A Look At The Official Car of The #NANS President

This year, our 2019 resolution is strict to mind your business but at times, you can’t just pretend to not seeing some stories and wonder how on earth do things happen. We are minding our business on Twitter and we saw NANS trending, we thought we should ignore it until someone tagged a picture of the NANS president cruising in his car in Abuja while students are home all thanks to ASUU strike. According to reports, the car was seen in a tush area in Abuja on New Year’s day, who no like better thing abeg.

The NANS is a student body in Nigeria that fights for the wellbeing and betterment of Nigerian students. The body comprises of leaders that are elected into office from all the 36 states of the federation. NANS has been under fire over its reported visit to the president recently where some quarters are accusing them of (let us spare you the details).

We decided to do a review of this beast, no doubt, you must have some pepper in your pocket is able to ride this type of car in Nigeria. Our searchlight beam towards this car and we found out that our excellency, The NANS President is cruising in Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG. We must confess that it is very difficult to decipher the model of this car as Mercedes Benz cars look alike, if you thought we are wrong, please be quick to correct us.

For your information, this car is said to cost about $51,800 which is about #19million

What Is In A Name?

Back in January of 2013, Mercedes-Benz pulled the sheets on the CLA Class at the North American International Auto Show. The car was a bit of a gamble for the German automaker, combining a compact, entry-level platform with four doors and a fastback coupe roofline. The formula ended up working and the CLA went on to be a smash hit, selling in record numbers across the globe.

Initially called the Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG when it debuted as a 2014 model, it’s now the Mercedes-AMG CLA45 for 2017. While it added 20 horsepower (up to 375), 18 lb-ft of torque (up to 350), and an optional limited-slip front differential in 2016, the latest updates are mostly superficial. These include standard LED headlights, new wheel designs, Lunar Blue metallic paint, and redesigned front and rear bumpers; inside there’s new aluminum trim, Sahara Beige and black leather upholstery, and an updated 8.0-inch center screen. A backup camera and automated emergency braking become standard, too.

Overview
In the CLA45’s engine bay lies a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 375 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 350 lb-ft. of torque from 2,250 to 5,000 rpm thanks to a turbocharger and high-tech engineering such as multiple spark ignition and multiple injections. The mill sends the CLA45 from zero to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and on to a top that is electronically limited to 155 mph

Hand-built, the engine is linked to a seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels via a new 4Matic all-wheel-drive system designed specifically to be used in cars with a transversally-mounted engine. It uses a power take-off unit that is built directly into the gearbox and cooled by its oil to transfer power to the rear wheels. By eliminating the need for a separate transfer case, the number of moving components drops and the total weight of the system is reduced.

Like most performance cars, the CLA45 AMG comes with stability control that offers variable degrees of intervention. During aggressive cornering, Curve Dynamic Assist applies a touch of braking to the inside rear when to act as a torque-vectoring system and improve turn-in.

Aggressive appearance
The CLA45 AMG looks more dynamic than the regular CLA thanks to a twin-blade grille, muscular bumpers front and back, an air diffuser that incorporates four rectangular exhaust tips and a slightly lowered ride height. Model-specific exterior colors, wheel designs and “Turbo” emblems on both front fenders finish off the look.

Life Aboard
The CLA45’s cabin is largely carried over from the regular CLA. Unabashedly designed to appeal to a young and trendy audience, the cockpit is characterized by aircraft-inspired round air vents surrounded by chrome bezels and a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel upholstered in leather.

Carbon fiber trim on the dash, two sports seats up front and an AMG-specific instrument cluster that includes a timer emphasize the performance-focused nature of the car.

A seven-inch color touch-screen that protrudes from the top of the center stack comes standard. Controlled by either button on the center stack or a voice recognition software, COMAND integrates the car’s audio, hard-drive-based navigation, climate control, and connectivity functions into a single unit.

The touchscreen also lets passengers control Mercedes’ MBrace2 infotainment system, which runs cloud-based applications and provides on-the-go access to the internet. In addition to offering a wide array of concierge services, Mbrace2 comes with an application that lets smartphone-wielding owners lock or unlock the car from a distance and instantly find it in a parking lot.

Standard Bluetooth connectivity enables the driver to make hands-free phone calls and stream music. Other standard equipment includes rain-sensing wipers, A/C, power front seats with three-position memory and an electronic parking brake.

The list of options consists of Advanced Park Assist, a panoramic sunroof, Blind Spot Assist, heated front seats, burl and walnut trim for the dash and door panels, bi-xenon headlights, a Becker MAP PILOT navigation system, 18-inch twin-spoke alloy wheels and summer performance tires. Three option packages are also available.

Occupant safety
In addition to seven airbags, the CLA45 features a radar-based Collision Prevention Assist system that can warn the driver of potential accidents and, when necessary, automatically apply the brakes to prevent or mitigate the severity of a crash. The car also comes with Attention Assist, which provides audible and visual warnings if it senses that the driver is drowsy.

Key competitors
The Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG has very few direct competitors. The Audi S4 comes close in terms of power and price, but it is slightly bigger, heavier and noticeably slower in the sprint from zero to 60 mph.

Mercedes has gone to great lengths to avoid overlapping in its lineup but CLA45 customers will undoubtedly be tempted to look at the C63 AMG, which offers considerably more power in a rear-wheel drive package for not much more money.

Vehicle Specifications
Drive Type 4WD
Engine Size 2.0L engine
Number of Cylinders 4 cylinders
Horsepower 375 horsepower@6000rpm
Torque (ft-lbs) 350 torque@2250rpm
Compression Ratio 8.6:1
Camshaft         Variable Timing
Engine Type Turbo Gas
Bore 3.27
Stroke 3.62
Valves per Cylinder 4
Fuel Capacity N/A
EPA MPG (City/Hwy) 23/30
Wheelbase 106.3″
Overall Length 184.7″
Width 70
Height 55
Curb Weight 3494 lbs.
Leg Room F/R40.2″
Head Room F/R38.2″
Seating Capacity (Std.)5/5
Cargo Capacity for Cars 13 cu. ft.
Towing Capacity (Max.) N/A Payload
Capacity for Trucks N/A
Gross Vehicle Weight for Trucks N/R
Tires (Std.)  N/A
Transmission  7-Speed Automatic

See more of the pictures below…
(Pictures take from the internet)

Whats your take?