Mercedes-AMG A35 to start at $67,200

THE dream of owning a Mercedes-AMG excitement machine just became a little more realistic for many fans with the announcement that the Affalterbach company’s first entry-level A35 4Matic will be priced from $67,200 plus on-road costs for the hatchback version when it hits showrooms next month.

Customers will pay a $2600 premium for the A35 sedan that arrives in October, a few months ahead of the new-generation, more potent A45 S hatch that is yet to be publicly priced.

The sticker price of the A35 is more than $11,000 below the price of the previous cheapest AMG offering, the superseded Mercedes-AMG A45 4Matic, making the A35 easily the most affordable AMG-enhanced Benz offered in Australia.

A35 owners will have to make do with 225kW of power and 400Nm of torque from the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine – 85kW and 100Nm less than the 310kW and 500Nm of the wild new A45 in its hottest S guise, which is the most powerful four-cylinder series-production vehicle in the world and the only A45 variant destined for Australia.

While the A45 S gets a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, the A35 retains the previous generation’s seven-speed unit.

It does get the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, however, which helps it to bolt from zero to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds – 0.8s slower than the A45 S.

The A35’s primary target will be Audi’s S3 that currently has less power and torque – 213kW and 380Nm – but more affordable pricing at $64,200 for the Sportback and $65,800 for the sedan.

In Australia, the A35 will come standard with AMG’s Ride Control adaptive damping suspension with three modes, from comfort to sporty.

As well, the A35 will have five driving modes to adjust transmission, steering, suspension and other systems to occasion and taste.

The A35’s handling is further enhanced via AMG Dynamics – a system that employs the electronic stability control system by, for example, braking the inside wheel during cornering.

The A35 hatch and sedan get a somewhat tame body treatment when compared with the hard-edged A45 S. Instead of the vertical slats of the A45’s Panamericana grille, the A35 comes with a grille split by a single bar.

At the back, a lip spoiler is fixed to the trailing edge of the roof of the hatch (the A45 gets a prominent wing), while an underside diffuser is flanked by twin round exhaust pipe outlets. Wheels are AMG 19-inch alloys.

Inside, the flat-bottom steering wheel gets new control buttons to set the car’s dynamic handling functions without taking the hands away from the wheel.

Like all new Mercedes-Benz models, the A35 comes with the MBUX infotainment system that can be controlled by voice command and which ‘learns’ the driver’s regular habits and preferences.

Seats are cloaked in two-tone leather and come with electric adjustment and heating.

A comfort control feature allegedly tailors the cabin ambience to the occupant’s mood.

Finally, the boot has a hands-free opening function, operated by a swipe of the boot.

2019 Mercedes-AMG A35 pricing*

*Excludes on-road costs