Usually, to send 12 cylinders up a drag strip requires three cars. Yes, weve pulled off the rare feat of sending a V12 monster down a quarter mile drag, in the form of the epic Mercedes Benz S65 AMG Coupe.
Read our full S 65 AMG review here.
The S65 AMG is the most powerful production Mercedes ever. The 6.0 litre biturbo V12 is the largest AMG engine available, with 463kW and a 1000Nm of torque. It is a leather-lined torpedo. But with rear wheel drive, it simply comes up against the laws of physics when trying to get off the line. The technology inside is also next level. Read Six Cool Things You Should Know About the Mercedes-Benz S65.
From within the Mercedes stable, weve selected the smallest AMG engine available in the range, this time in the form of the GLA 45 AMG 4MATIC Edition1. With 265kW from a 2.0 litre turbo, it is substantially down on power, but does have launch control, or Race Start as Mercedes terms it, and all-wheel drive. Would it be enough to get ahead of the mighty S65 Coupe, before it found traction and all 1000Nm of torque was unleashed?
Will the biggest AMG beat the smallest AMG, or will there be another upset on the cards? We were expecting the race to be close, but we werent expecting it to be this close…
Interested in a new GLA 45 AMG?
Interested in a new S 65 AMG Coupe?
Comparison Sheet
| Mercedes Benz GLA 45 AMG 4MATIC Edition 1 | Mercedes Benz S 65 AMG Coupe | |
| Price | R835 643 | R3 087 013 |
| Engine | 2.0 litre 4-cyl turbo petrol | 6.0 litre V12 biturbo petrol |
| Power | 265kW | 463kW |
| Torque | 450Nm | 1000Nm |
| 0 100km/h | 4.8 seconds | 4.1 seconds |
| Top speed | 250km/h (limited) | 250km/h (limited) |
| Fuel economy | 7.5 l/100km (claimed) | 11.9 l/100km (claimed) |
| Kerb weight | 1585kg | 2185kg |
