In case you got really excited after seeing those Mercedes-AMG A35 prototypes recently, you’ll be thrilled to know that those were by no means the tip of the A-Class iceberg.
Whereas the A35 will take aim at the likes of the Audi S3, the flagship A50 (moniker not yet official) is the one that will eventually battle the RS3s of the world. As for this recently-spotted prototype, thankfully it’s not wearing a whole lot of camouflage.
It looks just like we thought it would
There isn’t a whole lot Mercedes-AMG could have done with the all-new A-Class as far as styling is concerned. Make it lower, wider, beef up the front and rear spoilers, a few more touches here and there and voilà, you have your Audi RS3 competitor.
You don’t even need to look too close in order to make out the overall shape of the front spoiler on this prototype. The rear meanwhile, that’s a foregone conclusion, with quad exhausts instead of dual ones like on the A35. The production car should however feature a larger spoiler wing and an aggressive diffuser (both missing here). As for the front grille, we only have one word for you: Panamericana.
If for some reason you still can’t picture it in all it’s glory, here’s a render from back in February which as far as we can tell, pretty much nails it – minus a few details which can always change on the road from prototype to production (wheel color, mirror covers etc).
Inside, we expect the A50 to build on what the A-Class AMG Line already has to offer, meaning an ever more sporty atmosphere, AMG steering wheel, new materials such as Alcantara and seats that do a better job hugging you.
What’s underneath the hood?
That’s a really good question. According to AMG boss Tobias Moers, the new car will get an upgraded 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol unit, producing around 400 HP, delivered to all four corners.
Since the old A45 could get from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.6 seconds with just 360 horses coursing through its veins, the all-new model should be able to cut that down to 4 seconds flat, perhaps even less.
As for a potential unveiling, that’s probably going to take place towards the end of the year.