There are many reasons for which imported cars (especially luxury models) are very expensive in Australia: it’s a remote country with a relatively small automobile market, it drives on the left side of the road and it has high import duties.
All these factors contribute to surreal prices. Take the Mercedes CLA45 AMG for example: it costs AU$86,900 (US$82,165) in Australia, compared to US$48,355 in the United States.
Following the price logic, the CLA45 AMG may be considered a rival for the Australian-made Holden HSV Gen-F GTS (related to the Chevrolet SS), which costs AU$95,490 (US$90,160). That’s despite the fact that the Holden has a 6.2-liter V8 engine developing 577 hp and 740 Nm (546 lb-ft) of torque, compared with the CLA45 AMG’s 355 hp and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque, courtesy of a high-tech 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.
The RWD Holden may have a lot more horses running under its hood, but the CLA45 AMG is four-wheel drive and 322 kilograms (710 lbs) lighter. The folks at Australia’s Drive magazine have set up a very interesting drag race indeed, which you can watch in the following video.
By Dan Mihalascu
VIDEO