Mercedes-Benz’s performance arm AMG has taken the concept of a hot hatchback to a new level with the latest A45 S. David Thomson is still catching his breath after time behind the wheel.
What’s new?
Hot hatches have been around since the 1970s, but Mercedes-Benz has been a late arrival on the scene, producing the first performance-focused version of its A-Class within the past decade. The folk at Stuttgart have been making up for lost time, particularly since 2013, when AMG began producing A-Class derivatives like none before.
The first of these AMG-fettled machines was the original A45. This ultimate iteration of the previous generation A-Class featured four-wheel-drive and 2-litre turbo power. The engine’s initial peak outputs of 265kW and 450Nm were raised to 280kWand 475Nm as part of a 2015 midlife upgrade.
That AMG model bowed out in 2018 when production of the third generation A-Class ceased. Its initial successor in the fourth generation A-Class range was the AMG A35, which stuck with 2-litre turbo power, but dialled back the peak outputs to a still formidable 225kW and 400Nm. Anew A45 to sit above the A35 was always part of the plan, and it has now been launched in two guises, comprising the ‘‘standard’’ 285kW/480Nm A45, and the 310kW/500Nm A 45S.
Once again, there is 2-litre turbo power, but the engine has been significantly redesigned. It’s still mounted transversely but rotated 180 degrees to optimise airflows. Other changes include larger exhaust valves, a higher compression ratio, the use of the same NANOSLIDE cylinder liner coatings found in Mercedes’ Formula One engines, and twostage dual fuel injection.
Then there is the small matter of how this new engine is built; rather than running down a regular production line, the build of each new motor is overseen by one AMG engineer. This approach has been used on higher-capacity AMG engines for some time, but not before on a four-cylinder motor.
As for what the AMG A45 S’s 310kW/500Nm engine represents, let’s start with it being the most powerful 2-litre engine ever to go into serial production.If you would like a few more performance benchmarks, this engine produces more power per litre than the engines of supercars such as the Ferrari 488, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Bugatti Chiron, Aston Martin Valkyrie, and McLaren Senna.
Of course, one doesn’t simply fit this engine into a standard A-Class and hope for the best; there’s extra structural reinforcement to improve torsional rigidity, a wider front track (requiring, in turn, flared wheel arches), sports suspension, a high-performance, and massively up-rated performance brakes.
Power delivery is via an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and AMG’s 4Matic + all-wheel-drive system. In addition to being able to apportion asmuch as 50% of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels, the system adjusts torque delivery between each rear wheel.
What’s it like to look at?
Low key looks or an in-your face statement? The choice is yours.
Pick the former, selecting a conventional colour such as white or silver and ignoring the range of appearance-enhancing options, and you’ll be the owner of an absolute wolf in sheep’s clothing and, in terms of performance relative to price, something of a steal at $111,000.
Or you can go all bold, either item-by-item, or by specifying the special AMG Edition 1 pack, as provided on the test car. For $7990, this adds special 19-inch alloys, AMG decals, and the attention-grabbing combination of sun yellow paint and aerodynamic enhancements, the most prominent of which is a large rear wing.
What’s it like inside?
The Edition 1 pack also adds extra interior kit including AMG performance seats, a special sports steering wheel, combination black and titanium grey leather upholstery with yellow contrast stitching and brushed aluminium highlighting.
These extras give sporting vim to a cabin that is already a standout across the entire A-Class range. Core features such as the dual-screen MBUX infotainment system, layered dashboard, and turbine-like air vents carry straight over to the A45 S, and the already high standard of materials and finish gets a further lift.
The front seats are firm and super-supportive, with plenty of adjustability in the driving position. Sticking with Mercedes’ column-mounted wand-style gear selector may seem odd for a performance car, but it makes sense; when manual shifting is needed, it’s performed using the paddle shift controls nestled behind the wheel.
Extra controls are located beneath the steering wheel spokes to enable the faster selection of the vehicle’s drive modes. Gimmicky at first acquaintance, they quickly prove their worth in day-to-day use.
Unlike bespoke supercars in which luggage space is typically restricted, and rear seats — if provided at all — are an absolute joke, hot hatches count interior practicality in their favour. The AMG A45 S is a case in point; there’s decent head and leg room in the back as well as the front, the cabin features plenty of useful storage cubbies, and the 370-litre boot capacity is the same as a standard A-Class.
What comes as standard?
A full suite of active safety systems, driver aids, connectivity and convenience features are included in the A45 S package. Look the list up online for further details if need be. If you would like a Drivesouth verdict on the quality of the premium Burmester surround sound system, apologies; the car itself sounds so good, I never got around to giving the audio a serious blast.
Standard features that were sampled regularly on test included the array of performance displays on the MBUX screens (a personal favourite being the real-time displays of power and torque).
There is a further set of displays and aids for track day adventures, a launch control system for super-fast starts, and a drift mode that prioritises power delivery to the rear wheels.
As for the regular drive modes, they comprise ‘‘snow’’, normal, sport, sport plus and race, plus the mix-and-match individual mode. Normal mode was favoured for regular round-town driving and open-road ambling. Rather than Sport or Sport +, I selected a programmed individual option at other times, with the engine in race mode, the steering in its most responsive dynamic mode, and the suspension and stability systems in sports settings.
What’s it like to drive?
If your point of comparison is other hot hatches, then with the notable exception of Audi’s slightly less powerful RS3, the AMG 45 S blows them all into the weeds.
As a starting point, the benchmark 0-100kmh sprint in the A45 S takes just 3.9 secs. In-gear acceleration is no less impressive, but you must take care, as it is all too easy to very quickly end up travelling much faster than intended. According to Mercedes-Benz, the A45 S has its top speed limited to a mere 273kmh.
Seriously stretching the legs of this monumentally quick machine on New Zealand roads is, then, a legal impossibility. Experiencing the remarkable way in which it gathers speed from a standing start, or when powering out of tight, slow bends, is eminently achievable though.
While marvelling at the rate the A45 S converts power and torque into velocity, you can also appreciate the smoothness with which it does so. Gearshifts are actually crisper when accelerating hard than when ambling, and the manner in which the all-wheel system and special Michelin tyres optimise straight-line grip is impressive, too.
Running with the engine in sport or full race mode, hard acceleration is accompanied by an aggressive mechanical snarl, while lifting off induces some pleasing crackle and pop from the exhaust. All of that said, the A45 S’s mighty 2-litre turbo does need to hit 3000rpm before producing maximum torque, and its aural sound-track, while first rate, isn’t necessarily best-in-class.
As suggested above taking corners, and the tighter the better, is an invaluable asset when seeking driving rewards in the A45 S on New Zealand roads.
Seemingly inexhaustible limits of lateral grip on dry tarmac are accompanied by superb composure, even when traversing savage mid-corner bumps at speed. Yes, the A45 S will understeer, but only in my experience when intentionally and quite aggressively provoked. Otherwise, AMG’s ultimate hot hatch is a superbly balanced and confidence-inspiring machine, with well-weighted steering and simply brilliant brakes adding further lustre.
A few other points stand out from the ‘‘at the wheel’’ section of my test notes. Unsurprisingly, those low, fat, tyres generate a fair amount of coarse-chip road noise. The vehicle’s standard cycle fuel consumption figure of 8.9l/100km may be achievable with care, of which I took none, and operating in ‘‘normal’’ drive mode, the A45 S manages a neat trick in being a vehicle with near supercar performance that is also eminently usable around town, on a day-to-day basis.
Verdict
The latest AMG A45 S takes the hot hatch genre to a new level and calling it a hot hatch is damning with faint praise. It really is a hyper-hatch, combining supercar-like performance, with memorably assured high performance handling and remarkable everyday practicality.
