The Mercedes A45 AMG is the first AMG to be powered by a four-cylinder engine. But with 355bhp any doubts as to its performance evaporate. Could this be the first hyper hot hatch? Steve Sutcliffe finds out.

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The Mercedes A45 AMG is the German car-maker’s first proper hot hatch, and with the world’s most powerful production 2.0-litre petrol engine, it marks quite an entrance. The hand-built motor is allied with four-wheel drive instead of the driven rear wheels of its main rival, the BMW M135i, and gets the AMG to 62mph in 4.6 seconds. Steve Sutcliffe drove it flat-out on track to find out if handles as well as it goes.

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Read Autocar’s Mercedes A45 AMG review: http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/mercedes-benz/a45-amg
Read Autocar’s Mercedes CLA45 AMG review: http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/mercedes-benz/cla45-amg
Read Autocar’s BMW M135i review: http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/bmw/m135i

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