What's the news?
The covers have been taken off the new Mercedes-AMG A 35 4Matic Saloon for the first time, joining its hatchback sibling as the juniors of the AMG range. It shares its underpinnings and powertrain with the A 35 4Matic hatchback, of course, and opens the door to discussions about an even faster A 45 Saloon variant in the not too distant future.
Exterior
Given the A 35's remit as the entry-level AMG model, it can be quite a subtle looking thing in standard guise, especially as there will be so many AMG Line versions of the regular Mercedes A-Class sold in any case. The nose of the A 35 Saloon gets the AMG twin-louvre grille to set it apart, plus a more aggressive lower bumper design that includes a modest splitter. At the back, there's a black diffuser insert with a single round exhaust outlet on each side and a subtle boot lip spoiler. As standard, the A 35 4Matic Saloon will sit on 18-inch alloy wheels, with tasty 19s optional. Speaking of options, the A 35 can be made a little more obvious by the addition of an AMG Aerodynamics Package and/or Night Package.
Interior
As with the regular A-Class Saloon, the A 35 is claimed to be at the top of the sector in terms of rear seat space, and its boot holds the same 420 litres. Up front, the MBUX infotainment system dominates the dashboard with a widescreen design. The A 35 gets three AMG-specific instrument layouts, including one called Supersport. The standard AMG steering wheel has a flattened section and perforated leather in the grip area with red contrasting stitching and metallic gearchange paddles behind. The intuitive thumbpads on the spokes of the steering wheel are included.
Optionally, buyers can upgrade to the even more technical AMG Performance steering wheel, which features two configurable buttons and a rotary controller with its own LCD display for choosing a drive program. Elsewhere, it's the expected red and black theme, extending to the air vents and seat belts. Buyers choose either Artico (man-made leather) and Dinamica (microfibre) upholstery with red stitching or Artico in a mix of black and grey.
Mechanicals
Under the bonnet is a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine, with four cylinders. The turbo is a twin-scroll design and there's an automatically operated exhaust flap to alter the sound. Mercedes-AMG quotes peak outputs as 306hp at 5,800rpm and 400Nm of torque from 3,000- to 4,000rpm. Bolted to this engine is the AMG Speedshift DCT 7G transmission, a dual-clutch automatic with several modes of operation. That sends power to the AMG Performance 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, which varies the split from 100 per cent front-wheel drive to 50:50 front to rear. AMG has developed a unique passive suspension system for the A 35, though buyers can optionally upgrade to AMG Ride Control with adaptive damping. Big brakes and speed-sensitive power steering with a variable ratio are included as standard, as is the AMG Dynamic Select system, where the driver chooses between Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual driving modes. On top of that, there's the AMG Dynamics system, with Basic and Advanced settings - this can apply the brakes to the inside rear wheel during cornering to make the car feel more agile.
The A 35 Saloon can do 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds and is electronically limited to 250km/h.
Anything else?
Irish pricing for the new Mercedes-AMG A 35 4Matic Saloon has yet to be confirmed, but expect a premium over the circa €65,000 starting price of the hatchback. Rivals include the Audi S3 Saloon and forthcoming BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe.