2016 Mercedes-AMG A45 acceleration data

Does a 2016 Mercedes-AMG A45 run the world’s most consistent times for a factory car?

We know the mighty little Merc has some impressive accolades, but recent performance data proves it might deserve another.

When Mercedes-AMG upgraded its A45 with 280kW/480Nm for 2016, we quickly arranged appropriate challenges to measure those tweaks.

The A45’s testing timeline played out like this. It first raced Audi’s RS3 in a head-to-head, then did numbers at Bang For Your Bucks 2016, and most recently logged times in a three car match.

Against the Audi RS3 the A45 shot to 100km/h from rest in 4.17 seconds, and then crossed the quarter mile in 12.41 seconds. You can watch this race here.

The same car then came to Bang For Your Bucks, and on Winton Raceway it sunk 0-100km/h in 4.16sec before ticking off 400 metres in 12.37 seconds. Quicker, but only by a mouse whisker.

We went back to Heathcote with a different A45 for our most recent test. None the less, the new one nailed a 4.17sec 0-100km/h time and 12.41sec over 400m. Exactly the same time it logged against the RS3. The. Exact. Same.

We’re hardly white coat types. Sure, we check tyre pressures, always use the same brand 98 octane, and rely on a Racelogic Driftbox for the figures, but it’s simply an arrive and drive affair.

Mind you, all three tests were completed on dry, cool days. But a difference (when there is one) of 0.01sec for the 0-100km/h sprint and 0.04sec over the full quarter mile would baffle bracket racers.

And because it produced these numbers on three different days, at two different locations, using two different A45s, you can rule out luck’s part.

Instead, you have to consider the A45 for the piece of kit it is. The launch control system used by its seven-speed dual clutch can be a little picky about the car’s vitals, but this is proof it works, and bloody well too.

TIMES TABLES

MOTOR's peformance times for the 2016 Mercedes-AMG A45, in table form.