AMG doesn’t want you to mistake the A 35 for a standard A Class. So the specification includes an AMG-specific grille, as well as an AMG front apron with special air deflectors on the outer air intakes. At the back, you get a diffuser-style rear apron with four vertical fins and round tailpipe trims. Multi-spoke alloy wheels and side skirts are available, and for true track-day fiends there’s the option of a full AMG Aerodynamics package including a whopping great rear wing. Perhaps a bit full-on for the company car park, though.
TECHNOLOGY
Much of the tech is carried over from the A Class range, which means it’s class-leading. So it’s based around the Mercedes-Benz User Experience system (MBUX), and you can use a Siri-like ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice command to unlock a wide range of actions. As well as voice command, you can also control infotainment by touchscreen, a touchpad on the centre console or touch-sensitive panels on the steering wheel. MBUX can be programmed to user preferences, but it also uses artificial intelligence to adapt to your needs. AMG-specific tech includes an AMG instrument cluster and centre console. The AMG start-up display and features like a race timer are shown in high resolution and in colour on the central 11.4 cm TFT multifunction display.
SAFETY
Mercedes-Benz has a well-merited reputation for prioritising safety so it’s hardly surprising the A Class (on which the AMG A 35 is based) is packed with safety-related hardware as well as driver assistance systems. Highlights of the spec include Active Brake Assist (which can mitigate the effects of a rear-end collision or even prevent it completely) and Attention Assist, which warns you if you show signs of fatigue. The Active Distance Assist Distronic system, which features technology from the S-Class, allows semi-autonomous driving in certain circumstances. It will maintain a set distance behind the vehicle in front and give steering assistance, even in corners. It also uses map data to adjust the car’s speed approaching bends or roundabouts.
FEATURES
The A 35 is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine driving through a seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox that can rocket you from 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds. Power can be split 50:50 front to rear through the Mercedes-Benz 4MATIC system or sent exclusively to the front wheels. There are five driving modes (Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual), and in the more aggressive settings the AMG Dynamics system uses the ESP and torque vectoring to aide corner turn-in. The chassis has been completely revised when compared to the non-AMG A Class, with re-designed joints and lower wishbones, metal bearings on the lower front arms and a rear subframe solidly mounted to the body for extra feel and feedback. The steering is specific to the A 35, as are the uprated brakes, which feature monoblock four-piston callipers up front. Even the body structure has been stiffened.
