Chasing the A45 AMG World Record - Here's what it takes to modify Merc's hottest hatch
Nicholas Neofitou didn't take the easiest route to building a 10 second car. While the A45 AMG was a stonking hot hatch from factory, it never really caught on in the tuning community, even though many saw it's potential.
The quarter mile world record for this generation of A45 AMG is currently 10.7 seconds, and this South African special is getting pretty damn close!
By his own admission, these are not the easiest cars to modify, especially in South Africa where parts are scarce.
However, over the last five years, he has persevered and at altitude is now running the quarter mile in the high 10s.
Here is Nicholas's story, detailing just what it took to get the car right and reliably make those big numbers.
0:00 - Intro
0:14 - Dream,Search,Drive: www.cars.co.za
0:22 - Midas - midas.co.za
0:32 - Driver intro
1:22 - Previous car
2:15 - Modifying the A45
4:39 - The turbo
6:05 - Quarter mile times
7:02 - Boost maps
8:19 - Wheels and brakes
8:44 - The transmission
9:03 - The suspension
9:18 - How the A45 is to drive
10:05 - The wrap
11:12 - The SA car community
11:27 - Power and torque
Visit Cars.co.za at:
www.cars.co.za
Sell your car on Cars.co.za:
www.cars.co.za/sell-car/
Follow Cars.co.za on the socials:
/ carssouthafrica
/ carssa
/ carssouthafrica
/ carssouthafrica
Visit SentiMETAL at:
www.sentimetal.shop
Follow SentiMETAL on the socials:
/ sentimetal_productions
/ sentimetalproductions
Download the Cars.co.za App here:
Apple
apps.apple.com/za/app/cars-co...
Android
play.google.com/store/apps/de...
Huawei App Gallery
appgallery.huawei.com/#/app/C...
Now this is my definition of car culture in SA, not everyone can relate to the VR6 le Gusheshe.
Neo is gift/talent in Sesotho. It probably means the same in Setswana as well.
and Sepedi
A re Zulu moshanyana o... yessess
Danko, I was about to comment this correction🤣🤣
@@tiehodavidmajoro1711 it's basically a common Sotho group name
This is brilliant content. Well done to all involved.
Finally got an update on his 45… glad someone is exploring the potential of this car
Dope video! Cool to hear about all the work thats been done to it 🔥🔥
Great Episode… Thanks for sharing your car with us Neo
Great work on the car. Hard to beat flames out the exhaust. Enjoyable show.
Nice video mate loved this
Bought a 2016 a45 amg last week,loving it so far. Really enjoyed your content 👌
Nice build and owner seems chill too 👍
Love it, super build.
So beautiful seeing people go all out for their dreams.
Nice car, well set up and good interview. Good luck chasing the world record
AWESOME VIDEO 😉😄👌👍 WELL DONE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Good work bro
Beautiful Car Sir... I Love It.
Epic video!!!!!! A45AMG IS STILL THE KING OF HOTHATCHS 💪🏻
I am no fan of hatch back cars however this motor is phenomenal. Attention to detail is impressive. 5 years of journeying through this build is admirable. Most would have thrown in the towel. To the owner I will encourage you to install a big break kit. I’m flawed by the power output of over 400wkw! From a 2.0 motor. There are V8 motors that cannot reach that kind of wheel kilowatt output. To the owner and all involved … Bravo on a great build
Thank you I appreciate your comment so much it gives me goosebumps when someone understands what troubles I went through over the last 5 years . Appreciate you Gary!
@@neocinematics Do you have a 0-100kph time more or less would love to know. Keep up the good work! We wanted a a45 2nd generation they pretty much fixed up lots of issues on driveability on 1st one but we are so worried about the gearbox issues people having overseas in the communities so hard to know who over-abused their cars
@@ikbaljessie hi Cindy my best 0-100kph is 3.2 seconds .
Great piece of work there with the 45 Nicolas! Have to love the meaning of Neo in Zulu dude, awesome stuff! Enjoy your wheel dude. :)
Actually Neo is from the Setswana and Sesotho languages... In Zulu it will be "Sipho"
@@khensanimashego158 good to know, thanks for the feedback.
Love the turbo noises
It's true that we have an awesome car culture here in SA. You can park a 120Y bog standard Datsun next to a 1000 wheel horsepower GT-R and both will get "oohs" and "aahs" from onlookers. Love our car culture.
very Unique build epic power for a Stage 3 Hybrid 2L motor that is forged.
I saw the video when he broke the world record on the a45 board Cool stuff...congradz
Car looks beautiful..and a daily 10s 1/4 mile ...it’s fast
I love it!!!!
Jrrrrr so much hate, nice car bro well done , happy your car makes you happy
O and there is a way to change the gearbox to awd like constantly. Otherwise its 60/40 but if you drive softly its almost like fwd. As soon as the system detect to much throttle it opens the solenoid for the rear diff very fast. But you can mind play it to tell it it has a nag2 sport in then it become awd constantly
Hey buddy i also have the A45 first addition. I'm in cape town. Your new bonnet who made is for you. I would like one like that also. And who did your turbo. Thanks man.
those SS water Lines and Turbo Vent. lines are great, where can we buy it from
Proud to have the fastest in the land✊
Whats ur high boost at ta
I love the a45....just the gearbox breaking is what worries me
That sucks big time. Too bad there's not much of a variety as far as a manual swap is involved with these cars
This boy should look at the Lexus LC 500, as a tuning car. It'll turn more heads, plus the reliability factor is much higher.
@@labourlawact7826 It won’t have the same effect as the a45
Its not that big deal. Just always service gearbox oil and filters. Rather sooner than on time. If you boosting to much rather add a bigger cooler. The cooler the oil the better. I also have A45 no hassles
I like the car stock standard. 😁
Do you using sport spring?
I can hear you all the way from Bedford center
Ayy my boy neon
pedal commander gets rid of the transmission gear shifts response and throttle response. it fixed my issues even after having trans tuned i still had the same issues but with pedal commander gets rid of all that
Great video. Neo is not a Zulu term btw, it's tswana and pedi
Can I make stage 2 of my aston martin vantage? How much would it cost?
Like the side skirt fins any1 no were I can buy???
Neo is actually Tswana meaning 'gift' not Zulu but dope car🔥🔥🔥
Neo is Tswana, and yes it means Gift
Neo in Setswana/Sesotho means Gift not IsiZulu.
Its strong and kwik 💪💪💪💪
What was the total build cost?
Great car you got there. You are obviously very passionate about it. That is mad mad power you making there! wow! Your numberplate does mean GIFT but not in Zulu but Setswana/ Sesotho
Neo is Sesotho
Is it that not too many people can tune this car or is it that the engine does not have as much potential? I mean there are tons of S3's/7R's running 10s.
I think it breaks easily so it needs people who KNOW what they are doing.
Not many companies and clients are willing to strip their Benz engine for development,compared to VAG products who have multiple software and hardware developers .
@@mohaumokhethi8625 I think that's a terrible excuse, the C Class is tuned like there's no tomorrow. The A45 probably breaks easily, has less potential or just not as desirable as a tuners car in its class
These engines are good for like 500-600hp problem is these cars are expensive to tune and mod so a lot of people really just look elsewhere
Stock Production Version Looks the Part and Runs Well. Good Effort. Can't be Hammered to Often, Very Fragile, learned from Experience as a Ex-Merc Employee, unlike the Japanese that can be Nailed and Hammered Day in and Day out. Enjoy it while you can, Mod and Chip-Tune Shops is where it will spend alot of Time.. Nice Vid.
Which dyno this car make 422kw and 763nm?
Haha that car does not make 422kw.
Yeah indeed is not easy to modifiy an A45 welldone you have made it...
I wish we got these in the states. I would have bought this instead of my mk7.5 golf r
I absolutely LOVE a Mercedes Benz 😍😍😍😍
Typical forex trader starter pack
😂😂😂 plus the Gucci bags and Mac book
😆
And the watch😂
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Damn I wish I was a forex trader .
Cool dude with a cool car !
This car was already featured on liberebel
So what, Pamela Anderson appeared nude before Baywatch.
@@pornokid333 kill me again 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@pornokid333 you just made me Google those nudes again 🙈🙈🙈🤣🤣🤣
0-100kph time? Would imagine this doing high 3's or straight 4?
3.2 seconds 0-100 👍
Love people chasing their dreams! German cars are the best ❤
German cars were the best. Many decades ago. Now they're just planned obsolescence throw away rubbish.
@@labourlawact7826 Well the market share and record profits point to a very different reality.
@@johnmajor9564 The people with money who buy these status symbols have no idea what crap they're buying. They're shopping for the badge, and don't keep the cars longer than a few years. They can afford the massive depreciation. Then along comes the dude that buys that "luxury" German car used, and they'll tell you a very different story. Neither Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen, BMW or Audi is a car that you can drive reliably for 20 years or 500 000 km. It'll literally bankrupt you. Ps. I'm a vehicle technician working in the trade. When the luxury 'German' piece of crap blows it's auto transmission, you can scrap the car. No thanks.
@@labourlawact7826 I doubt that as Second hand German cars are highly in demand. Furthermore many German brands produce in SA so I think it’s important to buy local. I‘ve always bought used German cars and the Diesel engines are world-renowned. The ZF transmission in my bmw one series is just great and going strong after 200.000 km. This specific automatic transmission is being used by many not only German manufacturers. Finally 500.000km and 20 years are not nothing.
@@johnmajor9564 The zf transmissions are quite good, but I don't know about buying a used BMW. I've seen too many people get burnt. Badly 😢
I have a A45 from 2014 with only Software and it makes 420 HP and 600 Newtonmeters
bring it to cape town killarney
I know this doesn't concern me but I wonder how much per month do you spend on petrol 🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️
Too much but really depends how you drive the car … it is a bit of a problem I run meth everyday because that’s another thing to consider filling …😢
It's Neofitou 🙈
Apologies for the mistake, will correct it, thank you
Cool car
Kai Fisher built my motor too
what kinda job do you need to have to modify a car like this
Any job, as long you don't have a wife, kids, cat or dog... Maybe also selling a piece of your liver and 1 kidney. 😂
That intro smells like it’s from carwow
love this car for the fact that its the on a45 of its kind on our roads
Really cool.
can we get his instagram?
@neocinematics
2bar daily ...nice🤣🤣👌👍👍
Invite and interview JOHN WICK RS3 ❤
The car and the color looks the business
0 - 100/200?
3.2
@@neocinematics not a chance only doing 10s 1/4mile man--- lucky to be in high 6s 100-200. 3.2 100-200 would do low 9s 1/4 mile
@@jasonelliott8101 bro you’re out of your mind 😂
@@neocinematics bro stage 2 rse at 530bhp does 10.69 1/4 and mid 6s 100-200.. I know this because I am the admin for rs3 draggy… this a45 did 10.9 1/4 mile… come on now
@@jasonelliott8101 no dude. You're clueless.
All about electric now
Shit color cool car
10,91 is B58 stock turbo/motor times.. Why so much money into this 4 cyll
Because it’s something different.
Neo is not Zulu.
Nor , is Ricahard , David , Allan , George , Graham, James , Michael , Barry ..... and more ! Wots your point ?!
Looks like a toy car.
Bru uk been doing that way longer and besides the point the engine isn’t going to last bro but enjoy
I don't understand comments like this. This guy has been generous with his time, sharing his story with us, and helping us make this film, which takes all day. But more importantly, he has spent 5 years chasing his dream and the only thing you can say is, Yo bro your engine is gonna explode. To be honest that's a pretty shitty approach to someone's hard work and dedication. Anyway, thanks for watching.
Totally unnecessary with the negative comments. Perhaps maybe your engine didn't last 😉
The difference here is I took the time to do my research and use the correct people to put the car together bro . I spent the money and shed the tears to get the car in its best shape . Like Ciro said very negative approach to this after spending a whole day to make free content for you guys …
Typical BMW fanboy comment 🙄
Haha my RS3 ran 10.9 with intercooler, intake, downpipe and software. A45s are shitboxes. And they sound even worse.
RS3s aren't 4 bangers, they have another cylinder.... Can't compare the two 😂