Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156: the AMG M133 unrestrained, the exhaust guide
The Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156 packs into a compact format the M133, a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder assembled by AMG that delivers 360 hp and 450 Nm. The small SUV behaves like a true sports car, with all-wheel drive and sharp reactions. Its factory exhaust, for its part, is tuned to go unnoticed. What follows lets you put together a ROG exhaust that gives the M133 the character it shows on the road.
Written by ROG Motorsport · Updated
Your ROG exhaust for Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156
From €2,490 in stainless steel, €2,990 in titanium
Configure my exhaust- Vehicles
- Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156 2.0 turbo (2015-2019)
- Engine
- M133 · 360 to 381 hp · 450 to 475 Nm, depending on the version
- Exhaust
- Valved cat-back, built for your VIN
- Material
- 304 stainless steel or titanium
- Front section
- Optional: catted downpipe with 200 or 100 cells, or decat
- Valves
- ROG remote, or factory control if your vehicle has it
- Lead time
- 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship
Closely related versions have their own guide: Mercedes-AMG GLA45 S H247 2.0 turbo, Mercedes-AMG A45 / A45 S W177 2.0 turbo, Mercedes-AMG A45 W176 2.0 turbo, Mercedes-AMG CLA45 C117 2.0 turbo.
The M133: the GLA45's hand-built AMG four-cylinder
The M133 is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder hand-assembled in Affalterbach, in keeping with the AMG "one man, one engine" tradition. Boosted by a twin-scroll turbo, it produces 360 hp and 450 Nm in the GLA45 X156, and more after the facelift. The 4MATIC all-wheel drive splits this power between both axles, and the small SUV proves surprisingly sharp for its class.
On such a sharp four-cylinder, the exhaust has a big influence on how the car feels: it is what conveys the build-up of boost and the liveliness of the engine. The GLA45's factory exhaust puts discretion first. The ROG valved exhaust frees the voice of the M133, drier and more urgent, while keeping the option of driving in complete tranquillity with the valves closed.
What makes up the exhaust on your Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156
An exhaust system is best understood in two parts. Here is what each one does, and what ROG replaces.
The cat-back is the complete exhaust system
It is everything you can see under your Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156, from the outlet of the front section to the tips: pipes, silencer, valves. Routing, silencer, valves: this is where the sound is shaped, and where we focus our research and development.
The front section, where the catalytic converter sits
On your Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156, it is the downpipe, the pipe leading from the turbo. It contains the factory catalytic converter: the second restriction in the exhaust, after the silencer. Changing this part remains a choice: it pays off mainly with an ECU remap, which turns the freed-up flow into power.
Your Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156 in figures
What an exhaust changes straight away is the sound, the engine's breathing and the weight at the rear. For more power, add an ECU remap.
Power
Torque
Published factory and Stage 2 figures. Factory figures vary by version; Stage 2 figures published for the 381 hp version.
With or without an ECU remap, the exhaust fits and works. But it is an ECU remap at an approved tuning centre that truly unlocks your Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156, and that is what we recommend.
Designed to run at high boost pressure, the M133 keeps a margin that a Stage 2 remap exploits. On an engine worked this hard, the tuner's rigour and the car's condition make all the difference. The ROG exhaust is a logical companion to this kind of upgrade.
Configuring your exhaust, step by step
4 choices, in the same order as the product page configurator.
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Step 1 of 4: Material: stainless steel or titanium
For your Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156, the exhaust costs €2,490 in stainless steel and €2,990 in titanium.
304 stainless steel
2 490 €
- Weight
- Baseline
- Sound
- Full and rounded
Durable, corrosion-resistant, with a rounded, full sound: the most popular option.
Titanium
2 990 €
- Weight
- Around 40% lighter
- Sound
- Metallic, crystal-clear
For the same design, it weighs around 40% less than stainless steel. A more metallic note at high revs and a look all of its own, from brushed to blued.
Both materials age well: 304 stainless steel copes with winter and salt, and titanium does not rust. Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes.
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Step 2 of 4: Front section: downpipe and catalytic converter
Optional: the downpipe on your Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156, with its catalytic converter. Sound rating out of 10, valves open: the factory exhaust sits at 3.
Cat-back only
Included
7/10Factory emissions control
Nothing changes at the front: the cat-back alone is already enough to change the car.
200-cell sports catalytic converter
+630 €
8/10Road use and French MOT
The everyday compromise: emissions control is still there, and breathing improves noticeably.
100-cell sports catalytic converter
+630 €
9/10French MOT pass not guaranteed
One step further: more flow, a more aggressive sound, reduced emissions control.
Decat
+400 €
10/10Track use only
Everything unleashed: maximum flow and unrestrained sound, for the track.
Sound intensity, on a scale of 0 to 10
- 10/10Decat downpipe + ROG cat-back
- 9/10100-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 8/10200-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 7/10ROG cat-back only, factory catalytic converter retained
- 3/10Factory exhaust, for comparison
Valves open. With the valves closed, every configuration becomes discreet again.
What about the engine warning light? It can appear with a sports catalytic converter: the downstream oxygen sensor reads a different level of cleaning from the factory unit. It is not an engine fault, and it is dealt with by an ECU remap or a diagnostic tool. With a decat, an ECU remap becomes necessary. If it happens to you, call us and we will point you in the right direction. Passing the French MOT with a sports exhaust.
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Step 3 of 4: Valves: ROG remote or factory control
Two ways to control the valves on your Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156.
ROG remote
The simplest solution: a control unit in the boot and a remote, open or closed at the press of a button, whatever mode you are in. A question while fitting? We will get back to you.
Factory control
- Only for vehicles fitted with factory valves
- Controlled by the drive modes
Does your vehicle have factory valves? The exhaust keeps their existing control: the drive modes operate the valves, as before, with no added electronics.
On a long journey, what matters is the absence of drone at a steady speed. With the valves closed, the exhaust keeps the cabin calm; the show is still there whenever you ask for it. More about exhaust drone.
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Step 4 of 4: Tips: the visual signature
Match the tips to the style of your Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156, understated or bold. A particular finish in mind? Send us a photo and we will look at it together.
- Stainless steel
- Black
- Carbon
- Blued titanium
The ROG sound signature on the M133 of the GLA45
The AMG four-cylinder has a sharp, almost metallic voice, with a furious edge when the turbo is blowing hard. In the standard GLA45, this character is reduced to a muffled drone that does justice neither to the engine nor to the SUV's performance.
With the valves open, the ROG exhaust gives the GLA45 a sound presence worthy of its badge: punchy acceleration, well-defined gear changes and a climb through the revs you can follow by ear. With the valves closed, the compact SUV regains the discretion that suits town and everyday driving.
From order to fitting
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Configuration
You choose the options for your Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156 and enter its VIN, found in box E of the registration certificate.
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Check
We confirm compatibility with your car before we build it.
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Manufacturing
Made to order, for your Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156.
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Delivery
Free, insured delivery, with tracking sent on dispatch.
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Fitting
Clamps and gaskets, no welding: two hours on average at the garage of your choice.
20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship, from the date of delivery
- Payment
- In instalments with Klarna
- Installation
- At the garage of your choice
What about the manufacturer's warranty? In Europe, fitting a part from another brand is not enough on its own to void it; the manufacturer has to prove the link between that part and the fault. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.
Our recommendations for your Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156
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Daily driving
2 490 €
- Stainless
- Cat-back only
- ROG remote
Your Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156 stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves whenever you decide.
View this configuration -
Fast road
3 620 €
- Titanium
- 200-cell downpipe
- ECU remap
For great roads: more voice and more response, while staying road-friendly.
View this configuration -
Track
3 390 €
- Titanium
- Decat downpipe
- Stage 2
The most extreme configuration, for track use only.
View this configuration
These profiles are starting points. The right choice is often made in five minutes on the phone.
Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156: your questions
How much power does an exhaust add on the Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156?
As standard, the Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156 produces 360 to 381 hp and 450 to 475 Nm, depending on the version. Without a remap, the exhaust transforms the voice and lightens the rear; it is the ECU remap that increases power. With a Stage 2 build, the published figures for the 381 hp version reach 430 hp and 570 Nm.
Stainless steel or titanium: which material for the Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156?
For the Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156, the ROG exhaust costs €2,490 in stainless steel and €2,990 in titanium. Choose stainless steel for value for money and a rounded sound, titanium to save around 40% in weight and get a clearer tone.
Do you need to replace the catalytic converter on the Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156?
No, the cat-back alone already does most of the work on the Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156. The downpipe option is for those tuning the engine: 200 cells to stay road-friendly, 100 cells or decat for the track.
Can the Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156 pass the French MOT with a ROG exhaust?
The cat-back only and the 200-cell sports catalytic converter both keep emissions control: that is the configuration to present, with the valves closed. The 100-cell converter makes a pass uncertain, and the decat fails the emissions test on the Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156.
How is the ROG exhaust fitted on the Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156?
Fitting needs no welding or cutting and takes two hours on average on a lift. We check compatibility with the VIN of your Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156 before manufacturing.
What price and lead time for a ROG exhaust on the Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156?
From €2,490 to €3,620 depending on the configuration. Allow 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery. Free delivery in Europe, 3-year warranty.
Unsure about your configuration? Give us a call.
Stainless steel or titanium, cat-back only or the complete system: the right choice depends on how you drive and on your Mercedes-AMG GLA45 X156. We take the time to talk it through before you order, with a reply within 24 hours. We are not here to sell to you over the phone: we help you choose, even if that means a cheaper option because it suits the way you drive.
Behind every ROG exhaust is a French team you can actually reach, who know the cars they talk about. More than 500 exhaust systems fitted and a rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Further reading
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