Photo: CarPix
The W176 A45 needs no introduction whatsoever. Not only is it the most powerful hot hatchback in the compact segment, but it also has the know-how of the mad professors over at AMG. It’s getting on a bit, though, which is why Mercedes is hard at work developing the next-generation, which is due no later than 2019.
Introduced at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show and facelifted in 2015, the M270 turbocharged inline-4 is the beating heart of the A45. Tweaked to produce 381 PS (376 horsepower; 280 kW) and 475 Nm (351 pound-feet) of torque, the 2.0-liter powerplant helps the uber hatch hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.2s.
The successor of the W176 A45, however, will take things up a notch. In fact, the W177 A-Klasse in its AMG-ified attire will push the performance yardstick by a sizable margin. Speaking at the 2017 NYIAS to CarAdvice, the head honcho of the Mercedes-AMG division finally let the cat out of the bag.
“The new 2.0-liter will be an all-new engine,” Tobias Moers said. “Yeah, we have to be over 300 kW, too, we know that. You have to be at a certain level.” Converted to European and U.S. numbers, that would be more than 408 PS and 402 horsepower, respectively. From just 2.0 liters displacement! It’s insane when you think about it, especially from the point of view of reliability, but AMG is definitely on a mission to create a very special car.
Another crucial part for Mercedes-AMG’s future is the e-charger. Moers said that it’s “hard for me to say which model will be the first to get an electric turbine,” but the relatively new technology is arguably the next big thing as far as performance models are concerned. And if the peeps over at Audi can implement such a system on a force-fed V8 diesel, then Mercedes-Benz is certain to make the electric turbocharger a reality in just a few years’ time.
In fact, the three-pointed star already has such a thing on its all-new M256 twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6. Called eZV (electric auxiliary compressor), the device helps with negating the lag of an exhaust-driven turbo. As for numbers, the M256 is expected to develop more than 408 horsepower.
The successor of the W176 A45, however, will take things up a notch. In fact, the W177 A-Klasse in its AMG-ified attire will push the performance yardstick by a sizable margin. Speaking at the 2017 NYIAS to CarAdvice, the head honcho of the Mercedes-AMG division finally let the cat out of the bag.
“The new 2.0-liter will be an all-new engine,” Tobias Moers said. “Yeah, we have to be over 300 kW, too, we know that. You have to be at a certain level.” Converted to European and U.S. numbers, that would be more than 408 PS and 402 horsepower, respectively. From just 2.0 liters displacement! It’s insane when you think about it, especially from the point of view of reliability, but AMG is definitely on a mission to create a very special car.
Another crucial part for Mercedes-AMG’s future is the e-charger. Moers said that it’s “hard for me to say which model will be the first to get an electric turbine,” but the relatively new technology is arguably the next big thing as far as performance models are concerned. And if the peeps over at Audi can implement such a system on a force-fed V8 diesel, then Mercedes-Benz is certain to make the electric turbocharger a reality in just a few years’ time.
In fact, the three-pointed star already has such a thing on its all-new M256 twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6. Called eZV (electric auxiliary compressor), the device helps with negating the lag of an exhaust-driven turbo. As for numbers, the M256 is expected to develop more than 408 horsepower.
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