We know that the next generation of the compact Mercedes will be underpinned by a front wheel drive platform and will borrow its design from the F800 Concept.
Now, AMG’s boss, Ola Kalenius, has confirmed for autocar that the performance version of the car is currently in the works.
The new vehicle will be placed at the top of the hot hatch segment, offering four-wheel-drive and a forced induction four-cylinder powerplant. The car will fight against rivals like the Ford Focus RS and the Volkswagen Golf R.
The vehicle’s powerplant will be based on the company’s current M271 EVO engine and will offer state of the art technologies, such as the newest multi-cycle direct injection and the wave-pulse supercharger technology that was developed together with the Swiss company Hyprex.
The engine is expected to offer a power and torque level playing in the 270 hp+ and 280 lb-ft league, respectively. The power will be sent to all four wheels via a dual clutch transmission. The vehicle’s AWD system is expected to offer a sporty setup, sending most of the power to the rear axle.
The A-Klasse AMG is expected to hit the market one year after the civilian version of the car. This means that we would have to wait until 2013 to see the performance baby Merc in action.
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