Even in this era of engine downsizing and ever-present fuel economy and emissions regulations, the power wars are alive and well. Audi fired the last shot in the hot hatch arena when it lobbed its RS 3 on the market with a 362-horsepower rating, and now Mercedes-AMG has retaliated with an updated version of its A45 4Matic producing a staggering 376 hp. The updated A45 is the flagship of the 2016 Mercedes-Benz A-Class range, which just underwent a mid-cycle update and is on show this weekend at the Goodwood Festival of Speed ahead of a formal debut at September’s Frankfurt Auto Show.

While there are still no plans to bring the A-Class to the United States, at least with this generation, we’ll see many of the updates filter across to the CLA and GLA models once they undergo their own updates. Yes, look forward to the A45’s extra poke making its way into the CLA45—Motor Authority’s Best Car To Buy 2014.

Power still comes from a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which in addition to producing 376 hp also has a crazy 350 pound-feet of torque on tap. Impressively, boost pressure remains unchanged at 26 psi. Instead, the engine specialists at Mercedes-AMG mainly achieved this increase in power output with a newly configured valve assembly and optimization of the combustion process.

But it’s not just about brute power, as other areas of the car have also been optimized. The revised gear ratios, aerodynamic fine-tuning and the new Dynamic Select driving modes system—with Comfort, Sport, Sport + and Individual modes—all help boost performance to a higher level. According to Mercedse-AMG, the A45 will now reach 62 mph from rest in just 4.2 seconds, which is 0.4 of a second quicker than before.

Maximum traction also on tight bends is ensured by the standard all-wheel drive and the optional front axle locking differential available for the first time. This is part of a Dynamic Plus package that also adds adjustable sports suspension setup with two-stage adaptive damping, as well as a special Race mode for the Dynamic Select driving modes system that turns everything to the max.

Other changes made to the A45 include shorter transmission ratios in 3rd to 7th gear for the standard seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, improved aerodynamics brought about by the revised front spoiler and rear diffuser, and a new multifunction sports steering wheel. The infotainment system has also been updated and includes Apple CarPlay smartphone integration as well as Internet connectivity.


Striking lines, dynamically curved surfaces and a coupe-like profile characterize the exterior of the A-Class. For the latest version, the designers added a new, more arrow-shaped front bumper that more closely resembles the design on the Concept A-Class unveiled in 2011. Also new is the diamond grille pattern, LED headlights, revised graphics in the tail-lights, and new exhaust tips integrated with the bumper.

Inside, the main instrument cluster has been tweaked with new dial graphics and better quality materials have been used for many of the switches. The central display is now a large, free-standing and frameless unit that measures up to 8.0 inches diagonally. New colors and materials as well as new finishes for the trim in the dashboard area round out the changes.

As for the new Motorsport Edition, this gets special turquoise elements on the exterior that match the hue used on the Mercedes AMG F1 livery. Eye-catching details in the interior include the green surrounds of the air vents and the contrasting stitching in green. The sports seats are lined in leather and microfiber trim and also have green decorative strips, as have the seat belts. The Motorsport Edition is available for most variants, though not on the Mercedes-AMG A45.

As mentioned above, the engine lineup has been expanded. The entry-level A160 now gets a 100-hp four-cylinder engine while the range-topping A250 Sport gets a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 215 hp. Above this model sits the 376-hp A45.

In the area of tech, the latest A-Class range gets a revised infotainment system with CarPlay smartphone integration and a more intuitive menu system with improved graphics. There are also extra electronic driver aids including the Attention Assist drowsiness detection system, Distronic Plus distance control system and the Collision Prevention Assist system with autonomous partial braking to reduce the risk of rear-end collisions.

Sales of the updated A-Class range commence in Europe in late September. A similarly updated version of the CLA should follow sometime in 2016.

Aiosa described the A-class sedan's interior as "cutting edge and techy." He said Mercedes could conquest more than half of the A-class sedan's buyers from other brands if the price came in just above or below the $30,000 mark.

Hang on, is the baby Benz allowed a nicer interior than an S-Class?

There’s a new Mercedes-Benz A-Class coming early next year. This is what you’ll find inside. Yes, in the A-Class. The smallest, cheapest Benz. Not the S-Class. Listen carefully: that’s the sound of captains of business and industry gnashing their teeth over a hatchback having as smart-looking a cabin as a limousine…

Most striking is the free-stand widescreen display that, on these top-spec versions, comprises one long section of flush glass. The latest E-Class and S-Class have a similar set-up, but the A-Class goes one better by ditching a hooded cowling over the top. Mercedes reckons it’s worked out how to stop reflection and glare interfering with the displays, so it can make the whole cockpit feel airier and more open by binning the binnacle.

As this is a German car, there are many options. Standard A-Classes use two separated 7-inch screens. Middle versions use a flush-glazed 7-inch and 10.25-inch screen. And these top-spec models pictured get the flush-glazed twin 10.25-inch displays. It’s basically an iPhone X with door mirrors.

Don’t ruin them with smeary fingerprints – these are not touchscreens. A-Class passengers interact with the screens via the newest Comand interface, which has ditched the rotary clickwheel control and now depends solely on a touchpad. Will Mercedes have made a better fist of that than the nightmarishly fiddly Lexus infotainment? We can only hope.

The alloy ‘turbine’ vents? They’re an S-Class carry over. So is the steering wheel with touch-sensitive pads for scrolling’n’swiping. And while the outgoing A-Class suffers from chunks of rough, tinny plastic and cheap detailing, this new version has open-pore wood and reams of ambient lighting (with 64 colours on palette). Good news for the next CLA four-door and GLA crossover, which will inherit this cabin too.

Mercedes has also attempted to solve the problem of the current A-Class being about as spacious and roomy as a brand-new wetsuit. There’s more elbow, shoulder, knee, and headroom for all passengers, and deeper storage too. Apparently you can fit a whole Top Gear magazine in each door pocket. Well, Mercedes says it’s big enough to swallow A4-sized documents, but why would you read anything else?

Finally, we’re told that the boot is up in size 29 litres to 370 litres, and you’ll be able to have heated and cooled seats with pneumatic bolsters to stop you falling into the cupholders mid-corner.

All of which ought to make Audi feel far less smug about its minimalist, crisp A3 cockpit, and have showered several BMW interior design laptops with coffee und pretzel this morning. Unless, of course, you don’t like it?

New A35 will be the cheapest way to own an AMG, and the Golf R's worst enemy

Good news hot hatch fans! AMG will unveil a new entry-level pocket rocket called the A35 in 2018.

At this week’s LA motor how, AMG boss Tobias Moers confirmed to Top Gear that a cheaper, de-tuned version of the A45 AMG will be coming next year to take on the VW Golf R and give customers a cheaper entry point into the brand of juiced up Mercs.

“I see a huge opportunity for the A35,” he said. “It’ll be the A45’s little brother, an engine performance A-Class. The price point will be low, and not everything we can do with the 45 we can afford for the 35.

“But it’s a step into a new segment where we’ve never been present in the past. I have my own approach how to do that; we have to have a close look at the competitors and who is going to be our benchmark. Then we work out what the task is of the A35 in setting the new benchmark.”

Obviously, the four-wheel-drive, 306bhp Golf R is a natural competitor to the A35, which will use a detuned version of AMG’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine from the A45. But don’t forget the Honda Civic Type R, which, with 316bhp ,has plenty of power but a much more engaging chassis and handling than the Golf. With both of those being £30,000 or so, expect the A35 to be in that ballpark – if not a bit more, given the extra plushness Merc should offer.

It’s a product of the now incomprehensible power struggle that’s happened on Planet Hot Hatch over the past few years. With various manufacturers constantly trying to out-power each other, the new A45 (which we’ll see in 2019) has to outpunch the 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine in the Audi RS3 that produces a nice round 400PS, or 395bhp. Enough power to consequently dethrone the A45.

Remember, bhp is AMG’s currency, and it won’t settle for second best, so prepare for the era of 400bhp-plus four-wheel-drive hot hatches that will be way faster than the supercars you loved growing up as a kid. But these hyper hatches are also expensive, with the next A45 probably knocking on the door of nearly £50k. So this is where the A35 comes in.

Just as AMG now offers a smaller C43 AMG version of the C-Class and E-Class (for people who want into the AMG brand, but don’t want the throbbing, thirsty V8 of a ‘63), the A35 will act in the same way for the A45.

While we had him, Tobias also confirmed that next year we’ll see a new engine: the ‘53’. It’ll be AMG’s first step into the world of production mild hybridisation thanks to AMG’s 3.0-litre straight-six engine (as used in the 43 models) pairing up with a 50kW electric motor. The first car to get the petrol-electric treatment will be the CLS 53 AMG which we’ll see at the Detroit show in January.

The CLS 53 leaves enough handy wiggle room to make sure it doesn’t step on the toes of the production version of the four-door GT Concept that’ll we’ll see at the Geneva show next year, which is set to be the hybridisation halo car for AMG saloons. It’s not confirmed, but that should get a proper AMG V8 – probably the same 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 engine borrowed from either the AMG GT or E63 – plus hybrid gubbins attached for even more power.

But where does this leave the good ol’ naturally aspirated engines we know and love from AMG? Well, unfortunately, on death’s door. The V12 could soon be no more.

“The V12 market has changed, and I think it could be that we have to call it ‘done’,” Moers said. “We still have V12 aficionados, but they’re more into Maybach. We don’t need a luxury car like that in our AMG portfolio, so it could be that this is the last generation of V12 AMG S-Class’.”

AMG is expanding its portfolio and engines at such a rate we can barely keep up. But with all this new metal and hardware due next year, plus Project One, it’s definitely a brand to keep your eyes on in 2018.

AMG’s first crack at a hot A-Class is not long for this world. Bye-bye, original hyperhatch

Hot hatchbacks spoil us right now. You may choose from three, four, five or six cylinders, front, rear or all-wheel drive. Manual, auto or dual-clutch. Various configurations of doors, seats, boot sizes. Perhaps a drift mode or some launch control, if you fancy.

And at the senior end of the hot hatch pecking order, you find cars democratising power that has no right living in a hatchback. Truly supercar-humbling performance has arrived in your Asda car park. When The Great Big Book of Hot Hatch History is finally written, it may well be Mercedes-AMG’s first contribution that started the ball rolling. Is the soon-to-die A45 Mk1 the world’s first true hyper-hatch?

Several Mitsubishi Evos and Subaru Imprezas with turbos the size of beach balls and service intervals more frequent than a DFS sale had brought 350bhp+ into a sort-of normal family car before. But the A45 was something different and truly absurd when it first launched back in 2013. A Mercedes-Benz containing the single most powerful four-cylinder engine in the world at that time. Displacing a mere two litres, the 1.8bar turbo-boosted unit developed 355bhp and 327lb ft. It’d be years before the Ford Focus RS got anywhere near that. BMW’s straight-six M135i was blown out of the water.

We’d expect nothing less from AMG’s first crack at a hot hatchback. AMG thrives on outrageous engines, cackling and crackling from under their hand-signed builder’s plaques. It would never have done for AMG to simply have another 2.0-litre turbo with about as much horse as a Golf R. To put AMG on the map in an all-new segment, it had to bring the muscle car noise from its halcyon V8s and distill it into a four-pot. They may have overdone it.

Though the original A45’s motor was impressively tractable for its sheer power density – Scooby and Evo tuners from the early 2000s would’ve wept for this level of on-demand urge – the A45 still took some winding up. Nothing much happened below 3,000rpm, and when the single turbo did wake up and start hauling, the buzzy, parping note hardened as the revs ripped around to a 7,000rpm cutout that actually felt a little pessimistic. It loved to rev.

The engine – like all classic AMGs – dominated the A45 experience. It’s a ball of tightly-wound energy, barely contained in the A-Class’s pocket-sized footprint, and so full of anger. Ironically, it actually brings to mind a Japanese greatest hits album – part Evo, part Type R, garnished with Skyline pace.

Now, if you’re scoffing at my rose-tinted spectacles and thinking I’ve forgotten that the A45 was, erm, flawed, worry not. Merc’s hyper hatch was far from perfect out of the box.

The ride was punishing, the noise droned, and the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox was at a loss to keep up with the engine’s lust for life (which also lead to a monumental appetite for fuel) Especially once the AWD Golf R Mk7 arrived, there was no avoiding the fact the A45 felt slightly flat-footed in comparison. More like a front-drive car with unimpeachable traction than a chassis being pinged out of corners by its rear wheels.

AMG was learning on the fly, so when it came time to facelift the A45, it barely bothered messing around with the car’s ultra-subtle ‘is-that-a-diesel-whoops-it’s-disappeared’ styling. Instead, it massively re-engineered the car.

The gearbox’s software was refreshed for faster shifts, and gears 4, 5, 6, and 7 were all shortened, so the car could carry on chomping the horizon after its initial getaway phase. AMG also added dual-mode dampers as a (popular) option. Comfort mode was about where a Golf R had Sport mode, if you catch my drift, and Sport mode in the AMG was right up there with the Civic Type Rs and RS Meganes of this world for being firmer than a drill sergeant’s mattress.

More choice arrived for your ears too, via a sports exhaust with flaps you could close at the prod of a button. Quiet for leaving your driveway on a 5am airport run, fireworks for the empty B-roads ten minutes later. AMG even introduced a limited-slip diff, so the car would deploy its power more cleanly in a turn. And just to be sure that’d worked, it added more power. Obviously.

This was 2015. By that time, Audi had launched a new RS3 with 367bhp and the A45 was no longer king of the German powerhaus hatches. Noses suitably out of joint, new valvetrain components and timing plus adjusted turbo settings amped up the A45 to a dizzying 376bhp and 350lb ft. Yes, this dumpy hatch had more grunt than the F355, the loveliest sports car ever made by Ferrari.

As a result, Mercedes claimed its chief A-Class could scorch from 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds – almost half a second quicker than before. Never has a 155mph top speed limiter been in more danger in a shopping car.

Pace was a given, but what the tweaked A45 now had was bandwidth. It hadn’t gone soft, but by twiddling the Drive Select knob and toggling your settings, you could alter the A45’s furious-to-incandescent character more finely. No longer was this just ‘An Engine Car’.

It had tenacious turn-in, cocked its inside rearwheels in tight switchbacks, and with a swift lift mid-corner, at last the chassis felt less locked-down. The genius of the later A45 was despite its certifiably bonkers engine, it had deeper layers of character and ability to enjoy elsewhere. Smarter gearbox, too.

You can tell the engineers had a laugh creating the A45. I think you can also detect that the team behind it enjoyed having a different set of rivals to contend with. Usually, AMG will be blinkered by what Audi RS, BMW M and Porsche is up to. For the A45, they had to consider Fords, Renaults and Seats. And, if the result was to justify a price well over £40k (and north of fifty grand with the juicier options ticked), be more frenetic than the lot of them.

Over the years, Top Gear’s pitched the A45 into battle against its VW and Audi nemeses, and gawped in wonder as the RS3 has seen and raised AMG’s hand all over again. A new, roomier A-Class, complete with a quite exquisite, mini-S-Class cabin is now imminent, and there’ll be two AMG versions to investigate. First, late in 2018, AMG boss Tobias Moers has promised a circa-300bhp A35 model, to keep the R, Audi S3, Honda Civic Type R and Renaultsport Megane looking lively.

Next year, we’re expecting the results of a project codenamed ‘Predator’. That’ll be the new A45, complete with a four-cylinder engine developing over 400bhp, the AMG GT-R’s Panamericana grille, ultra-low ride height and designs on a new hot hatch lap record at the Nürburgring. Lawd knows how Audi, Ford and the rest will respond, but the hyper-hatch segment isn’t going off the boil any time soon, so the first A45 has an awful lot to answer for. Farewell old friend.

You’ve seen the interior. Now stare into the new baby Benz’s eyes...

Mercedes has teased the new A-Class so much the poor thing ought to sue for bullying. Here’s the latest in the drip-feed: a shadowy image of the new car’s face.

Very akin to the new CLS’s face, we think you’ll agree. Similar angular headlights, an almost Aston Martin-shaped grille with a dinnerplate-sized Mercedes star front and centre, and AMG-ish lower grilles. More handsome than the outgoing A-Class, we’d venture. How about you?

While Mercedes has been relentlessly teasing the new A, it’s also let slip some details about the imminent Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series rival. It’s bigger, for one thing, to answer widespread condemnation of the current A-Class’s cabin space (there isn’t any).

There’ll be a plug-in hybrid version soon, which will please tech-minded folk almost as much as the stunning interior, complete with twin 12.3-inch freestanding screens in top-spec versions. The A-Class is also the first Mercedes to get a clickwheel-free version of the Comand infotainment centre. Your move, Maybach.

Naturally, the versions we’re looking forward to most will carry the letters ‘A’, ‘M’ and ‘G’ on their rapidly disappearing tailgate. First up, by the close of 2018, we’ll get an AMG A35, according to performance arm boss Tobias Moers. It’ll be a 300bhp-plus entry-level AMG, which will duel the Audi S3 and VW Golf R – not to mention the best hot hatches from Hyundai and Honda. There’s an embarrassment of talent in the £30k hot hatch segment right now. Dare you enter, A-Class?

Then, in 2019, comes the successor to the feral AMG A45. The new white-hot A is set to stick it to the Audi RS3 by offering over 400bhp from a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, and thanks to all-wheel drive (which AMG is on a roll with right now), a quicker paddleshift gearbox and ultra-low ground-effect ride height, seems ready to rip up the hot hatch rulebook. All over again.

Before that, there’s surely more teasing to come. Roll on the big reveal at the Geneva motor show in March…

The new Mercedes-Benz A-Class is as youthful and dynamic as ever, but grown-up and comfortable like never before. It completely redefines modern luxury in the compact class, and revolutionises interior design. Technologically the new A-Class not only takes first place thanks to MBUX - Mercedes-Benz User Experience: it also offers a number of functions that were previously the preserve of the luxury class. In certain driving situations, it is able to drive semi-autonomously for the first time, and MULTIBEAM LED headlamps are available on request. All models of the new A-Class are also powered by new, efficient diesel and petrol engines, and although Mercedes-Benz has retained the sporty appearance, the utility value has increased.

"With the fourth generation of the A-Class, we are redefining modern luxury in the compact class. To do this we have opted for a combination of uncompromisingly dynamic design and an intuitive operating concept," says Britta Seeger, the member of the Daimler AG Board of Management responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars sales. "With MBUX - the new Mercedes-Benz User Experience - we are creating a completely new customer experience."

"New technologies must place the focus on people and make their lives easier. The new A-Class does this in many ways, and becomes an emotional and intelligent companion," says Ola Källenius, the member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars. "One good example is MBUX - Mercedes-Benz User Experience: it combines intuitive and natural operation with intelligent, learning software."

"The new A-Class embodies the next stage in our design philosophy of Sensual Purity and has the potential to usher in a new design era," says Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer Daimler AG. "With clear contours and sensual surfaces, we present high-tech that awakens emotions. Form and body are what remain when creases and lines are reduced to the extreme. The interior represents modern luxury at a level previously unattained in this class, and translates intelligent technology into an emotional overall experience."

In 2012, Mercedes-Benz decided to turn the A-class from a high-roof hatchback (with a sandwich-floor layout designed for electrification) into a much lower, wider, and longer compact car with decidedly sporting aspirations. At the time, the move seemed slightly counterintuitive. But it has proved to be the correct decision: The current A-class has become a huge global success, it has spawned an entire family of models including the CLA and the GLA, and it has rejuvenated the brand’s image considerably among younger clientele.

Highs: Sporty looks, unsurpassed infotainment system, excellent overall dynamics.
Lows: Nondescript engine sound, no manual transmission.

Now Mercedes is launching the second generation of “the new A-class,” which actually is the fourth generation overall. It is slightly bigger and even sportier than the outgoing model. And, for the first time, it will be offered in the United States as a four-door sedan—in addition to the CLA “four-door coupe.” We were offered the chance to drive the new A-class hatch in Europe, and even though this version won’t be sold in the U.S. (but it will be in Canada), it offers valuable insight into what we can expect once the sedan launches here.

Outside, the model has lost a bit of the predecessor’s cheekiness, and the new A-class looks a lot more serious. The aggressive upward kink on the flanks is gone, and the car now features a distinct wedge shape, with a front end that closely resembles that of the larger CLS.

Photos of the U.S.-market A-class sedan have not yet been released, but we can safely assume it will be visually aligned with the China-market A-class sedan, which was revealed there in April. That version has a slightly longer wheelbase than ours will, though.

While the A-class is pleasant to look at outside, it’s even better inside. The sporty, aggressively styled seats make a great first impression, but it is the dashboard that steals the show. Even low-spec models have two seven-inch TFT screens, with one in place of traditional gauges and one in the center of the dash. The cars we drove had the top-of-the-line configuration consisting of two 10.3-inch displays, which probably is the most futuristic-looking instrumentation currently available in a compact car.


Maybe even in any car, as Mercedes-Benz has brazenly decided to walk away from the usual top-down approach and has fitted its best and most recent infotainment system called MBUX in its entry-level offering. The A-class, in that way, beats the S-class.

One of the most novel elements is the way the driver can communicate with the car. Use the voice-recognition system (which can be activated by saying “Hey, Mercedes”) to make almost any car-related request, and the A-class has an informative answer—or a cheeky one. Try saying, “I love you,” or asking, “What do you think of BMW?” and you’ll get some interesting replies.

There is more, such as the backlit dashboard and air vents, which look as if they were taken straight out of an S-class coupe. And while other compact cars studiously avoid wood decor in order to not be seen as stodgy, the A-class can be specified with beautiful, opulent wood trim—at least in Europe—and it doesn’t look a bit old-fashioned.

We spent most of our time in cars powered by the redesigned, turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, a U.S.-bound engine that is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Rated at 221 horsepower, it moves the A-class with considerable authority; Mercedes quotes a zero-to-62-mph time of 6.2 seconds, and top speed is a lofty 155 mph. We wish the engine sounded a bit sportier, though. But it needs to leave space for two Mercedes-AMG models (rumored to be called A35 and A45), which will make around 300 and 400 horsepower and will be positioned well above the A250.

The chassis has no trouble whatsoever in sending the torque to the road. There is a strut front suspension and a multilink rear setup in upper trims (entry-level models in Europe have a torsion-beam rear suspension). Adjustable dampers are optional, as is 4Matic all-wheel drive. The front-drive A250 that we drove was tossable and a hoot to pitch into corners; the steering is precise and perfectly weighted. Driven more sensibly, it’s a comfortable and quiet long-distance cruiser. The chassis filters out poor road surfaces, the seats are pleasantly comfortable, and there is plenty of head- and legroom both up front and aft.

Our time behind the wheel of the new A-class seems to reinforce Mercedes-Benz’s acuity in moving beyond its traditional strength in premium sedans and focusing on the compact segment. We look forward to experiencing our version.

It’s been months since we’ve seen the Mercedes-AMG A35 Sedan but spy photographers have managed to snap new pictures of the Audi S3 competitor.

Dressed in heavy camouflage, the performance-oriented model has a familiar design which closely echoes the A-Class L Sedan which was unveiled at Auto China earlier this year. Despite the styling similarities, the A35 features a sport-tuned suspension which lowers the vehicle’s ride height. The car has also been equipped with an upgraded braking system that features cross drilled discs and larger calipers.

While the A-Class L Sedan gives us a pretty good idea of what to expect on the styling front, Mercedes has previously said the model was developed exclusively for the Chinese market. As the L name suggests, the sedan is longer than the standard variant as its wheelbase stretches 2,789 mm (9.1 feet). This is 60 mm (2.3 inches) longer than the mainstream sedan.

The A35 will be shorter than the A-Class L but it should share a similar cabin. As a result, we can expect a high-tech interior with two displays that measure 7- or 10.25-inches. Drivers will also find circular air vents, metallic accents and a push-button ignition. There should also be an assortment of AMG styling cues including a sport steering wheel, special trim and plenty of AMG badging.

Mercedes has been dropping a few hints about the model and AMG CEO Tobias Moers recently confirmed the car will have a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that develops “more than 300 hp (223 kW / 304 PS).” This will enable the model to slot comfortably between the A250 – which has 221 hp (165 kW / 224 PS) – and the upcoming A45 / A50 which will have over 400 hp (298 kW / 405 PS).

It’ll produce more than 400 horsepower.

We know the Mercedes-AMG A45 hatchback is coming to go head-to-head with the Audi RS3 Sportback that's inevitably waiting to race to see which is the fastest. And AMG boss Tobias Moers hasn't exactly been quiet about the new car either. Details about the A45 and A35 – its less-powerful sibling – aren't much of a secret.

AMG is designing the next A45 as a new benchmark for hot hatches. That means AMG engineers are developing a new turbocharged four-cylinder engine capable of producing more than 400 horsepower. Now, the A45 creates 381 hp, and while that's plenty to grant it the coveted status of a hot hatch, it's not enough for the new car. The 381-hp engine currently in the AMG is at its performance maximum.

We've seen the A45 before, but this time, there appear to be some differences from the previous spy photos we've seen. The most notable difference is the rear fascia. While the quad exhaust remains, the overall design of the bumper is different. The previous spy photos depict a more aggressive bumper rear while this one appears relatively plain. These new photos could be of an older prototype, too. Even with the camouflage, the car looks super aggressive. The lower ride height is enough to give away the hatch's true performance intentions.

AMG may be reaching for the stars when it comes to being the hot-hatch benchmark. However, it looks like it'll have some serious competition from the 2020 Volkswagen Golf-R, which is rumored to produce 400 hp through a mild-hybrid powertrain. That's the same performance turf AMG wants to plant its flag with the A45. Though AMG may surpass the Golf-R's performance with its own hybrid powertrain that would be even more powerful than the A45.

It's unlikely the U.S. will get the AMG A45 in its hatchback form. However, we will get the sedan version of the A-Class and its performance variants. We'll see the next-generation A45 before the end of the decade.