Tobias Moers, the head honcho of Mercedes-AMG, confirmed that the A45 would introduce an all-new engine, four-cylinder turbo with 400 PS (395 horsepower) or thereabouts. There’s even talk about hybridization, but we’ll have to wait until Affalterbach comes clean in regard to what’s hiding under the hood of the über hatchback.
Teased through a clip titled “Not Another Christmas Video,” the range-topping model in the A-Class family features a lot of colorful camouflage that wraps even the top of the oversized rear wing. AMG essentials such as the quad-pipe exhaust system and aluminum pedals are also featured, along with seven-spoke alloy wheels, low-profile performance tires, 4Matic all-wheel drive, and an S+ driving mode that unleashed the full potential of the A45.
The MBUX multimedia system also features a digital instrument cluster, which features a redline in the ballpark of 6,000 rpm. We can’t claim the 2.0-liter engine sounds exciting, but the performance it promises is on another level even for Mercedes-AMG.
Towards the end of the teaser, the A45 is joined by mechanics working on a yellow-painted example of the A35. The 1,991-cc engine develops 306 PS (302 horsepower) and 400 Nm (295 pound-feet) in this application, sent to all four wheels by the AMG Speedshift DCT 7G dual-clutch transmission.
Customer deliveries in Europe kick off in January 2019, and pricing starts at £35,580 in the United Kingdom or €47,530 in Germany. Based on the on-paper stats, what Mercedes-AMG offers with the A35 is a plusher rival to the Volkswagen Golf R and Audi S3.
Turning our attention back to the A45, the Ford Motor Company won’t let the über hatchback from Affalterbach have its own way. There’s talk the Focus RS will be hybridized in order to make the most out of the powertrain, taking things to 400 PS (395 horsepower) or thereabouts.
The Focus ST for the fourth-generation Focus levels up to the 2.3-liter EcoBoost, and chances are Ford will cap the output at 290 PS (286 horsepower) and 440 Nm (324 pound-feet). Like the bone-stock model, the Focus ST isn’t bound for the U.S. because of the ongoing tariff face-off between the European Union and Trump administration.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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