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Mercedes-AMG A35 Sounds Like a Tame Hot Hatch

Mercedes will launch a model expected to be called the A35 within the next few months. It's going to be the lest powerful of the current AMG models and has once again been spotted testing in Germany.
Mercedes-AMG A35 Sounds Like a Tame Hot Hatch 3 photos
Photo: YouTube screenshot
Mercedes-AMG A35 Sounds Like a Tame Hot HatchMercedes-AMG A35 Sounds Like a Tame Hot Hatch
We've just watched a comparison review between the regular but all-new A-Class and its direct rivals, the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series. Mercedes won that through sheer force of design and by fixing some of the previous generation's flaws.

Meanwhile, the A35 will compete directly with the Audi S3, as well as its sister car, the VW Golf R. Both are hero cars in the hot hatch community, and it doesn't look like Mercedes is taking them seriously enough.

As you can probably see, the hot hatch wears a discreet body kit and only two small exhaust pipes. And when an angle grinder can cover up the sound of a 300+ horsepower car, you know something isn't right.

Power will come from a reworked version of the M270 engine found in the regular A-Class. Mercedes already has an EQ boost system installed on the E-Class Coupe 2-liter model, and it's believed this will be the defining characteristic of the A35. At least initially... as both the Golf R and S3 are going hybrid too.

With a standard AWD system, the hatch should have a 0 to 100 km/h launch time of around 4.5 seconds. This will make it about as fast as a regular Porsche 718 model, but only because of clutch-dumping trickery.

Even though the camouflage, you should be able to see how massive the side air intakes are. However, the fact that they are blocked off by camo wrapping tells us they purely decorative.

Also, colored paint usually means the A35 is only a few months away from its debut. And don't worry, those aren't the production wheels. A slightly lowered suspension with stiffer shocks and adjustable dampers will help with the cornering.

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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