Mercedes-AMG Confirms A45 Will Be a True Rocket, Leaks Details on A35

Matt Posky
by Matt Posky

When details of the 2019 Mercedes-AMG A35 hatchback prematurely hit the web last month, it looked like the model was ready to give the Volkswagen Golf R and Audi S3 a hard time. However, the 306 horsepower and 295 foot-pounds of torque generated by its turbo 2.0-liter wouldn’t be enough to outright murder them on the open road. Fortunately, the leak included unconfirmed rumors that the A45 definitely could.

Following its debut at this Paris Motor Show this week, we learned that everything we already knew about the A35 turned out to be true, though the A45 remains draped in relative mystery. AMG lifted the veil just a bit, teasing out a few details on the upcoming model — emphasizing how terrible it will make the old A45 seem by comparison.

“The 45, the next-generation 45 is an all-new story,” Tobias Moers, chairman of Mercedes-AMG’s management board, told CarAdvice in Paris. “It has a lot of improvements including the chassis, a brand new four-wheel drive system, there’s nothing common with what you know today,” he said.

Moers confirmed the rumor that the A45 will surpass 400 horsepower, adding that engine output isn’t even the most exciting aspect of the car.

“The chassis compared to today … it’s unbelievable. We have various suspension in the car and it’s an improvement in every perspective. There’s more comfort, more rigidity in every way, so we put a lot of effort into the body in white. There’s lots of reinforcement and it fits perfectly,” he elaborated. “Okay, you can go sideways with it.”

Outgoing A45’s have an all-wheel drive system capable of distributing up to 50 percent of the vehicle’s power to the rear axle (just like the new A35). But the new A45 is said to do far better, tapping into something akin to the drift mode found on the Mercedes-AMG E63 S.

“We have really cool features. Much more emotional,” Moers said. “We have a dedicated super sport kind of screen there that I personally put a lot of effort into designing. You have track pace and everything in the application.”

It’s basically going to be the A35, but with more of everything, including forward gears. The A45 will come from the factory with an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, while the A35 receives a 7-speed DTC. If you’re wondering how fast it’ll be, Mercedes’ official stats for the “lesser” A-Series AMG put it at 4.7 seconds from 0-62 mph with an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph — so, significantly quicker than that. We’re guessing Daimler won’t bring out anything that couldn’t reach acceptable highway speeds in under 4 seconds.

We still don’t know whether or not the A45 will make its way to the U.S. market, but the A35 will get here once Mercedes rejiggers it into a sedan. We’ll give you a comprehensive rundown on it when the time comes.

[Images: Daimler]

Matt Posky
Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

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  • Alex S Alex S on Oct 05, 2018

    Currently hot hatchbacks are the best driving cars in the market. As they get bigger, more luxurious, more powerful or even electric they wil start to gain popularity in the US as long as you call them high performance crossover.

    • Lockstops Lockstops on Oct 06, 2018

      Best driving cars in the market? What? Front-wheel drive chassis? Small turbo engines? No.

  • Ernest Ernest on Oct 07, 2018

    Oh goodie- another chance to buy a Civic-sized hatchback for 1.5-2x what I paid for the Charger. No.

    • See 2 previous
    • Matzel Matzel on Oct 08, 2018

      @Lockstops The Charger (like the 300/Magnum/Challenger), built on the rear-wheel drive Chrysler LX/LD platform, is rich with components derived from the W211 Mercedes-Benz E-Class of 2003 to 2009.. Shared components include the rear suspension design, front seat frames, wiring harnesses, steering column, and a derivative of the 4Matic all-wheel drive system. It’s solid but aged. The safety tech and MBUX in the new A-Class is cutting edge.

  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
  • Carson D The UAW has succeeded in organizing a US VW plant before. There's a reason they don't teach history in the schools any longer. People wouldn't make the same mistakes.
  • B-BodyBuick84 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport of course, a 7 seater, 2.4 turbo-diesel I4 BOF SUV with Super-Select 4WD, centre and rear locking diffs standard of course.
  • Corey Lewis Think how dated this 80s design was by 1995!
  • Tassos Jong-iL Communist America Rises!
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