Yahoo Autos The 302-HP Mercedes-AMG A35 Is Benz's New Medium-Hot Hatchback
Ahead of its debut at the Paris auto show next month, Mercedes-Benz has pulled the wraps off its newest hot hatch: the 2019 Mercedes-AMG A35. The first AMG variant of the all-new A-class, the A35 will be AMG's most entry-level offering, slotting underneath the upcoming, more powerful A45 model. While the United States will be denied the hatchback body style, we will get the A35 in sedan form-and the next-gen CLA four-door coupe and GLA crossover will also get the AMG 35 treatment.
Power comes from a modified version of the new M260 2.0-liter inline-four found in the standard A-class, fitted here with a twin-scroll turbocharger. The A35's 302 horsepower peaks at 5800 to 6100 rpm, while the maximum 295 lb-ft of torque comes in at 3000 rpm. That torque is sent to all four wheels through AMG's seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and 4Matic all-wheel drive. Mercedes describes the A35's 4Matic system as being "infinitely variable," with possible torque distribution ranging from just the front wheels to a 50/50 front-to-rear split. Launch control is standard, and Mercedes quotes a zero-to-62-mph time of 4.7 seconds. The A35's exhaust system has a flap that automatically opens up depending on the driving mode for extra loudness, and in the Sport+ mode the transmission will double-declutch on downshifts.
As is customary with AMG models, the chassis is upgraded, too. Adaptive dampers are optional, and an AMG Dynamics system augments the driving modes by using the brake-based torque vectoring and stability control to adjust yaw and handling when cornering. (We experienced AMG Dynamics on our first drive of the refreshed AMG C63.) A new variable-ratio steering rack changes feedback depending on the driving mode. The A35 gets four-piston monoblock calipers with 13.8-inch discs in front and single-piston calipers with 13.0-inch discs in the rear, a setup identical in size to that of the outgoing A45.
On the outside, the A35 gets a more aggressive look courtesy of modified front and rear bumpers with additional slats and louvers, a big rear wing, 18-inch wheels, an aggressive rear diffuser with dual exhaust, and a twin-bar grille. The interior features an AMG steering wheel with touchscreen buttons like that found on the AMG GT 4-Door, as well as performance bucket seats with A35-specific upholstery schemes, new graphics for the MBUX infotainment system, and an available AMG Track Pace app that records data when on a racetrack.
The A35 will go on sale in early 2019 in Europe, and while pricing hasn't been announced yet, it should come in at less than the current A45, which is priced at the equivalent of $50,000 in Germany. (For comparison's sake, the CLA45 starts at $54,095 in the States.) With the A35 coming in as the entry-level offering, we expect the new generation of 45 models to get at least 400 horsepower, up from the 375 horses of the current cars. The U.S.-bound A35 sedan should make its debut in the next few months as a 2020 model, with the A45 following later next year.
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