Mercedes-AMG A 45 S: Germans release sharpest Class A

Since December 2018, the Mercedes-AMG division had been raising the revs with what would be one of its great European launches in 2019: the Mercedes-AMG A 45. Even last year, before officially unveiling it, it was camouflaged to Sweden to show how he behaved on snow. Now, the model with the most powerful four-cylinder engine on the market – leaving behind its direct rivals: the Audi RS 3 Sportback and the BMW M2 Competition – debuts in Chile.

In effect, the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S carries the M139 propeller in the first section of the chassis -which we already told you about in 2019- and which is the most capable in the world in its class. The turbocharged 2.0-liter unit produces 421 horsepower (21 Hp more than the Audi and 10 horsepower higher than the BMW) and a maximum torque of 500 Nm between 5,000 and 5,250 rpm. Power is sent to both axles via an eight-speed, dual-clutch AMG Speedshift. In this way, the AMG A 45 S reaches 100 km / h in 3.9 seconds and goes to a maximum of 270 km / h, electronically limited. The homologation speaks of a mixed consumption of 11.2 km / l in mixed regime.

It measures 4,445 mm long, 1,992 mm wide and 1,412 mm high. It is capable of accommodating 370 cubic liters in the boot and weighs a total of 1,635 kilos. The model has the AMG Dynamic Select driving program, which allows configuration in driving modes of ‘Slippery Road’, ‘Comfort’, ‘Sport’, ‘Sport +’ and ‘Race’ with options according to the needs of the driver. An interesting new feature is the new Drift mode to facilitate oversteer. The stability control is disconnectable in three phases.

Aiming towards its radical dynamism, it has the Race Start program for starting from scratch, in addition to the AMG Performance 4MATIC + all-wheel drive system, which distributes the torque between the two axles depending on driving conditions and driving mode. In addition to having AMG Torque Control technology, which distributes the force between the two wheels of the rear axle, thanks to two sets of electronically controlled multi-plate clutches.

“Mercedes-AMG, the sports division of Mercedes-Benz, has developed a completely new concept for its A 45 model, encompassing both the engine and the undercarriage, the body structure and, of course, the design. All with a single purpose, to raise driving dynamism and sportiness to an unimaginable level in the compact category until very recently. With the presentation of this high-powered and highly dynamic model, we underline the importance of this segment in our market, ”said Michael Riebensahm, manager of Kaufmann’s automobile division.

In visual terms, the most powerful of the A-Class is equipped with 19-inch wheels, dressed with 245 mm wide Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires on all four wheels. The front brake discs are 360 ​​mm in diameter, while the rear ones are 330 mm. Also, the brake calipers are red with six pistons at the front and single piston at the rear.

Finally, inside the hatchback is a dynamic non-slip microfiber upholstery and clear aluminum inserts on the instrument panel trim. The sporty aspect is given by its belts in a designo red color, and the steering wheel that has cams and commands that allow you to adjust the driving modes without taking your hands off it.

As for the information, it equips two screens of 10.25 ″. The first one houses the instrument panel, while the second one presides over the infotainment system whose sounds are distributed in the room through 10 speakers. The seats are AMG Performance racing.

Like the other members of the AMG family, the navigation menus have information such as knowing the right moment to change gear, a ‘warm-up’ menu with relevant information on engine and transmission oil temperatures, gauge G-forces, stopwatch or additional data on engine operation, among many others

Sportiness is the central element of the new Mercedes-AMG A 45 S. But, as well as being able to take dynamic capabilities to the extreme, it is also in charge of offering maximum safety to the occupants, which was reflected in obtaining the maximum five-star Euro NCAP score. Regarding the equipment, it has front and side airbags for the driver and passenger, to which airbags for the driver’s knees and curtain are added to all the windows.

As expected, it also includes ABS brakes with BAS emergency brake, ASR traction control and ESP stability control. For long trips or at night, the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S has a fatigue alert system called Attention Assist, which analyzes at least 30 driving parameters, to detect typical symptoms of exhaustion and a lack of driver attention, warning with optical and acoustic signals of the danger of micro-dreams.

The Mercedes-AMG A 45 S has a price in Chile that starts at US $ 66 thousand.