Mercedes-AMG CLA45 EV Lapped The Nürburgring 3 Seconds Faster Than The Hyundai Ioniq 6 N
The new all-electric, 671-horsepower Mercedes-AMG CLA45 went around the Nürburgring in 7:32.070 last week, more than three seconds faster than the 641-hp Hyundai Ioniq 6 N that's arguably the benchmark when it comes to compact, affordable-ish high-performance electric sedans. This makes the CLA45 the fastest car to lap the 'Ring in its class (always a dubious distinction) and a whopping 13 seconds faster than the last-gen gas-powered CLA45 S, which did it in 7:45.34 when German publication Sport Auto took one to the Nordschleife in 2022.
Other notable cars that are slower than the CLA45 around Germany's most famous toll road include the BMW M8 Competition coupe (7:32.79), the SUV record-holding Xiaomi YU7 GT (7:34.931), and a little shockingly, the Porsche Taycan Turbo S from 2022, which did it in 7:33. The CLA45's lap also beats period tests of supercars like the Porsche Carrera GT, Pagani Zonda F and Koenigsegg CCX. Powered by three liquid-cooled, axial-flux motors, the little Mercedes EV did the lap on sticky Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tires.
Fake shifts were slowing it down
It may have beaten the competing Hyundai around the Nürburgring, but this new AMG gets a feature notably inspired by that company's N division: internal combustion simulation. In its AMGFORCE Sport+ drive mode, sounds recorded from the outgoing CLA45's turbo four can be heard, complete with pops and bangs. Those live-generated sounds are paired with simulated gearshifts, a trope started with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and since implemented in the 6 N as well as the refreshed Porsche Taycan. As you can see from the video below, however, the car was in Race mode for the hot lap, which turns off those shifts and noises in favor of AMG's more spaceship-y sound and traditional EV acceleration.
The CLA45 goes from zero to 62 mph in 2.7 seconds, tops out at 168 with the AMG Dynamic Plus package and can indeed be seen approaching that very speed on the Nurburgring's Döttinger Höhe back straight. It's also got active aerodynamics like a pop-up rear spoiler that are pretty cool to see on such a small car. But what really made the difference on the lap was the car's Predictive Performance Manager system:
The system analyzes the track layout and optimizes energy deployment based on the circuit's topography and the current driving situation. As a result, the available power is delivered precisely where it has the greatest impact on lap time. On demanding circuits such as the Nürburgring Nordschleife, performance is not achieved through continuous maximum power output, but through the intelligent distribution of available energy throughout the entire lap. This is exactly where the PPM comes into play, creating the foundation for both fast and highly repeatable lap times. The driver can choose between two operating strategies: "SPRINT" for achieving the fastest possible lap time, and "RACE" for multiple laps with maximum consistency and sustained performance.
As cool as the new CLA45 is, Mercedes has unfortunately confirmed that it won't be sold in the United States. We may get the powertrain in the new-gen GLA, at least, and AMG versions of the electric C-Class and GLC will use even more-powerful tri-motor setups.