Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG Unveiled, Australian Debut Set For Late 2013

Mercedes has at last pulled the wraps from its A 45 AMG flagship, and while its styling isn't far removed from the A 250 Sport... it's the beast below that will blow you away. 

While early news that the A 45 would deliver upwards of 245kW and 400Nm was no lie, it fell a little short of the car's actual figures.

Here's the truth of it: driven by a stove-hot turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the newest AMG model is packing a monumental 265kW and 450Nm of torque. 

Sent to the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system through AMG's seven-speed SpeedShift dual-clutch transmission, Mercedes says that all that mumbo will shove the A 45 to 100km/h in just 4.6 seconds.

There aren't many hot hatches on the market right now that can match those figures (and there were less before 'right now').

Audi's five-cylinder 250kW RS 3 Sportback is a match, but BMW's 235kW M135i - not 'a true M car' - falls just shy with a 4.9 second run.

Subaru's WRX STI stretches the run out to a still-slick 5.2 seconds, and the venerable Volkswagen Golf R lists a 5.7 second sprint.