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Mercedes to Launch 320 HP Hot Hatch

The hot hatch segment is entering a new era, with the top heroes in this world exceeding the 300 hp mark by a hefty margin and offering a level of performance that rivals that of proper sports cars.

Now that Audi has gifted the A3 with the TT RS’ 340 hp & 450 Nm engine, it’s time for Mercedes to make a move. The Internet has been buzzing with rumors about a future AMG-badged small vehicle in the past, but now the info is more detailed. The German carmaker’s AMG division will release a 320 hp A-Klasse in 2012, as autocar reports. Of course, the vehicle will also be a competitor for BMW’s recently introduced 340 hp & 450 Nm (yes, the same power rating as the RS3) M version of the 1 Series coupe.

The vehicle will be based on the third generation of the A-Klasse, being powered by a turbocharged 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine that will send the power to the road via all four wheels.

The engine that will come with an aluminum block and a twin-scroll turbocharger will work with a sew six-speed dual-clutch gearbox and a Haldex-style all-wheel-drive system that will come with a rear-drive bias and feature an electronically operated torque-vectoring clutch for the rear axle.

The new A-Klasse will be underpinned by Mercedes’s MFA (Modularen Frontantriebs-Architektur) platform that leaves the sandwich floor concept behind, with the result being a lower vehicle.

Mercedes will introduce a concept to preview the car at next year’s Shanghai motor show, with the production model expected to use the A25 AMG designation.
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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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