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December 5, 2014
Geneva On-Site Report | Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG Edition 1 | Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG Edition 1
The most powerful hot hatch in Mercedes-Benz history, the "A45 AMG," makes its world premiere.
Opened on March 5thGeneva International Motor Show 2013. On the evening of the 4th, before the show's opening, Mercedes-Benz held the AMG Media Night at a special venue near the exhibition hall. The first compact model from AMG,the "A 45 AMG"was unveiled for the first time. A report from Satoshi Shiomi on location.
Text by SHIOMI Satoshi
The smallest "AMG" also prioritizes the Japanese market
The "A 45 AMG" is a high-performance model based on the"A-Class", which was also released in Japan last year. AMG has incorporated a high-tuned 2-liter inline-4 turbo engine, the AMG Speedshift 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, and a newly developed 4MATIC system for the transverse engine, creating a high-performance model.
Similar to the traditional 12- and 8-cylinder AMG engines, the principle of "one man, one engine" is applied to the A 45 AMG's 4-cylinder engine, where a single mechanic hand-assembles each engine and attaches a signed nameplate to the head cover as proof of their responsibility.
This engine boasts world-class power specifications for a mass-produced 2-liter engine, with a maximum output of 360 ps/6,000 rpm (181 hp per liter) and a maximum torque of 450 Nm/2,250-5,000 rpm, while achieving fuel economy of 6.9-7.1 L/100 km (14.5-14.1 km/L) in the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) combined test. Compliant with Euro 6.
The AMG Speedshift offers three driving modes: Sport, Comfort, and Manual, along with an automatic rev-matching function and a race start function. The idling stop function operates only in Comfort mode.
The 4MATIC system was adopted for both physical reasons – it's difficult to transmit maximum torque of 450 Nm effectively to the road with front-wheel drive alone – and for marketing reasons, to compete with rivals emphasizing RWD and AWD. When front wheel slip is detected, torque is immediately drawn from the PTU (Power Take-Off Unit) integrated into the transmission and sent to the rear wheels via the propeller shaft and the wet multi-plate clutch in the rear differential as needed. A maximum of 50 percent can be distributed.
Thanks to these technologies, the A 45 AMG achieves a 0-100 km/h acceleration of 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (electronically limited).
The A 45 AMG unveiled at the Media Night is the "Edition 1," a limited model featuring aerodynamic devices including a large rear spoiler and red accents throughout. Although the release date in its home market and Japan, as well as the price, are yet to be determined, Mercedes-Benz considers the Japanese market its second most important market after Germany for the A-Class, which is not sold in North America. Therefore, it is highly likely that detailed specifications, including the Edition 1, will be available in Japan.
AMG, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2017, has launched the "AMG Performance 50" strategy leading up to its anniversary year four years from now, and the A 45 AMG is positioned as a core model within this strategy. Furthermore, using the transverse-mounted FWD & AWD platform shared with the A/B-Class, multiple derivative models are planned, including the"CLA", raising expectations for the introduction of AMG models beyond the A-Class.
