Mercedes-AMG showed us a pre-production copy of its upcoming A 45 hatchback during the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring last weekend. The hot hatch had far less cladding on than ever before, enabling us to discern quite a few interesting details.
Curiously, the front splitter and the air intakes of the new A 45 actually seem less aggressively styled that those of its lower-end counterpart, the A 35. It more than compensates for it by having the Panamericana front grille with massive vertical fins, though.
According to media, the A 45 will ship with an electronically governed dual-clutch transmission sending the torque to the rear wheels. The manufacturer had earlier revealed that the car would get a selectable Drift Mode.
Nothing is being said about the chassis or body of the hatchback yet. As for the engine range, the A 45 will ship with the top-of-the-line two-liter, four-cylinder Mercedes M 139 engine. Rated at 387 hp (289 kW), 480 Nm (354 lb×ft) in the standard version and 421 hp (314 kW), 500 Nm (369 lb×ft) in the premium S version, it is the world’s strongest four-cylinder mill on the market.
The new Mercedes-AMG A 45 shall debut next month.
Photos: Mercedes-Benz