Mercedes is working on a new A-Class. And you know what that means, hot hatch fans: that’s right, a new AMG version as well. But there won’t be just one – there’ll be two.
While the new A45 will go up against the Audi RS3, there’ll be an A35 version as well – spotted here while undergoing testing at the company’s headquarters in Sindelfingen, Germany – to target the S3.
That much we already know, but the latest word has it that the “warm hatch” will get a mild hybrid powertrain – expected to be the 2.0-liter turbo four we’ve already seen in the new E350 coupe and cabrio.
The engine features a 48-volt EQ Boost system that bridges the gap between what we think of as conventional and hybrid powertrains. In the aforementioned E-Class models, it produces nearly 300 horsepower and almost as much torque.
We’d expect about the same in the A35, putting it in good company alongside the Audi S3 with its 292 hp (compared to the RS3’s 400) and the 335-hp BMW M240i (slotting in under the M2’s 365).
There’s a sedan version of the new A-Class slated to reach the United States, which could see similar specifications as well.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops
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