Vath V45 is a Mercedes-Benz GLA 45 AMG with Extra Vroom

Of all the not-stereotypically-Mercedes-Benz vehicles that the company has produced lately, the GLA 45 AMG might be the most un-Mercedes-like of all. Think about it: It’s a compact crossover (really more of a hatchback in platform shoes, to be frank) with a transversely-installed inline-four that’s had the bejeezus boosted out of it. Not quite the stuff of German cabbie dreams, is it? But a lot of people are fine with that, and tuner Vath counts itself among them.

The Vath interpretation of the AMG-fortified GLA – which it has taken to calling the V45 – doesn’t look dramatically different from a stock one, aside from a new set of wheels and a roughly 1.2” lower ride height. “Close to stock” is also a good way to describe the interior, with a sport steering wheel, sport pedals and black velvet floor mats being the only major revisions.

Instead, the major changes reside under the skin. A Stage 1 engine tune bumps the 2.0L turbo inline-four’s output to 390 horsepower and 358 lb.-ft of torque, while the Stage 2 package lifts the totals to 440 horsepower and 398 lb.-ft. Both packages raise the top speed limiter to 174 mph, making the Vath V45 perfect for blasting past E-Class taxis (and their bewildered occupants) on the autobahn.

Source: Vath