Details of the new AMG version of the Mercedes A-Class - dubbed the A45 AMG - have been dug out by
our newshound colleagues over on Autocar magazine
There's been word on a hot AMG version of the A-Class to go head to head with the likes of the forthcoming M135i and Audi RS3 for some time, and now we can put a little meat on the bones of the rumour.
Seems that the new car will be powered by a 330hp turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder motor (part developed by AMG's High Performance Engine offshoot in Brixworth), making it the most powerful four-cylinder engine Mercedes has put into a production car. There's no word on torque, but it's expected to outstrip the 332lb ft of torque from the 2.5-litre turbo five found in the
RS3
. With the 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo of the
M135i
making 320hp, that could make the Mercedes effectively the most powerful car in its class.
Power wheel be transferred to all four wheels via a twin-clutch gearbox and a Haldex-alike multi-plate clutch four-wheel drive system, and we can expect 0-60mph sprint times of less than five seconds.
The new car is expected to be around £32,000 when it goes on sale next year.
There's not much more official information around yet, but expect but we'll know more on it - and about the spec in detail - when the car is officially unveiled later this week.