Mercedes-Benz has its own hot hatch that’s ready to wreak havoc.
There’s a German premium hot hatch that’s often overshadowed by its German competitors. It doesn’t have the pedigree of the GTI, or the notoriety of the BMW 1-Series, but it is quite the performance-oriented five-door that’ll put a smile on your face. The Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG is a quick and nimble hatch that is focused on being more dynamic than ever before. Thanks to the team at McChip-DKR, the A45 AMG has been put into the “sports car” territory with three tuning ranges for the turbocharged hot hatch.
Unlike the Frankenstein build that was the Mercedes-Benz B55 AMG, the new A45 AMG sports a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine spitting out an impressive 355 horsepower and 332 lb-ft. of torque. The team at McChip-DKR knew that could squeeze even more power out of the potent 2.0-liter engine and went ahead and developed three different tuning modules, the latter two of which will be available in February of 2014. In Power Range 1, the team uses software optimization to increase output to 400 horsepower and 395 lb-ft. of torque. Power Range 2 includes the software tune plus new sport catalytic converters for a total of 420 horsepower and 395 lb-ft. of torque. The final, and most insane stage, is the Power Range 3, which includes the aforementioned upgrades along with a new turbocharger for a total output of 450 horsepower and 405 lb-ft. of torque.
All that power is sent to all four wheels of the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG, making things a bit easier to control. One of the goals for the McChip-DKR team was to improve the overall driving dynamics and did so with a few fun upgrades. Starting things off is a set of KW Clubsport Coilovers that sharpens up handling and lowers the overall ride height. The featured wheels are a set of mbDesign KV1 (concave version 1) in an 8.5 x 19 setup at the front and rear with sticky 235/35ZR19 Dunlop Sport Maxx Race tires.
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On the original McChip-DKR Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG that was shown at the Essen Motor Show, the German tuner had featured a set of type mb1 wheels in a 7.5 x 19 fitment with 225/35R19 Dunlop Sport Maxx tires on the driver’s side, which are also available as an option.
All of the upgrades shown on the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG are currently available from McChip-DKR with the Power Range 2 and 3 becoming available in February 2014.
McChip-DKR Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG Specifications
Engine:
Displacement: 2.0 liters
Number of Cylinders: Inline-four
Aspiration: Turbocharged
Power Range 1:
Maximum Horsepower: 400
Maximum Torque: 395 lb-ft. / 535 Nm
-Software tune
Power Range 2:
Maximum Horsepower: 420
Maximum Torque: 395 lb-ft. / 535 Nm
-Software tune
-Sport catalytic converters
Power Range 3:
Maximum Horsepower: 450
Maximum Torque: 405.6 lb-ft. / 550 Nm
-Software tune
-Sport catalytic converters
-New turbocharger
Wheels, Tires, and Suspension:
Wheels: mbDesign KV1 (concave version 1)
Wheel Size: 8.5 x 19
Tires: Dunlop Sport Maxx Race
Tire Size: 235/35ZR19
Optional Wheels: 7.5 x 19 mb1 wheels
Optional Tires: 225/35R19 Dunlop Sport Maxx
Suspension: KW Clubsport coilovers
McChip-DKR Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG Gallery
Source: McChip-DKR
Is the McChip-DKR Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG the hottest German hatch?
