The third generation dropped the sandwich floor and the tall, short proportions that had defined the A-Class since 1997, and repositioned the car a class up: Mercedes-Benz’s own description at launch was the first “subcompact executive” A-Class, rather than a supermini.[1] It shared its new MFA front-wheel-drive platform with the B-Class, CLA and GLA that followed it.
At the top of the range sat the A 45 AMG: a turbocharged 2.0-litre four tuned, in its 2015 facelift form, to 381 PS. At launch, that was the highest specific output of any four-cylinder production car engine, ahead even of the Bugatti Veyron’s W16 on a per-litre basis. The 4.2-second 0-100 km/h claim recorded here is specific to cars fitted with the optional Dynamic Plus package and its mechanical front differential; Mercedes did not separately publish a time for the standard car.
Length, width and height are all published as ranges across the trim range rather than one fixed figure. Following this catalogue’s rule for a published range, the lowest value in each is stored, with the full range given in the note.
