If you want the AMG mindset personified you could do worse than spend five minutes chatting with its development man Tobias Moers. Focused, no-nonsense, but with a bit of mischief about him too, there's pleasingly little PR nonsense, even in the midst of the Geneva show stand and talking about his new baby,
the A45 AMG
Moers: "It really is a proper AMG, honest!"
So when we ask him how an AMG can carry half the cylinder count you'd expect and hold its head high his intake of breath and "that's a difficult one to answer" feels like it's from the heart, despite the fact he's had plenty of time to rehearse it.
First, noise. "Sound is important, and when you hear it..." he tails off, looking to the middle distance. "Mechanical noise or electronic, through the speakers?" we ask. And he looks like he's about to punch us. "Mechanical!" Induction or exhaust? "Exhaust, for sure!"
And what about the suspicion about the 'Haldex' four-wheel drive system? "It's a Haldex design but it's not from Haldex," he says. So it'll understeer under power before waking up and sending some power rearwards? "No. It's how you calibrate it. I want the car with the ESP off to have a small amount of oversteer. I want to play with the car," says Moers, something he's already demonstrated to Mr Harris. Effectively AMG's calibration means that in the sportier ESP settings the rear axle drive is effectively preset, meaning you're not waiting for a loss of traction at the front wheels before the rears come into play. Combine this with AMG-specific suspension components and set-up and Moers is confident they've got a properly playful, reactive car rather than an overpowered grip monster all about traction at the expense of fun.
Bodykitted A45 shows how far you can take it
There are two visions of the A45 here at Geneva too - one a sensible shoes matt grey one on relatively discrete wheels, another a more in your face option with aero flicks, a big wing and racy seats. Talk of a half cage and R26.R style track prep seems to have been just that but you can seemingly tune the style of your A45 to suit your taste. Or lack of.
We'll see. And, yes, there's a CLA version coming too. Official!
