The Mercedes-AMG A45 S hot hatch packs impressive performance into a family-friendly package. The hot hatch formula of accessible performance is nothing new, but never before has a hot hatch been so capable. Don’t believe me? Watch an A45 S lap the Nurburgring at a supercar shaming pace.
Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 7.48,8 min | Nordschleife HOT LAP Supertest
The Mercedes-AMG A45 S is an impressive piece of kit. This hot hatch is powered by a relatively pedestrian sounding 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 cylinder but the power this unit produces is astonishing. The A45 S’s little inline-4 produces 415 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque making it the most powerful four-cylinder engine in production.
The A45 S uses an AMG tuned 4Matic all-wheel-drive system to put this impressive power to the pavement as well as a series of clever electronic aids to vector torque between wheels. This all-wheel-drive system allows the A45 S to produce some seriously impressive corner exist speeds thanks to its ability to put the torque down. Power is routed through AMG’s 8-Speed dual-clutch transmission which helps the A45 S catapult from 0 to 60 in only 3.9 seconds.
When it comes to on-track performance the A45 S’s time of 7 minutes and 48 seconds is quite impressive, especially when you consider all of the cars it beats. This lap time matches a Porsche 911 GT3 RS which ran a 7 minutes 48 second time in 2007 as a 996.1 generation car. The little hatch beats out a BMW M4 which ran a 7 minute 52 second time and a Caterham R500 SuperLight that ran a 7 minute 55 second time.
When you consider the Mercedes-AMG A45 S is a perfectly capable daily driver with the usability of a hatchback and the performance of a supercar, it becomes an even more compelling product.
