Audi’s RS Q3 aces rival SUVs with its 400hp 2.5-litre turbo five-pot engine.
Wasn’t that look only reserved for the top ones?
It was, but not anymore. For the first time, Mercedes-AMG has given the Panamericana look to a “35” model of its latest compact car family.
The GLB35, a second-from-top model producing 306hp from the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol-turbo used in the A35 sedan/hatch and the CLA35 coupe/estate, gets a front grille with vertical slats from the full-fat “45” ones.
But unlike all other 35s using a seven-speed dualclutch automatic transmission, the GLB35 receives a newer eight-speeder. The all-wheel-drive system is the same as in the rest, though, shuffling torque between the front and rear axles.
Mercedes-AMG says the GLB35 can go from zero to 100kph in 5.2 seconds. To play along with its racy intentions, the biggest wheel size available is 21 inches. The interior has a sporty tone, thanks to the use of brushed alloy and carbonfibre-like trim.
Will the GLB go 45?
Given how Mercedes-AMG is aggressively expanding its compact car portfolio at the moment, there’s a good chance that the GLB will spawn an even more powerful version.
A potential GLB45, chasing the Audi RS Q3 as reported in the main story on this page, should be using the same 421hp unit seen in the A45s and CLA45s. The 0-100kph acceleration time should fall below five seconds.
It can’t be confirmed yet when the GLB35 will be coming to Thai shores. But before that happens, the GLB with more basic engines should arrive first, most likely at the year’s end at the earliest.
BMW makes a 306hp model of the X2 called M35i, but it’s not being imported to Thailand on an official basis. The 192hp 20i version sells for 2,969,000 baht.