After months of teaser videos, engine info being announced and images of test mules doing their final appraisal, the Mercedes-AMG A45 has finally been launched. Mercedes used the high-performance showcase that is the Goodwood Festival of speed to debut its latest hyper hatch.

Bespoke appearance

The Mercedes-AMG A45 models are set apart from lesser-powered siblings by their distinctive front grilles, larger alloys, and model-specific body kit. The latter has been aero-optimised and features a fixed, high-mounted tailgate wing. Look really closely and you will notice the front fenders are wider than other A-Class models.

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Sporty treatment continues in the cabin that features Alcantara-clad seats and steering wheel. There is also a colour trim highlight, as well as several model-specific menus within the car’s infotainment system. Among these are menus that allow the driver to monitor performance parameters (such as acceleration times and G forces) as well as a telemetry mode for drivers who are serious about improving their lap times.

Record-setting

Mercedes-AMG already announced that the A45 will be available in two states of tune. It’s newly developed 2,0-litre turbocharged four-pot produces 285 kW/480 N.m in standard guise and a massive 310 kW/500 N.m in A45 S trim. The latter output makes it the most powerful four-cylinder production engine available on sale anywhere today.

With all-wheel-drive and the transmission’s launch control function the A45 can zip from 0-100 km/h in a claimed 4,0 seconds. The S model takes a sportscar-rivaling 3,9 seconds for the same benchmark sprint. Top speed of the ‘base’ version is 250 km/h, while the S derivative can do 270.

You can tell the two models apart by their alloys. The A45 rides on 18-inch items, while the S rides on 19-inchers. Looks closer and you will see the basic model features grey-painted brake calipers with white AMG lettering while the S-versions are recognisable by larger, red-painted six-piston brake calipers with black AMG lettering.

Sideways action

Power is transferred to all four wheels, as has always been the case with Mercedes-AMG A45 derivatives. In this new model, power is fed through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Mercedes refers to the system as active, fully-variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive. The system allows power to be distributed to the rear axle and selectively to each wheel by AMG torque control. This allows for maximum traction, when required, as well as a spectacular Drift mode.