Commodore SS-V Redline Ute and BMW M140i, its category rivals, no longer represent such good value. Their prices, like the A45’s, look stratospheric next to the $0-$50K cars. And can’t use them to nose in front. Let’s not forget, either, Australian A45s are chocka with equipment that’s optional overseas.

And none of it – like the standard sunroof, climate control, leather – makes it faster, only more expensive. Now, that should mean the A45 is penalised more and sent tumbling down the order. But here in lies the beauty of Bang For Your Bucks.

Opening the gates to the lower-priced cars not only drops the average price, but the average performance index. And suddenly the A45’s soaring Bang score pulls a gap on twice as many cars. Which reveals how much that launch-control system, all-wheel drivetrain, and fire-spitting four-banger are worth in the performance-per-dollar stakes.

Subjectively, there are more involving cars. But the A45’s biggest appeal for some might be that you could drive it hard all day and concentrate on refining your line or time around a track, rather than worry about the brakes crumbling or engine popping into bits.

In its two years this bargain bullet keeps our engraving tool busy. But it’s yet to claim top-gong. That could change, as we hear AMG’s readying a new engine with more than 295kW for the next generation A-Class, bolstering the Bang even further. Until then, however, it’s silver for the A45.