Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 EV silences critics with Nürburgring record
The Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4Matic+ EV may have drawn more than a few mixed reactions when it broke cover at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.
That was always going to happen. Replacing one of Affalterbach’s most iconic 4-cylinder performance cars with an electric drivetrain is the sort of move that was never going to appeal to everyone.
The styling didn’t help either; some people love its futuristic look while others don’t. But love or hate it, the CLA 45 4Matic+ EV is already proving a point by setting records at the ‘Ring.
Off the bat, it blistered around the 20.832-kilometre Nürburgring Nordschleife in an officially timed 7:32.070, making it the quickest production car in the compact executive segment to lap the circuit. It’s a significant milestone for Mercedes-AMG, with the lap eclipsing the long-standing benchmark set by the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio in 2016 once the different Nürburgring timing layouts are taken into account. To put that into perspective, it’s also quicker than the current Audi RS 3, which lapped the Nordschleife in 7:33.123 in 2024.
According to AMG, the record was set in summer conditions with air and asphalt temperatures of 24 degrees and 30 degrees Celsius, respectively.
For the record, the CLA 45 4Matic+ EV was in its stock form. This means it blistered silently around the ‘Green Hell’, packing three e-motors with a combined 500kW and a monstrous 1,020Nm, good for a 0-100km/h sprint time of 2.7 seconds. Powering the three electric motors is a 94kWh battery pack with a range of up to 670km.
With Mercedes-AMG development engineer Kevin Berger behind the wheel, the CLA 45 4Matic+ was switched into its most aggressive ‘Race’ mode and made full use of its active aerodynamic package. That includes an active rear spoiler, a first for the compact executive segment, which helped maximise stability and performance during the record-setting lap.
For the attempt, it was equipped with Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tyres, which AMG says provided a high level of grip and consistent performance.
Whether you’re sold on the idea of an electric AMG or still mourning the loss of the hand-built turbocharged 4-cylinder, one thing is difficult to argue with: the CLA 45 4Matic+ EV is seriously quick. A Nürburgring lap record won’t win over every sceptic overnight, but it definitely gives the doubters something to think about.
