Forgive our lack of imagination, but we can't figure out what would make a compact Mercedes sedan look super-sporty. I mean, it's not like people lust over the clean lines of a Jetta GLI.
One way to make it happen would be a big trunk wing and chin spoiler, sort of like a Jaguar XE SV Project 8, but smaller. That's not what you get in this rendering, though.
X-Tomi Design made the first A45 sedan rendering after last week's reveal in China. He obviously added every element from the E63 he could, including black wheels, air intakes and most of the front bumper.
It's interesting, but we don't feel a connection. Of course, we don't know if this rendering is accurate or not since the AMG version of the A-sedan that's been spied is called something like A35 or A40.
Mercedes will use the lower number to signal that the model is not that special, though you should still get at least 300 HP of STI-killing performance.
The soon-to-be-outgoing CLA 45 wasn't all that amazing to look at either. But it was quicker than anything of that size that had a trunk and four doors. What's changed is that Audi is now taking the segment seriously with the RS3.
The AMG badge used to be associated only with the most exotic hand-built V8 engines, sometimes joined by V12 ones. Like it or not, the performance division has downsized, diversified and even hybridized while remaining desirable.
2-liter AMG engines have been around since 2013. And while we've got to grips with the idea, BMW is also working on a FWD compact car family that will have about 300 HP in M Performance form.
It's going to start slow, but we are undoubtedly going to have an all-out power war between the two German giants. And only time will tell if the A-Class sedan is deserving of a 400 horsepower setup.
X-Tomi Design made the first A45 sedan rendering after last week's reveal in China. He obviously added every element from the E63 he could, including black wheels, air intakes and most of the front bumper.
It's interesting, but we don't feel a connection. Of course, we don't know if this rendering is accurate or not since the AMG version of the A-sedan that's been spied is called something like A35 or A40.
Mercedes will use the lower number to signal that the model is not that special, though you should still get at least 300 HP of STI-killing performance.
The soon-to-be-outgoing CLA 45 wasn't all that amazing to look at either. But it was quicker than anything of that size that had a trunk and four doors. What's changed is that Audi is now taking the segment seriously with the RS3.
The AMG badge used to be associated only with the most exotic hand-built V8 engines, sometimes joined by V12 ones. Like it or not, the performance division has downsized, diversified and even hybridized while remaining desirable.
2-liter AMG engines have been around since 2013. And while we've got to grips with the idea, BMW is also working on a FWD compact car family that will have about 300 HP in M Performance form.
It's going to start slow, but we are undoubtedly going to have an all-out power war between the two German giants. And only time will tell if the A-Class sedan is deserving of a 400 horsepower setup.