A-CLASS OF ONE

The new 310kW Mercedes-AMG A45 S is here... with Drift mode

Ollie Kew

The age of the 300kW+ hot hatch is upon us, people. Welcome to the new Mercedes-AMG A45 S. All 310kW of it. And if you’d prefer a sleeker look, the CLA 45 AMG has returned too. Pick your poison. For the first time in A 45 history there’s an ‘S’ model, complete with bigger tailpipes, a Focus RSstyle Drift mode for the 4WD system and a power boost. And it’s the one confirmed for South Africa. With 310kW, it’s good for 0–100kph in 3.9secs and 280kph. Drift mode doesn’t mean deactivating the front driveshafts, as per the E63 AMG. No, it’s done by clever clutch packs integrated into the rear diff which can overspeed the rear wheels. Remember when 4WD was for safe, sensible cars? Yeah? Well, now it’s for…

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Top Gear South Africa (Digital) - 1 Issue, September 2019

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