We had previously reported exclusively that Mercedes-Benz will be bringing the AMG A45 S hatchback to India just in time for Diwali. Now, Mercedes has announced that the price of the AMG A45 S in India will be announced on November 17. The Mercedes-AMG A45 S holds the distinction of being the world’s most powerful hatchback with a firecracker of an engine under its hood. It will come to India as a Completely Built Unit (CBU) and will be sold in limited numbers.
- A45 S gets world’s most powerful 4-cylinder production engine
- Will come to India as a CBU in limited numbers
- Expected to be priced around Rs 75 lakh-80 lakh (ex-showroom)
Mercedes-AMG A45 S: exterior and interior design
The AMG A45 S will notably bring back the hatchback body style to the A-Class in India – the new-gen A-Class was so far only available as a sedan. The difference in body style aside, the A45 S looks more aggressive and sporty, even over the A35 sedan with an AMG Line trim, thanks to the full-blown AMG treatment.
In particular, the face looks a lot sportier with the signature AMG Panamericana grille, a well-sculpted and muscular bonnet and sportier looking front bumper with larger air dams and an integrated splitter. At the rear, the A45 S distinguishes itself with a pronounced rear diffuser and quad-exhaust pipes. Notably, the A45 S sits much wider than the A35 sedan – 54mm to be precise – thanks to its wider tracks. That also gives the hatch a hunkered down and squat stance. It rides on AMG-specific 19-inch alloy wheels that gracefully fill up the flared wheel arches.
On the inside, the overall design remains more or less unchanged from the A35 sedan with the same twin 10.25-inch displays crowning the dashboard. It, however, gets an AMG-spec steering wheel and sporty bucket seats up front.
Mercedes-AMG A45 S: engine and mechanicals
The highlight of the AMG A45 S is obviously its engine. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol unit putting out a massive 421hp and 500Nm of torque is the world’s most powerful turbocharged four-cylinder series production engine. The engine comes mated to an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox with power being sent to all four wheels via the 4Matic all-wheel drive system. The A45 S features six driving modes – Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Slippery, Individual and Race.
Globally, Mercedes-Benz also sells a lower-spec standard AMG A45 hatchback with 387hp on tap, but it will be the full-blown S version that would land on our shores. Compared to the A35 sedan that’s already on sale, the A45 S boasts a bump in power of 115hp and 100Nm of torque.
Mercedes-Benz claims the A45 S can sprint from 0-100kph in just 3.9 seconds and has a top-speed limited to 270kph. The 4Matic system on the A45 S comes with a multi-plate clutch that features an AMG torque control function, separating electronically controlled clutches within the rear axle to vary the amount of drive sent to each individual rear wheel. The A45 S also comes with upgraded brakes in the form of 360mm front and 330mm rear discs, with six-pot front and one-pot rear calipers painted in red. AMG has also re-engineered the steering and suspension setup for a sportier and more engaging drive experience.
Mercedes-AMG A45 S: expected price and rivals
Unlike the AMG A35 sedan that’s locally assembled in India, the A45 S, being a CBU, we estimate its ex-showroom price to be in the region of Rs 75 lakh-80 lakh, thanks to high levels of custom duty. That said, the A45 S is quite literally a pocket rocket and does not have any direct rivals here.
Also See:
2019 Mercedes-AMG A 45 S image gallery
Mercedes-Benz India begins selling cars directly to customers