Mercedes keeps teasing the upcoming A45 AMG uber hatch, this time with a new video showing a pair of its prototypes sliding around on ice somewhere in Sweden.
The new flagship version of the A-Class and AMG’s entry-level model has been in development for quite some time now as the Germans aim to turn the new A45 into a technological tour de force in its segment.
With the previous A45 being one of the first “hyper hatches”, Mercedes has hinted more than once that the second generation of the baby AMG will push the boundaries once again.
Tobias Moers, AMG’s boss, has already confirmed that the new A45 will feature an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and an all-new configurable all-wheel drive 4Matic system, complete with a Drift mode to allow the driver plenty of sideways action, as portrayed perfectly in the video linked below.
Power will be provided by an updated version of the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder which is reportedly going to produce 383hp (388PS) in its base version and 416hp (421PS) in the S variant. The technical differences between the A35 and the A45 will be bigger than initially expected, as they’ll include not only a different all-wheel drive system and engine but also a reinforced body-in-white, at least according to the AMG boss.
Packing 400hp in a stock hatchback would sound absurd just a few years ago, but the Merc, Audi RS3 and BMW M2 have created a whole new, and very exciting, niche.