A 45 S hyper-hatch driven
Explosive hyper-hatch packs the most powerful 2.0-litre ever
THERE’S only one place to start with the new Mercedes-AMG A 45 S: the engine. It’s still a four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbo, but it’s all-new, without a nut or bolt carried over from the last version, and packs a barely believable 415bhp and 500Nm of torque.
It’s the most powerful 2.0-litre engine to find its way into a production car and sees the title of the world’s hottest hatchback return, once again, to Affalterbach. Why so much power in what essentially remains a family hatchback? “Because we can”, Mercedes-AMG engineers proudly claim.
But in the pursuit of ultimate performance and outright speed, has AMG made sacrifices in key areas – namely usability, handling and engagement – that turn a fast hot hatchback into a truly great one?
The short answer is no – not one bit. The first thing you notice, however, is the level of relative comfort. The old A 45 was about as comfortable as a tumble down a flight of stairs, but this time around the improvements to the suspension and chassis, and addition of frequency-selective shock absorbers, mean the A 45 is considerably more forgiving to drive slowly. At least that’s how it felt on our test route around Madrid in Spain; a drive on broken UK B-roads will be the ultimate test.
The A 45’s rate of acceleration is explosive, and coupled with the new, more sophisticated four-wheel-drive system – which can send 50 per cent of the engine’s power to the rear axle – means that not an ounce of power is wasted in wheelspin.
Pin the throttle, and the A 45 hooks up and spits you towards the horizon at an astonishing rate. Mercedes says the car manages 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds, making it faster than the flagship AMG GT sports car. Astonishing for a five-door hatchback.
Peak power doesn’t arrive until 6,750rpm, so it’s a turbocharged engine that really rewards you for wringing it out. It also makes one hell of a noise, thanks to a new sports exhaust, which emits thunderous bangs while you work your way through the rapid eight-speed dual-clutch auto.
You can carry and maintain significant speed through corners thanks to the effectiveness of the four-wheel-drive system – the tyres clinging onto the tarmac like a teenager to an iPhone. That’s thanks to a new twin-clutch set-up on the rear axle that allows all of the power transferred there – 50 per cent – to be sent to either left or right wheel; as you drive, you can feel the system constantly shuffling the power to where it
“Peak power of 415bhp doesn’t arrive until 6,750rpm, so it rewards you for wringing it out”
can be most effectively deployed, keeping progress composed and stable at speed, but also adjustable when you want it to be.
If there is a weak link, it’s perhaps the steering. It’s quite light and not brimming with feel; you drive, on occasion, relying on the invisible but vasts amount of grip served up by the four-wheel-drive system rather than the accuracy of the steering itself.
Calm things down, and the A 45 is a lot more civilised when it comes to everyday driving. It’s quiet at speed, comfortable and a pleasant place to spend time, with a cabin that is by far the best in the class. The A 45 also remains an A-Class at its core, so it retains all of the standard model’s usability. The 370-litre boot is a decent size, although space in the back can’t be described as anything other than adequate for adults.
The A 45 certainly moves the hot hatch game on, no question, but it’s going to cost around £50,000. That’s a huge sum when others, like the Honda Civic Type R, are just as entertaining for far less.