Mercedes-AMG A45 S 4Matic+

Only 15 of the 600 cars in the catalogue pair an inline-4 engine layout with AWD, and the Mercedes-AMG A45 S 4Matic+ sits inside that uncommon combination. That figure changes the way its place in a dream garage can be viewed. Rather than being defined by a larger engine format, it represents a focused interpretation of what an inline-4 can achieve when paired with turbocharging and all-wheel drive.

Within the full catalogue, the A45 S 4Matic+ occupies a position where outright numbers tell a more nuanced story. Its 421 bhp places it 396th out of 600 for power, while its 3.9 second 0-100 km/h time means it is faster than 308 cars in that same group. The contrast is the interesting part: its power ranking sits in the lower half of the catalogue, yet its acceleration places it ahead of more than half of the available cars. The result is a car whose appeal is tied less to a single headline figure and more to how its specifications work together.

The mechanical foundation is precise. This 2020 Mercedes-AMG A45 S 4Matic+ uses a 2.0 litre turbocharged inline-4 producing 421 bhp and 500 Nm of torque, with AWD helping deliver a 270 km/h top speed. Across the catalogue, 83 cars use an inline-4 layout, and 58 are turbocharged inline-4 cars, making this combination a more specific part of the wider collection. It also sits among 197 cars from Germany, connecting it to one of the largest national groups represented in the catalogue.

Its used price of £45,000 places it 465th out of 600 by price, meaning it is more expensive than 135 cars in the collection. At £107 per bhp, the cost reflects a balance between performance and the broader character of a premium performance car.

The A45 S 4Matic+ occupies an unusual space for collectors who want their garage to include different approaches to speed. The opening figure, those 15 cars pairing an inline-4 with AWD, now feels less like a simple statistic and more like a description of its role. This Mercedes-AMG is a reminder that a collection can be shaped not only by the biggest engines or highest figures, but by the distinctive combinations that make one car different from the others around it.