Iconic ‘hot hatch’ compared to ‘hypersonic missile’ is discontinued after 12 years
AN ICONIC Mercedes ‘hot hatch’ once likened to a ‘hypersonic missile’ is being discontinued after 12 years.
The Mercedes-AMG A45 has been around since 2013 and was so powerful, it was compared to a hypersonic missile at the Battle of Hastings.
In the first version, AMG’s engineers managed to squeeze in 355bhp from two litres, four cylinders, and a turbocharger that had a huge warranty.
It was then upgraded and given more power, resulting in the range-topping A45 S which introduced drift-mode thanks to clever rear axle clutch packs, and pushed outputs to almost 420bhp.
But now the A-Class hatch, as well as the A-Class Sedan, will be discontinued with the final batch being phased out by 20266, Top Gear reports.
The German brand has confirmed the news, with Mercedes’ chief tech officer Markus Schafer admitting the company is not working on a replacement for the current A-Class.
He said: “Reducing complexity is a key task for us, which is why decreasing the compact family from seven to four models was necessary in this segment.
“We need models that will work around the world, including China and the US.
“I know the hatchback is a favourite in Europe, but it was not part of the plan and we had to make choices, including difficult ones.”
He explained how it is no longer profitable enough to make the cars, which are mainly bought in Europe, whereas SUVs make more money and sell worldwide.
This also means there’ll be no hatchback version of the new Mercedes CLA, which is set to go on sale later this year. And there’ll be no new A35 or A45 AMG either.
Fortunately, the engine will still be around, as Lotus employs it in the Emira and C63 hybrid, and plans are reportedly underway for an AMG version of the new CLA.
The new CLA was announced earlier this month, kickstarting a whole family of cars for the iconic company.
The CLA will come with two electric powertrain options: the rear-drive “250+” as well as the faster, all-wheel-drive “350+”.
800-volt architecture is the backbone of the motor and, using an 85kWh battery, it can deliver a whopping 492 miles of range in the 250 version.
If you opt for the faster 350, the range is reduced slightly to 479 miles.
Rapid charging capabilities mean you can take a quick 10-minute coffee break at a 350kW DC fast charger and gain more than 200 miles of travel, reports Autocar.
The firm have been preparing to make their line-up fully electric by 2030, as part of a so-called “electric first” strategy.
Recently, Mercedes altered its Rastatt manufacturing plant in Germany to enable it to produce cars atop the MFA compact car platform.