Backstory: Mercedes Benz India back in 2013 launched the much-awaited A-Class in India however with only the regular luxury-oriented trims and engine options which did manage to make you smile when pushed but could not scare the bejesus out of you. The A-Class was discontinued a few years later when the CLA and GLA entered and ate up the tiny share of sales it was surviving on.
Today: 2021 saw the launch of the A-Class Limo, with the A35 AMG being launched alongside the entry-level performance star you can buy. The A35 has been fairly successful so far thanks to its well-balanced setup, however, it missed the madness AMGs usually showcase.
A45s AMG: Mercedes Benz saw this and has decided to bring down their hottest production hatchback in the form of a CBU A45s AMG equipped with the most powerful 2.0 4 cyl turbo production engine pushing out 421 hp and 500 nm, a whole 115 hp and 100 nm more than the A35 sedan. However, all this extra power comes at a steep expected price of 75-80 lakhs compared to the 56 lakh ex-showroom tag on the less powerful A35.
The car in its flesh is essentially the A-Class hatchback with not a sprinkle but a huge serving of AMG masala in the form of the upgraded engine, power to all 4 wheels (4Matic), an 8-speed multi-clutch auto box with AMG torque control function that separates electronically controlled clutches within the rear axle to vary the amount of drive sent to each individual rear wheel. To stop all this power, are upgraded brakes to 360mm front and 330mm rear discs, with red painted six-pot front and one-pot rear calipers.
The bodywork gets upgrades as well, with it wearing the latest generation Mercedes face with the Panamerica AMG grille, larger intakes on the bumpers, highlighted and enhanced aero elements, an integrated splitter, a roof-mounted rear wing, and a dual twin-exit exhaust to finish the look off. It also features gorgeous 19-inch AMG-only wheels which fill up the wider arches beautifully which are 54mm wider than the A35 AMG.
The interior gets minor tweaks and still manages to wow you with its 10.25-inch screen, however it is the aggressive sport seats up front that make you want to drive even faster.
Is this the A-Class India always wanted and will it finally start the hot hatch culture here?
written by Aakash Kalro
