We have info on the power outputs of two hot new Mercedes-AMG A45 models.

When Mercedes-AMG launched the A45 hatch a few years ago it changed the game completely. The most unlikely candidate had taken over from the likes of the Subaru STi as the most powerful production hatchback one could buy brand new.

Rip snorter

When Mercedes-AMG launched the original A45 it had 265 kW of power on tap. When the model was facelifted that number was bumped up to 280 kW. Those figures were made from a turbocharged inline four. When the new A-Class debuted earlier this year there was no AMG version. Subsequently, the company released the Mercedes-AMG A35, which you can read about by clicking here. This was a stop-gap until the eventual apex version arrived.

Read our A250 driving review here.

Insider info

The latest Mercedes-AMG A45 will make its world debut early in 2019. We have information from sources close to the brand that confirm power outputs… yes, multiple. There will be two A45 derivatives added to the line-up; a normal version and a hotter ‘S’ variant, as is the case with most AMG range-toppers. The “regular” A45 will produce 285 kW from a mildly massaged version of the engine that did duty in the outgoing model. The ‘S’ will have an incredible 310 kW from a similar version of the same 1 991 cm3 motor.

That power output gives it roughly a 100 kW advantage over a Golf R and Audi S3, not to mention 8 kW over the BMW M2 Competition. The latter uses a 3,0-litre inline six to produce 302 kW. The Mercedes-AMG A45 isn’t some one-off tuner special, this is a car you can buy off the showroom floor that comes with a manufacturer warranty.

Power will be delivered to all four corners through a dual-clutch transmission, as was the case before. New for the next generation A45 is a drift mode. As you can see in the video below the hottest hatch can send excess power to the rear axle, allowing tail-out antics for those who can. And, no doubt, expensive repair bills for those who can’t…

You can see the car in proper drifting action in the video below: