[AMGz]

Porsche's are known as kings of the Nurburgring, I believe the Cayenne Turbo S got impressive numbers on it, even in the 1/4 mile it does amazingly well. But will the GLA45 AMG be able to keep up with it.

Out of curiosity, I went to see a Cayenne Turbo S in person today get an idea of what the Macan Turbo S could be like, I was impressed. Adjustable suspension, comfortable seats that hold you in how you'd expect a Porsche to & many more.

 

[Cocles]

I think this would be more in line with a GLK AMG if Merc ever made one.

 

[AMGz]

I think this would be more in line with a GLK AMG if Merc ever made one.

Thats why this thread is on the GLA 45 AMG, it's more in line with the high performing Macan Turbo S

 

[carbonfiber]

you can pretty much say the GLA 45 AMG interior will be similar to the CLA 45 AMG interior. So compare away. And the Macan Turbo S interior will likely resemble the Cayenne Turbo S interior.

 

[Truthiness]

I like the handles that are attached to the center console. When you have a car that goes as fast as the cayenne Turbo S does, you need to have more handles so that people can hold on for dear life (in the best way possible.)

So many buttons on the center console though. Porsche should try to simplify the controls there.

 

[parker]

The GLA won't stand a chance against the Macan... I mean the GLA AMG will show up with the same 2.0 360 HP 4, but the Macan is coming to play with a v6 Turbo and v6 supered from launch. Those aren't even for the Turbo S which is yet to be announced. I'm also expecting the Macan Turbo S to scrape up against $100K...

Macan is also larger, think Q5. More GLK size, but like was said above no GLK AMG so the GLA must pick up the slack.

 

[Adolini]

I think you got a point there, From what I read also the Macan will be bigger than the GLA. The price difference is also huge too no?

 

[carbonfiber]

Yea the Macan Turbo will be priced higher than the GLA AMG likely

But it would be interesting to see the GLA 250 go up against the base Macan model.

 

[parker]

well you have to figure CLA 45 MSRPs for $47,450, so I'm expecting GLA to tack a bit of a premium on that. Say ~$50K for GLA 45. Macan Turbo is showing up at $52K... I'm taking porsche everytime, RWD and all.. call me a purist but i like my cars real.

 

[A.T.L.]

well you have to figure CLA 45 MSRPs for $47,450, so I'm expecting GLA to tack a bit of a premium on that. Say ~$50K for GLA 45. Macan Turbo is showing up at $52K... I'm taking porsche everytime, RWD and all.. call me a purist but i like my cars real.

I can't blame you for wanting the Macan for more of a drivers car, something that is at heart, a sports car. But If you want performance and some of the best luxuries for a car, the GLA is the way to go, just not as great performance.

 

[Cocles]

I'm taking porsche everytime, RWD and all.. call me a purist but i like my cars real.

So 4WD performance cars aren't... real?

 

[carbonfiber]

The GLA is front wheel drive most of the time FYI

 

[parker]

So 4WD performance cars aren't... real?

not when they're FWD bias with an engine mounted east west.... What performance car you know that suffers from torque steer? I know for a fact CLA250 4MATICS suffer from torque steer, I havent had a chance to rip around in a CLA 45 but I have to imagine its worse when adding 100 horses to the existing drive train...

North South is the way to be...

 

[Cocles]

not when they're FWD bias with an engine mounted east west.... What performance car you know that suffers from torque steer? I know for a fact CLA250 4MATICS suffer from torque steer, I havent had a chance to rip around in a CLA 45 but I have to imagine its worse when adding 100 horses to the existing drive train...

Because you don't expect AMG to fine-tune the steering?

North South is the way to be...

The Ferrari 308 and a slew of other well respected, high performance cars say otherwise.

......

I'm not saying the GLA45 is better than the Macan, I just think this whole comparison is a silly apples and oranges situation where you're trying to force us to compare two cars from two totally separate price ranges. Sure, if you strip a Macan down to the bones, and select every single option for the GLA, they'll be around the same price, but that still doesn't equal a proper equivalent.

Why aren't we comparing decked out Macan to a stripped down ML63? Because it's also an apples and oranges situation.

Mercedes doesn't currently make a comparable car to the Macan. Perhaps later should they make an AMG GLK's. Until then this all just sounds like a Macan fan trying to compare his baby to lighter weight fighters to skew the results.

 

[carbonfiber]

I think torque steer is a little bit overblown on being a problem.


Some cars are worse than others. But not all FWD cars have torque steer up to the point where its a problem.

 

[parker]

if you route enough power through a FWD application torque steer always becomes a problem. I don't care what you think AMG can do to tweak the steering they can't alter physics. That much power routed through the steering wheels always induces torsion... Its like looking at a MC single sided swing vs double sided. Single sided suffers from torsion because its not locked in place.

Ferrari 308 was the lowest of the low end in Ferraris lineup, it replaced the Dino and it was created for tax purposes. Its not high performance or well a well respected Ferrari...

At launch, Porsche will offer the Macan S with 335-hp from a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 priced at $52,000, if GLA 45 gets the same engine and similar pricing to CLA 45 (it will) put out 360 hp from a 2.0 4 commanding, what, ~$50K...

You tell me how MSRPing at the same level and putting out similar power 335 vs 360hp is skewed in the GLA's favor? not to mention the GLA is a smaller vehicle. Don't get so offended people are considering other options.

 

[AMGz]

I think torque steer is a little bit overblown on being a problem.


Some cars are worse than others. But not all FWD cars have torque steer up to the point where its a problem.

It is and it's not something people should be focusing on, there's so much more to be worried about on the GLA. If this was some finely tuned sport coupe, sport sedan or supercar, then by all means we would want this issue to be worked out.

 

[carbonfiber]

if you route enough power through a FWD application torque steer always becomes a problem. I don't care what you think AMG can do to tweak the steering they can't alter physics. That much power routed through the steering wheels always induces torsion... Its like looking at a MC single sided swing vs double sided. Single sided suffers from torsion because its not locked in place.

Ferrari 308 was the lowest of the low end in Ferraris lineup, it replaced the Dino and it was created for tax purposes. Its not high performance or well a well respected Ferrari...

At launch, Porsche will offer the Macan S with 335-hp from a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 priced at $52,000, if GLA 45 gets the same engine and similar pricing to CLA 45 (it will) put out 360 hp from a 2.0 4 commanding, what, ~$50K...

You tell me how MSRPing at the same level and putting out similar power 335 vs 360hp is skewed in the GLA's favor? not to mention the GLA is a smaller vehicle. Don't get so offended people are considering other options.

the same goes for rear wheel drive.

even on equal length driveshafts with enough torque/twist you will get rear wheel torque steer.

its not a problem that is fwd exclusive.

The only cars that are a little more except to this issue are AWD cars. And that is only on CERTAIN AWD cars with intelligent torque vectoring AWD.

Hypothetically if a front wheel drive car had equal length driveshafts it wouldn't have any more torque steer than a RWD would with the rear wheels (I know rear wheels dont steer)

Having an LSD makes a big difference for front wheel drive cars.

These GLAs and CLAs dont really make enough power where torque steer is a massive problem.

Plus they are haldex AWD systems... At wide open throttle the car won't even transfer all the power to the front.

And those pesky electronic steering systems will continue to try to numb out any torque steer you do get.

There are more things to contribute to torque steer than just FRONT WHEEL DRIVE

The causes of torque steer are:

• non symettrical design in the drive shafts (different lengths)
• movement of the engine / engine mounts not strong enough
• driveshafts torque inequality
• suspension tolerances (bushings flex)
• alignment! yes!

There are ways to solve torque steer in front wheel drive cars without having to tamper with the power steering system. Manufacturers just dont bother because most FWD cars dont really make enough power.


The only cars today that are FWD that are high powered that I can think of is the Mazdaspeed 3, Golf GTi, Acura TL FWD, Honda Accord V6, Ford Focus ST, some Vauxhalls.


There might be more but all of these cars are honestly just ASKING for it.


V6 or Turbo 4 in a FWD platform? There will be torque steer.


but honestly the only car that I hear lots of complaints regarding torque steer for is the Mazda Speed 3. That car pulls HARD to one side.


Most other cars have light torque steer that you can combat by just simply holding the steering wheel. The MazdaSpeed 3 still pulls to the side even if you try your best. Its pretty gnarly.



And I think thats Mazdas fault for not taking steps to prevent it


I have driven 500+whp FWD cars before that barely had any torque steer.


Keep in mind all the dam bushings in this car were solid and the axles were upgraded to new ones that were as thick as my leg lol.

 

[parker]

the same goes for rear wheel drive.

even on equal length driveshafts with enough torque/twist you will get rear wheel torque steer.

its not a problem that is fwd exclusive.

The only cars that are a little more except to this issue are AWD cars. And that is only on CERTAIN AWD cars with intelligent torque vectoring AWD.

Hypothetically if a front wheel drive car had equal length driveshafts it wouldn't have any more torque steer than a RWD would with the rear wheels (I know rear wheels dont steer)

Having an LSD makes a big difference for front wheel drive cars.

These GLAs and CLAs dont really make enough power where torque steer is a massive problem.

Plus they are haldex AWD systems... At wide open throttle the car won't even transfer all the power to the front.

And those pesky electronic steering systems will continue to try to numb out any torque steer you do get.

There are more things to contribute to torque steer than just FRONT WHEEL DRIVE

The causes of torque steer are:

• non symettrical design in the drive shafts (different lengths)
• movement of the engine / engine mounts not strong enough
• driveshafts torque inequality
• suspension tolerances (bushings flex)
• alignment! yes!

There are ways to solve torque steer in front wheel drive cars without having to tamper with the power steering system. Manufacturers just dont bother because most FWD cars dont really make enough power.


The only cars today that are FWD that are high powered that I can think of is the Mazdaspeed 3, Golf GTi, Acura TL FWD, Honda Accord V6, Ford Focus ST, some Vauxhalls.


There might be more but all of these cars are honestly just ASKING for it.


V6 or Turbo 4 in a FWD platform? There will be torque steer.


but honestly the only car that I hear lots of complaints regarding torque steer for is the Mazda Speed 3. That car pulls HARD to one side.


Most other cars have light torque steer that you can combat by just simply holding the steering wheel. The MazdaSpeed 3 still pulls to the side even if you try your best. Its pretty gnarly.



And I think thats Mazdas fault for not taking steps to prevent it


I have driven 500+whp FWD cars before that barely had any torque steer.


Keep in mind all the dam bushings in this car were solid and the axles were upgraded to new ones that were as thick as my leg lol.

Thats a good write up, but Torque Steer in RWD applications is not really the same. Torque-steer effect at the rear wheels will not send any torque response back through the steering column, so you don't have to fight the steering wheel...

Its more over steer than torque steer.

 

[Frayzer]

Thats a good write up, but Torque Steer in RWD applications is not really the same. Torque-steer effect at the rear wheels will not send any torque response back through the steering column, so you don't have to fight the steering wheel...

Its more over steer than torque steer.

thats is the best way to describe it. I was getting confused there.