Mercedes-AMG Set To Bring The Hardcore A45 S Hot Hatch To India On Novemeber 17

• 2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine makes 422PS and 500Nm, paired to a 8-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission and a 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive system.

• Can hit 0-100kmph in 3.9 seconds with a top speed of 270kmph.

• Other performance trickery includes six driving modes, beefy brakes, and a re-engineered steering wheel rack.

• Features aggressive bumpers, a Panamericana front grille, side skirts, a roof-mounted spoiler, 19-inch alloy wheels, and quad exhausts.

• Cabin gets sports front seats, stainless steel pedals, and driver-focused MBUX screens.

• Likely to be a CBU unit which could fetch a price tag of around Rs 75 lakh (ex-showroom, India). 

When Mercedes-Benz launched the A-Class Limousine in March this year, it replaced the A-Class hatchback. Well now, Mercedes is set to bring it back with a firecracker bang, in the form of the AMG A45 S hot hatch on November 17. First unveiled at the Goodwood Festival Of Speed in 2019, it could be one of the most powerful hatchbacks in the country.

Since we’re talking performance, that is of course the main highlight of the A45 S. An ‘M139’ 2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 422PS power and 500Nm torque is claimed to be the most powerful four-cylinder production vehicle in the world. Paired to an 8-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission and a 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive system, the A45 S can do the 0-100kmph sprint in just 3.9 seconds with a top speed of 270kmph.

The fun factor doesn’t end there, as the AMG A45 S comes with six different driving modes that adjust aspects such as driver assists, torque figures, gear shift timings and cylinder compression. They include, Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport +, Individual and RACE. Braking prowess is aided by 360mm front and 330mm rear discs, with red painted six-pot front and one-pot rear calipers. The steering rack has been re-engineered steering with a variable ratio and two different software maps, depending on the driving mode. All this is to increase precision according to Mercedes. 

A performance hatch has to look the part, and the AMG A45 S does just that with the AMG-specific Panamericana front grille, flared wheel arches, aggressive bumpers with large air intakes, roof-mounted spoiler and quad exhausts. Complementing the design are 19-inch, 5-spoke wheels.  The cabin remains quite similar with the twin 10.25-inch MBUX displays that now display engine data, and also lets you select driving modes. Other changes include sports front seats in black ARTICO man-made leather and DINAMICA microfiber upholstery, as well as stainless steel pedals.

 

While the Mercedes-Benz A45 S hot hatch is a great addition for India, it’ll likely be a CBU import which should translate into a hefty price tag likely around the Rs 75 lakh (ex-showroom, India) mark. At the moment, it doesn’t have any direct rivals in India, so it will be a niche hardcore hot hatch offering.