Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. Photo Galleries
  4. Legacy Archives

Brabus builds a 394-HP Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG everyone can appreciate

Add as a preferred source on Google

Brabus recently launched an array of upgrades for the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, but the littlest Benz’s crossover sibling didn’t get any love. Unitl now, that is.

The GLA is getting its turn, with a host of available modifications that improve this mini crossover’s looks and performance.

Headlining the changes is a performance package for the GLA45 AMG, which boosts the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines, power output to 394 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, compared to 355 hp and 332 lb-ft for the stock version.

That’s enough to get the modded GLA45 AMG from 0 to 63 mph in 4.4 seconds, while a modification to the cars’ electronic speed governor boosters maximum velocity to 168 mph.

Brabus will also tune the GLA220 CDI diesel, which won’t be offered in the U.S. That means Stateside buyers won’t be able to take advantage of the available 208 hp and 302 lb-ft of torque.

With its compact-car chassis and unusual styling, the GLA differs from more traditional SUVs and crossovers, but Brabus has both car and truck buyers covered.

The small minority of owners who plan to take their GLAs off road will appreciate a suspension kit that raises ride height by 1.2 inches, while everyone else can partake of a kit that lowers ride height by one inch.

A bodykit and a selection of custom wheels in sizes up to 21 inches complete the visual upgrades, adding a little extra aggression to a vehicle that already sports standout styling.

The GLA-Class doesn’t arrive in U.S. showrooms until Fall 2014, but it looks like Brabus will have these upgrades ready and waiting when it does.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Volvo is rolling out Apple Music to over 2 million cars with a simple OTA update
Your Volvo may soon get Apple Music without needing CarPlay
Interior view of the 2024 Volvo EX90.

The line between your smartphone and your car continues to blur. Volvo has announced that it is rolling out an over-the-air software update that brings Apple Music directly to the infotainment systems of more than 2 million vehicles worldwide. Instead of relying on Apple CarPlay or plugging in an iPhone, eligible drivers will be able to stream music natively from their car's built-in system, making Apple Music another integrated feature of Volvo's software experience.

The update is arriving for a wide range of Volvo models, including the EX90, ES90, XC90, S90, V90, XC60, S60, V60, XC40, EX40 and EC40, covering model year 2020 onwards. Availability, however, may vary depending on the vehicle.

Read more
Chery’s latest EV packs flagship tech for the price of a base Tesla, but you can’t buy it
Here's everything packed into Exeed's 2027 Exlantix ES, from its 27-sensor autonomous driving suite to its 860 km range, all starting under $31,000.
Car, Transportation, Vehicle

Chery's premium arm just dropped a sedan that makes you wonder why American EVs cost twice as much for half the tech.

Exeed's 2027 Exlantix ES ships with a driver-assist system called Falcon 700. It is built around an Nvidia Orin-Y chip and a genuinely stacked sensor suite.

Read more
A new AI model wants self-driving cars to think before they swerve
Forget guessing games, this self-driving AI actually shows its work.
Self driving car

Self-driving cars have gotten pretty good at driving. The harder problem is teaching them to drive safely in situations nobody planned for. We have heard horror stories of self-driving cars, behaving erratically in emergency situations, often times delaying first responders from reaching the scene.

A team at Seoul National University, led by professor Jun Won Choi from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, thinks they have cracked part of that puzzle with a new AI model called SafeDrive. The research was recently selected as a highlight paper at CVPR 2026, a distinction that goes only to roughly 3% of all submissions.

Read more