The World’s Most Powerful (Gas) Hot Hatch
In America, the most powerful hot hatch you can get is the Volkswagen Golf R if we’re talking pure combustion only. Its ratings of 328 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque from its 2.0-liter turbo, along with its all-wheel drive system, are enough to propel this compact to 60 mph in under 4.5 seconds.
As impressive as it is, it has nothing on the world’s most powerful gas-fed hot hatch, the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S. It never made it to the U.S, and its 2.0-liter turbo hammers out 416 hp and 369 lb-ft, sending power to all four wheels. The only thing that comes close is the Audi RS 3 Sportback with nearly 400 hp…which also isn’t available stateside.
Still, at least North America got the CLA 45 S, which is effectively the AMG-fied A-Class with a trunk. It made the same amount of power, too, but as the new electric-only AMG CLA rolls out, the boosted four-cylinder will go away soon in both subcompact Benzes.
Mercedes-Benz
The Final Edition
The current generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class isn’t long for this world, as is the AMG A 45 S. Of course, Mercedes isn’t sending off its hottest hatch ever without a party. With that, the company has introduced the Final Edition model, and it’s now available for order in Germany. It should reach other parts of Europe eventually, presumably in limited numbers.
AMG didn’t say how many will be built, although we saw it as a package on top of the standard model in the configurator. It’s an extra €6,074.95 (approx. $6,900) on a car that starts at €62,839.44 (approx. $71,500), so it won’t be cheap, either. But for those who want to spend even more, one can order it with the AMG Aerodynamics Package plus the decals for €10,091.20 on top of the base price.
Mercedes-Benz
The Goodies
From the outside, it gets 19-inch AMG forged wheels finished in matte black, along with a unique center cap design that adds yellow highlights. There’s also no shortage of gloss black and dark chrome elements on the body from the door mirrors and trims, all the way to the exhaust pipes.
Opt for the aero pack, and it adds a more aggressive body kit. At the front is an enlarged front splitter with small canards on the bumper corners, while the rear gets additional aero tweaks on the bumpers and a fixed roof spoiler for more downforce at higher speeds and attention from bystanders.
As for the interior, yellow highlights are the order of the day from the seats and doors to the steering wheel and carpeting. And just to let everyone know that this isn’t an ‘ordinary’ A 45 S, a special emblem resides on the dash. The engine is left untouched, though, not that we’re complaining.
Anton Andres
The Last of Its Kind?
This could well be the very last AMG hot hatch, and it’s not just because of the CLA 45+. It was previously reported that the next-generation A-Class will go back to its roots as a mini MPV. For those who remember, the first two generations were tall, packaging exercises with a three-pointed star until the third generation came with a lower, more hatchback appearance.
With that, it’ll be odd to turn a high-roof hatchback into a sporty model, and an AMG version is looking unlikely. Then again, AMG stuffed its 6.2-liter V8 in the R-Class minivan, so anything is possible.
Mercedes-Benz
