Benzes aren't supposed to be cheap. Mercedes-AMGs all the more so. But everything has a start and an end, and the new CLA 35 represents the point of entry into Affalterbach's performance lineup.

As the potent little four-door coupe begins arriving at dealers across America, Mercedes has now revealed pricing for the new CLA 35, and it starts at $46,900 – plus the requisite $995 destination charge, which brings the purchase price (before options or any potential discounts) to $47,895 – or $6,200 less than the outgoing CLA 45.

Though the new 2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 may now (in strictly relative terms) represent the cheapest AMG you can get, it won't occupy that bottom strata for long. The German automaker has a slew of new AMG 35-series models coming, including an A35 sedan and GLB 35 crossover. But neither of those are slated to reach dealers until next year – the spring in the sedan's case, and closer to the end of the year in the crossover's – and pricing has yet to be announced for either.

The four-door coupe's sticker, however, positions the CLA 35 a bit higher than either the Audi S3 sedan ($43,995 delivered) or the new BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe ($46,495).

Like the more potent 45-series models, the 35 range packs a 2.0-liter turbo four, tuned to deliver 302 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, channeled to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. That's enough to send the CLA 35 scurrying to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds (before topping out at the customary 155 mph) – quicker than the GLB's quoted 5.1, but a couple tenths behind the A35's 4.6.

Of course, if that's not enough, there are more potent 45-series models to step up to, not to mention the six-cylinder 43s and the eight-cylinder 63s – but they'll all cost you more than AMG's svelte new pocket rocket.