This is the A45 AMG, Mercedes' first ever hot hatch and, with 335bhp, the most powerful hot hatch ever made.
The A45 AMG is Mercedes' answer to the BMW M135i and the Audi RS3, and will cost from around £36,000 when order books open in March.
The A-Class has been around for about fifteen years now, but this is the first time Mercedes has deigned to allow the boffins at AMG to work their magic on the baby Merc. Until now, the smallest AMG-powered car in the Mercedes range was the £58,000 C63 AMG.
And, for the first time in an AMG-badged car, the A45 AMG has a four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbocharged engine. It doesn't sound like much on paper, but Mercedes claims that the A45's lump produces more horsepower-per-litre than any production car.
The car gets a new AMG 4Matic all-wheel-drive system and a seven-speed automatic gearbox which changes gears at the same speed as the gearbox fitted to the SLS. With launch control, 0-62mph takes just 4.6 seconds -- faster than a Porsche 911 Carrera -- and, flat out, the Mercedes will hit an electronically-ordained top speed of 155mph.
Thankfully, AMG has also fitted uprated brakes and suspension, so the A45 should stop and steer like an AMG car should.
Mercedes is adamant that the A45 is a 'true' AMG model and, from the outside, it certainly looks every bit the pocket rocket. AMG has given the car a new 'twin blade' radiator grille, cooling ducts, an AMG rear apron, twin chrome-tipped exhaust pipes and AMG light-alloy wheels.
It's the same story on the inside too. The A45 gets sports seats trimmed in man-made leather with red contrasting stitching, a multi-function steering wheel and a race timer. The dashboard is also made to look like carbon-fibre.
So if you're looking to spend between £35,000 and £40,000 on a hot hatch, your decision just got a little more complicated.
Audi RS3, Mercedes A45 AMG or BMW 1 Series M Coupe? What's it to be?
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