Go-faster versions of the new Mercedes GLA start at £43,565

The go-faster AMG 35 and 45 S versions of the new Mercedes-Benz GLA are on sale now, with prices starting at £43,565 and £58,755 respectively. Both cars come with 2-litre turbocharged petrol engines producing noticeably more power than the conventional GLA motors, but there’s still a 114 bhp gulf between the two cars.

Where the GLA 35 gets a total power output of 302 bhp, permitting a 0-62 mph time of 5.1 seconds, the GLA 45 S gets 416 bhp, enabling it to crack the same sprint in 4.3 seconds. But that performance comes at a price. The 45 S is more than £15,000 more expensive than the 35, and the top-end 45 S Premium Plus comes in at a whopping £58,775.

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At the opposite end of the scale, however, is the £43,565 ‘standard’ GLA 35. As well as the eight-speed automatic gearbox and four-wheel-drive system seen across the 35 and 45 ranges, it comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, two-zone climate control and heated front seats. There’s a digital instrument cluster and 10.25-inch infotainment screen, too, not to mention the wireless phone charging, AMG sport suspension and reversing camera.

Gallery: 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLA 35

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Spend an extra £2,500, though, and you can have the Premium equipment line, which adds a larger digital instrument cluster, keyless door locking and a Mercedes-Benz sound system. Furthermore, it gets the MBUX augmented reality navigation system, which superimposes directions on a live view of the road ahead.

And if you’ve got yet another £3,500 to spend, you can have the Premium Plus model with adaptive suspension damping, AMG aerodynamics and 21-inch alloy wheels. Inside, there’s a Burmester surround sound system and front electric memory seats, all of which sit beneath a panoramic glass sunroof.

More expensive still is the AMG 45 S, which comes with a choice of just two variants. Standard equipment includes 20-inch alloy wheels, a high-performance braking system and AMG performance seats, plus the larger 10.25-inch digital instrument display, MBUX augmented reality navigation and wireless charging. All that is included in the £58,755 starting price.

If you can find another £6,000 down the back of the sofa, the Plus model gets bigger 21-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof and electrically adjustable front seats. It gets an aerodynamics pack, too, plus the Burmester sound system and some extra safety kit in the shape of blind-spot alerts and traffic sign recognition.

Both cars are available to order now, but Mercedes-AMG says customers will have to wait a while before their cars are delivered. According to the German company, the first UK customers will receive their vehicles in “late summer”.

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