Meh 

I think this is a pretty bargain performance package, I imagine they price it in the low $40s (starting)  and it is a fast car for that money.  Glad to see they added some rigidity also, sounds similar to what they do with the underside of the SL and probably every concertible.

Maybe GM can buy this engine off Mercedes for all those front drive Cadillacs.  302 hp and 295 lb-ft with a dual clutch sounds better than the 237 hp unit they have now.

You mean the 272 HP turbocharged motor in the REAR wheel drive ATS? Or the available 335 HP 6?
I think Cadillac is good- let's see what the CT4 brings.

I was sold on the faux leather.  MB Tex as Mercedes calls it. 

I guess all that Vegan demographic with their Smart cars prompted Mercedes Benz to go retro with the 1970s vinyl seat fad. 

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

You mean the 272 HP turbocharged motor in the REAR wheel drive ATS? Or the available 335 HP 6?
I think Cadillac is good- let's see what the CT4 brings.

But the XT4 and XT5 don't have that.   And that 335 hp V6 is way low on torque.  A V6 should have at least 350 lb-ft or what is the point?  The 3-series 6 cylinder is 382 hp and 369 lb-ft. 

There should be a 400 hp engine coming to the A-class, unless that make that CLA only, either way this 302 hp four is really the mid-level.  

Plastic seats

Plastic seats

Plastic seats

37 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

But the XT4 and XT5 don't have that.   And that 335 hp V6 is way low on torque.  A V6 should have at least 350 lb-ft or what is the point?  The 3-series 6 cylinder is 382 hp and 369 lb-ft. 

There should be a 400 hp engine coming to the A-class, unless that make that CLA only, either way this 302 hp four is really the mid-level.  

The 3 series 6 cylinder is also turbocharged. Cadillac has 3 turbo V6es... All of which out power that BMW motor

Actually I would rather have a higher quality leatherette (my Beetle TDi for example, and my Compass bolsters) than actual leather.  It wears much longer and is not prone to cracking.  Compare an old S-Class with MB-Tex and leather, I guarantee you the leather will be in worse shape.

I am very pleased that my Compass bolsters look perfect after almost 40k miles.  My previous Colorado (traded at 38k miles) cloth bolsters were wearing, scuffed and wrinkled on the outer edge.

49 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Plastic seats

Plastic seats

Plastic seats

The 3 series 6 cylinder is also turbocharged. Cadillac has 3 turbo V6es... All of which out power that BMW motor

They will sell you leather seats if you prefer.

And Cadillac should use the turbo V6 and drop that 3.6 like a sack of dirt.  Why you would offer less motor than BMW and Mercedes who you are trying to knock off the top of the mountain is beyond me.

Just now, smk4565 said:

They will sell you leather seats if you prefer.

And Cadillac should use the turbo V6 and drop that 3.6 like a sack of dirt.  Why you would offer less motor than BMW and Mercedes who you are trying to knock off the top of the mountain is beyond me.

They offer more options and more power.  

50 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

Actually I would rather have a higher quality leatherette (my Beetle TDi for example, and my Compass bolsters) than actual leather.  It wears much longer and is not prone to cracking.  Compare an old S-Class with MB-Tex and leather, I guarantee you the leather will be in worse shape.

I am very pleased that my Compass bolsters look perfect after almost 40k miles.  My previous Colorado (traded at 38k miles) cloth bolsters were wearing, scuffed and wrinkled on the outer edge.

The MB-Tex could last longer than a lot of leather, the S-class never had MB-tex though.  But anything E-class and down starts with MB-tex.  And that stuff is durable, so there is a benefit there.

Cloth or leather for me. 

No in between.  

I like the look of used leather.  

Cracked leather...one has to treat it so it doesnt get dry but I got to admit, not a very nice trait. Not nice to look at. So yeah, lots of work needed for it not to crack. Maybe the high maintenance for keeping leather durable maybe not be all that its worth, Ill admit. But, worn leather has a certain charm to it that I value...especially high end leather in very high end cars. 

So...between cloth and leatherette, Id go for...cloth.   If I want the real stuff, then I go for the real stuff.  And in a Mercedes Benz, for North America, because Mercedes Benz IN North America SHOULD be luxury...then leather it SHOULD be.

In Europe, where 300 some odd horsepower and 300 some odd torques kills you at the gas pump, so THAT motor probably not even offered...and if it is..then I doubt it be selling in substantial numbers anyway...if Im buying an A Class for Greece lets say, then it probably have a 1.4 or 1.5 liter 4 banger with 90 horses and 90 torques...or maybe a diesel  then I dont think MB TEX is even on the option list...

Where am I going with this?

Oh yeah...An AMG Mercedes Benz  in the States should not even come with faux leather...but lets bash Cadillac...because THAT would be the easy thing to do...

PS:

Ford takes recycled plastic water bottles and turn that into yarn to make their seats...and its cloth in appearance...Ford calls that Repreve. |I like what Ford is doing. 

1 minute ago, Drew Dowdell said:

They offer more options and more power.  

But in an ATS you can't get a turbo 6 until the ATS-V.  Now that may change on CT4.  But you can get a V8 in a C-class, so you should be able to get the Blackwing V8 in a CT4.  Unless the CT4 ends up Audi A3 size and smaller than the current ATS, then a beefed up ATS-V motor will work.

This A-class will sell, the GLB will sell like hot cakes I bet when it arrives.  

2 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

the GLB will sell like hot cakes I bet when it arrives.  

Looks weird.

I bet Cadillac outsells Mercedes Benz in all the respective CUV and SUV niches...

A CLA45 is rated at 23/30 mpg, this will be higher.  In Europe the A35 is rated at 38 mpg combined but that scale is worthless.  

Just now, oldshurst442 said:

Looks weird.

I bet Cadillac outsells Mercedes Benz in all the respective CUV and SUV niches...

 

 

We don't know what the GLB looks like yet.

Mercedes shares the noses of their cars from the CLA to the S-class; of course we know what it'll look like - a imperceptible tweak of every other mercedes. It's not like MB ever builds any of their concept designs...

oopsies...that goshdarnit alphanumeric name...

I thought you was talking about the new SUV from M-B that just came out now...I googled and I mistook it for the GLE

My bad...

The GLE is generic. Yeah yeah...so is the XT6.  But...you know...we could throw GM under the bus for making a generic Caddy SUV, but M-B also made theirs look somewhat like last gen Equinox in the 3/4 pillar...

Kinda...sorta...

Anyway...very generic to say the least.

I dont think the GLE will be winning any stylistic awards...so yeah...Ill stick to what I originally said...

I bet Caddy kicks Mercedes' ass in CUV and SUV sales...

Besides, I think the new Caddy face is refreshing. And looks awesome for their CUVs and SUVs. Something that WILL translate into huge sales for Cadillac.  

2 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

oopsies...that goshdarnit alphanumeric name...

I thought you was talking about the new SUV from M-B that just came out now...I googled and I mistook it for the GLE

My bad...

The GLE is generic. Yeah yeah...so is the XT6.  But...you know...we could throw GM under the bus for making a generic Caddy SUV, but M-B also made theirs look somewhat like last gen Equinox in the 3/4 pillar...

 

Kinda...sorta...

Anyway...very generic to say the least.

I dont think the GLE will be winning any stylistic awards...so yeah...Ill stick to what I originally said...

I bet Caddy kicks Mercedes' ass in CUV and SUV sales...

The GLE has that C pillar because the 1997 ML had it, and they have kept it ever since.  The XT6 won't outsell the GLE, the GLE/ML has been a strong seller for a good while, probably the best selling SUV over $50k the past 10 years, although I don't care to tally up sales of it and the X5 to find out.   It has track record, great interior, 3rd row seat now, and should do well in fuel economy with the new engines and the GLE has 4 engines to pick from vs the XT6's 1.

What really matters is will the GLE63 take the SUV Nurburgring lap time from the GLC63.

24 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Mercedes shares the noses of their cars from the CLA to the S-class; of course we know what it'll look like - a imperceptible tweak of every other mercedes. It's not like MB ever builds any of their concept designs...

Which Audi and BMW do also.  And Cadillac and Lincoln are trying to move towards.   Even Lexus puts that predator mouth grille on everything.   Mercedes does offer 3 grill options per model in most cases though.

There is 4 different fronts and that is all off 1 model.  I think they differentiate just fine.

You said 'we don't know what it's going to look like', but like I said; we do. Same thing at audi/BMW- the german lockstep triplets. And Cadillac has already done the 'every model looks the same' when they hung the same front clip on multiple models decades ago.
- - - - -
The pics above don't dispute the CLA/S-Coupe fraternal twin-ship, tho. NEVER should have put the bottom feeder CLA nose on a $90+K car too, cheapens the shit out of it. A deal-breaker.

2 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

What really matters is will the GLE63 take the SUV Nurburgring lap time from the GLC63.

Oxymoron

And peeps dont care about that concerning crossovers.

They barely care for that on sports cars...

3 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

It has track record, great interior, 3rd row seat now, and should do well in fuel economy with the new engines

The new Big Daddy Caddy is set to arrive soon.  Plus the GMC and Chevy versions...

Sure, the GLE will sell well...but GM will clean out in this price range. Just the Chevy version will handily outsell M-B...

5 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

The XT6 won't outsell the GLE, the GLE/ML has been a strong seller for a good while, probably the best selling SUV over $50k the past 10 years

And Im willing to bet that it does. Even with 1 engine offering. And even if it doesnt...GM as a company in that price range will easily outsell Mercedes Benz...

Remember...Chevrolet taps into that price range in their SUVs. Luxury brand or not...price range is what counts here.  Mercedes Benz lowered its aspirations in North America for volume sake.  Kudos for Chevy for being able to sell Chevys in that price range.

.Your argument, whatever it may be...is null and void.

The point being, an AMG Mercedes Benz should not even offer plastic seats. 

I will even say that AMG should not even exist in this price range. A 300 horse turbo 4 aint that special...

Ford has got one...the new Mustang is 310horses and 350 ft lbs. Its just a Ford on a BASE model at that...

AMG is supposed to be special, non?

That aint special...

I just remembered. The soon to be dead Focus and its RS version,well, THAT 4 cylinder version makes 350 horses and 350 ft lbs...

We could wax poetic all we want about this AMG baby Benz, and as enthusiasts, we should applaud this effort because in a world of CUVs, smart phones and a future where folks envision of not even driving, I still find it hard for me to accept this car seriously. 

Its the fakeness of it all, I guess.

The fakeness of AMG on THIS particular effort. Not on a performance level.  But on what makes an AMG special. 

On the fake leather stuff.

On the FWD based vehicle.  JUST because of how Mercedes has branded itself on the position it has taken vis-a-vis RWD and AWD. 

The hypocrisy of the automotive journalist world of shytting on Cadillac for their FWD STS all those years prior...

The hypocrisy of the "car enthusiast" that shat on Cadillac for FWD STS but praised anything shytty that M-B slung our way...INCLUDING THIS...

yeah SMK...even you...

Funny, no dissing this flavoured Merc...

Its only got 300 horses and  and NOT EVEN 300 ft-lbs...and apparently it needs AWD to put all that god fearing power down...GTFO!!! (I guess I am not accepting it even on a performance level...because I see its performance fakeness on that level too...)

Yeah...Im cynical with this car...

2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Actually I would rather have a higher quality leatherette (my Beetle TDi for example, and my Compass bolsters) than actual leather.  It wears much longer and is not prone to cracking.  Compare an old S-Class with MB-Tex and leather, I guarantee you the leather will be in worse shape.

I am very pleased that my Compass bolsters look perfect after almost 40k miles.  My previous Colorado (traded at 38k miles) cloth bolsters were wearing, scuffed and wrinkled on the outer edge.

Yet my Escalade with real leather seats still looks new at 140,000 miles, why go fake when real is just better.  

Reminds me of a certain singer who said silicon parts are made for toys!

That is how I feel about fax leatherette!

25 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

On the FWD based vehicle.  JUST because of how Mercedes has branded itself on the position it has taken vis-a-vis RWD and AWD. 

Should read:  "on the position it has taken vis-a-vis RWD and FWD"

I think it looks good outside. I think it looks good inside. I'd drive one but the price tag is just too much for the size of vehicle(assuming, because it's a Mercedes). 

13 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

The 3 series 6 cylinder is also turbocharged. Cadillac has 3 turbo V6es... All of which out power that BMW motor

Certainly not in a competing model, yet.