2019 Mercedes-AMG A45 Test Mule Takes to the Nurburgring with 48V Hybrid Tech

This is the first time the next-generation A45 is seen at the Nurburgring track, but it takes the form of an older generation car with some serious modifications to its body. Fender flares make it clear that from one model to the next the A-Class is becoming a whole lot less compact.

At the heart of this old car is a brand new engine. AMG's boss Tobias Moers recently stated that the old 381 PS unit is limited by the heat management of its cylinder head.

The new mill will still be a 2.0-liter gasoline engine with four cylinders and a single turbocharger. However, it's going mild-hybrid by using a 48V electric system. That's not there because Mercedes wants to have a bigger infotainment system, though that's also going to happen. No, the electrons are going to spool up an electric charger and work in conjunction with an integrated starter generator.

The hyper hatchback is also likely to get a new 9-speed gearbox instead of its current 7-speed one, sources say. However, we need to remember that this isn't one, but several that will be based on the MFA 2 platform. An A-Class sedan, CLA, and GLA will follow.

While the regular A-Class will debut during the second half of 2018, the Mercedes-AMG 45 model will take until 2019 to come out. In the meantime, Mercedes will begin selling a watered down version that's likely to be called A40. This has already been spied on several occasions and will be a direct rival to the Audi S3 and perhaps the M135i that BMW is working on.