AMG Ownership More Accessible Thanks to Entry-level A35
AMG A35 is a 302 HP, 2.0-liter turbo hatchback full of budget-friendly power. But will we ever get it in the U.S.?
Mercedes’ new baby Benz, unsurprisingly, gets a new baby AMG model to go along with it. After introducing the A-class to fill an entry-level slot just below the CLA, Mercedes has released details of the new A35 AMG. It’s a hatchback, which means we probably won’t be getting it here in America. That’s unfortunate because it seems to be an excellent little car, as you can see in the above video by YouTubers DPCcars.
A 2.0-liter turbo gives an impressive 302 horsepower. Not quite GLA 45 territory, but sufficient. Torque should be more than enough for the small hatch, at 295 lb/ft. That actually puts it very close in contention with a lot of other hot hatches currently on the market. Volkswagen’s Golf R, Honda’s Civic Type R and even at a stretch, the Ford Focus RS.
Transmission options for the A35 are but one. A dual-clutch unit 7-speed unit is the only one on offer, but does send power to an all-wheel-drive system. Clutches in the rear axle mean it can develop a full 50:50 power split depending on conditions. You can adapt the car to conditions ahead of time, too, with AMG’s Dynamic Select. Aside from the usual options of “Comfort,” “Sport,” and “Sport+,” there’s now an option for “Slippery.” AMG must know that some of us actually drive our cars year round.
The sad part is, we might not even get this car anyway. Mercedes has long had an aversion to bringing hatchbacks to the US, with the GLA45 being edged toward the small CUV market rather than the hatch market.
As well, since we will get the A-class sedan, we’re told it’s not a replacement for the CLA-class. Think of it instead like the relationship the E-class sedan and CLS have, being two different models, but with the A-class sedan and CLA.
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