I have a C250 coupe and am thinking about getting a GLA 45. I find the turbo lag in the C250 bugs me - foot down to pull out in traffic then .... wait ... and then go. I am worried that a GLA 45 which has much more power from essentially the same engine could have much worse turbo lag. How do you find it after living with the car?
How is the turbo lag?
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do the new ones have the adjustable throttle mapping? I had to put a sprintbooster on to make it a bit more direct. Compared with my old gti it's not quite as ez to launch but not hard to get the hang of. I find the transmission to be brilliant once moving, so quick in m or s mode. You need to test it out though.
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Chris Harris has driven teh new A45 and he seems to think the transmission is better: https://youtu.be/w24khR2XhvI?t=2m6s
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Under, I dunno, 2500-3K RPM, it can be significant. Really a function of being in the right gear. Sit in 7th in C on the highway and squeeze hard... not much there. Tap twice on the left first and acceleration is instant. IMO 2016 gearing might help a little, but its not going to transform the car. Currently the car is turning 1800RPM @75mph. Can't imagine it will be shortened much more than 2000RPM at the same speed. If you drive in M and get more involved in gear selection, you'll never want for power. OTOH, if you want something where you can be loafing around, mash you foot down and scare the crap out of yourself, you might consider a stepping up to C63.
The 7th i don't really understand especially here in the states where over 80 mph and you get a ticket. C mode kind of stinks on the freeway as it puts you in 7th and it lowers power. Sport though is pretty good for a 2 litre motor considering you can also get really good mpg at 70 mph in a 4x4
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Higher gears are usually meant for better fuel efficiency.
I mean you don't really need 7th gear to get to 80.
There are also many roads int he US that has a 75 mph limit and 70mph is pretty common out here, 65s the norm but 70 limits are often enough. Plus you usually have a 10 mile gap and most travel at that speed if traffic allows.
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As per nightscar, its fuel economy. I was out for 150 mile trip this weekend in mixed driving, a lot of it at 75-80 and the car returned 28.3 indicated. Impressive. And of course, 7th is just an example. The cars turns ~1250 RPM in 5th at 42-3 and sips fuel in the process. If I want to get out and pass, I just use the paddles. That, after all, is why they are there.
I see the mode thing a bit differently than you. I have no desire to needlessly waste fuel. One of the reasons I bought the GLA was the promise of this engine's efficiency when not called upon and its supreme ability to deliver when tapped. So, for me, C makes some sense as the car does a better job than I can or at least care to in terms of maximizing shift points for fuel economy. If I want to get on it for whatever reason, again, I use the paddles. IMO, if a driver is too lazy to be bothered pulling a paddle to access the performance, than, as I said above, buy something else with a lot of displacement and be prepared to pony up at the pump.
I personally see less value in S. Given how short 1st and 2nd are and how hard the rev limiter is, S makes a modest case for itself in terms of being a bit better at optimizing upshifts from low speed when on maximum attack. But I didnt buy this car for its 0-60 time. I enjoy corners and wanted something in a practical package to tackle them with. If want to drive hard, by definition it requires more attention and involvement. In those instances, I select M and make my own decisions. And in fact even when I'm not interested in pushing it, I mostly use M. I've spent most of my life driving sticks, so I don't find shifting an imposition of any kind, quite the contrary really.
Others may approach things differently and for them I can understand wanting something a little more telepathic or alternately with a lot more low end grunt. But I really like the setup in the GLA45 as it is. 6% more HP might be nice and the gearing might be nice as well, but I'm fine with the package as it sits. Its quite endearing and is rapidly making a case for itself as one of my personal top 5 favorites... and I've owned quite a few cars in my life.
I know what you mean. Sometimes though just cruising along the revs drop so low in 7th that i find myself constantly going between 6th and 7th ; although i have been told this type of motor and trans can pull smoothly and safely from the lower rpm of 7th. The new shorter gearing might be useful but in 2 or 3 years when the warranty expiration nears there may be some other nice features too.
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