Mercedez Benz News Mercedes-AMG To Launch An 'Entry-Level' Model

[William Maley]

Mercedes-AMG offers two tiers of performance on certain models; the warmed-up 43 series and hyperbolic 63 series. They'll be doing something similar with the launch of their next-generation compacts.

Speaking to Top Gear, AMG boss Tobias Moers revealed that they'll be offering a slightly de-tuned and cheaper version of the A45 compact called the A35.

“I see a huge opportunity for the A35. It’ll be the A45’s little brother, an engine performance A-Class. The price point will be low, and not everything we can do with the 45 we can afford for the 35," said Moers.

“But it’s a step into a new segment where we’ve never been present in the past. I have my own approach how to do that; we have to have a close look at the competitors and who is going to be our benchmark. Then we work out what the task is of the A35 in setting the new benchmark.”

Rumor has it that the next-generation A45 will produce 400 horsepower from a turbocharged four-cylinder. This could mean the A35 might produce somewhere in the range of 300 horsepower, providing an alternative to the likes of the Volkswagen Golf R and Honda Civic Type R.

We're wondering if we could see a 35 variant of the CLA, which will be the first of Mercedes' next-generation compacts we will get.

Moers also revealed a couple of other tidbits of what's in store for AMG

• Confirmed the existence of the 53 series, which pairs a turbocharged 3.0L inline-six and a mild-hybrid system. We'll get our first look at it with the CLS 53 at next month's Detroit Auto Show.
• The V12 could be on its way out from AMG.

“The V12 market has changed, and I think it could be that we have to call it ‘done’,” Moers said. “We still have V12 aficionados, but they’re more into Maybach. We don’t need a luxury car like that in our AMG portfolio, so it could be that this is the last generation of V12 AMG S-Class’.”

Source: Top Gear

View full article

[smk4565]

I tend to always agree with Moers, he has made AMG what it is today.  But an A35 seems like a dumb idea, they should do an A250 and A300 as it would be the same 4 banger in a C300/E300.  (Or C350/E350)

And the V12 will be pointless in about 5 years but might as well offer it for this generation.  Electric will take over, hybrid up that V8.

[G. David Felt]

V12 is a dead dog that should end with the current run. Majority of people do not want that gas guzzling engine. On top of it, we are already seeing superior performance from smaller engines even if gas cost is not an issue and superior performance from EV powertrains. So I agree with the AMG top dog, V12 is dead and time to move on.

An A35 is interesting, wonder if it could beat a Ford Focus RS. If they are going for only the VW and Honda, then it is already losing.

[Frisky Dingo]

I don't like the idea of taking the AMG brand any further down market, personally. I think they have stooped low enough.

[ccap41]

1 hour ago, dfelt said:

V12 is a dead dog that should end with the current run. Majority of people do not want that gas guzzling engine.

There's this feeling I have that anybody who's buying a 65 series AMG does not care about fuel economy with their $250,000 vehicle. 

42 minutes ago, Frisky Dingo said:

I don't like the idea of taking the AMG brand any further down market, personally. I think they have stooped low enough.

Ahhhh-greed. 

[G. David Felt]

1 minute ago, ccap41 said:

There's this feeling I have that anybody who's buying a 65 series AMG does not care about fuel economy with their $250,000 vehicle. 

True and yet we are seeing more and more Billionaires that are going EV. So I would have to say even they are questioning the need of such a big guzzling engine.

[ccap41]

 

1 hour ago, dfelt said:

True and yet we are seeing more and more Billionaires that are going EV. So I would have to say even they are questioning the need of such a big guzzling engine.

I don't think efficiency is their concern but 1: the uniqueness of an EV 2: they so deliver power in an amazing fashion.

Billionaires saving $1000 a year on fuel isn't their worry. If it was, they wouldn't be buying 250k cars(65 Series AMGs). They'd be buying something much cheaper. 

Edited December 6, 2017 by ccap41

[ccap41]

49 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

 

I don't think efficiency is their concern but 1: the uniqueness of an EV 2: they do deliver power in an amazing fashion.

Billionaires saving $1000 a year on fuel isn't their worry. If it was, they wouldn't be buying 250k cars(65 Series AMGs). They'd be buying something much cheaper. 

Typo fix... 

[smk4565]

1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

 

I don't think efficiency is their concern but 1: the uniqueness of an EV 2: they so deliver power in an amazing fashion.

Billionaires saving $1000 a year on fuel isn't their worry. If it was, they wouldn't be buying 250k cars(65 Series AMGs). They'd be buying something much cheaper. 

Agreed.  The fuel economy or CO2 isn’t the problem.  Electric is going to take over, no reason to spend money on a dying power train.  They have plans for a V8 hybrid with 800 hp, no need for a V12.

[daves87rs]

Oh goody.....a North Face at Wal Mart price......

Watered down at the poser price....

One of the few times I would say leave the big toys to the big boys......

11 hours ago, Frisky Dingo said:

I don't like the idea of taking the AMG brand any further down market, personally. I think they have stooped low enough.

Darn right.....can just picture one with a fart cannon......

[G. David Felt]

At the rate MB is going they will have gone totally cheapo opening the doors to hideous ricerized versions of their cars.

[Robert Hall]

Well, there is the Smart Brabus.  No reason they couldn't rebadge a Smart as a Mercedes Benz Less-than-A-class AMG..