Auto Express – July 30, 2019

22 SpecialIssue

Jonathan Burn

[email protected]

@Jonathan_burn

NEWCARS

Visitautoexpress.co.ukforthe latest newcarsand drives

AUDI Q7

Seven-seatluxurySUV

hasbeenupdatedto

keepitcompetitive

24

Mercedes-AMG A45S

FIRSTDRIVEExplosivehyper-hatchpacksthe mostpowerful 2.0-litreever

THERE’Sonlyoneplacetostartwiththe

newMercedes-AMGA45S:theengine.

It’sstillafour-cylinder2.0-litreturbo,butit’s

all-new,withoutanutorboltcarriedover

fromthelastversion,andpacksabarely

believable415bhpand500Nmoftorque.

It’sthemostpowerful2.0-litreengineto

finditswayintoaproductioncarandsees

thetitleoftheworld’shottesthatchback

return,onceagain,toAffalterbach.Whyso

muchpowerinwhatessentiallyremains

afamilyhatchback?“Becausewecan”,

Mercedes-AMGengineersproudlyclaim.

Butinthepursuitofultimateperformance

andoutrightspeed,hasAMGmadesacrifices

inkeyareas–namelyusability,handling

andengagement–thatturnafasthot

hatchbackintoatrulygreatone?

Theshortanswerisno–notonebit.The

firstthingyounotice,however,isthelevel

ofrelativecomfort.TheoldA45was

aboutascomfortableasatumbledown

aflightofstairs,butthistimearoundthe

improvementstothesuspensionandchassis,

andadditionoffrequency-selectiveshock

absorbers,meantheA45isconsiderably

moreforgivingtodriveslowly.Atleast

that’showitfeltonourtestroutearound

MadridinSpain;adriveonbrokenUK

B-roadswillbetheultimatetest.

TheA45’srateofaccelerationis

explosive,andcoupledwiththenew,more

sophisticatedfour-wheel-drivesystem–

whichcansend50percentoftheengine’s

powertotherearaxle–meansthatnotan

ounceofpoweriswastedinwheelspin.

Pinthethrottle,andtheA45hooks

upandspitsyoutowardsthehorizonat

anastonishingrate.Mercedessaysthecar

manages0-62mphin3.9seconds,making

itfasterthantheflagshipAMGGTsportscar.

Astonishingforafive-doorhatchback.

Peakpowerdoesn’tarriveuntil6,750rpm,

soit’saturbochargedenginethatreally

rewardsyouforwringingitout.Italsomakes

onehellofanoise,thankstoanewsports

exhaust,whichemitsthunderousbangs

whileyouworkyourwaythroughtherapid

eight-speeddual-clutch auto.

Youcancarryandmaintainsignificant

speedthroughcornersthankstothe

effectivenessofthefour-wheel-drivesystem

–thetyresclingingontothetarmaclikea

teenagertoaniPhone.That’sthankstoa

newtwin-clutch set-upontherearaxlethat

allowsallofthepowertransferredthere–

50percent–tobesenttoeitherleftorright

wheel;asyoudrive,youcanfeelthesystem

constantlyshufflingthepowertowhereit

Running costs

34.0mpg (official)

£64 fill-up

“Peakpower of 415bhp doesn’t arriveuntil

6,750rpm, so it rewardsyou forwringing it out”