Three laps of the Sepang International Circuit is hardly what any petrolhead might consider sufficient, but that had to suffice for the time being.
Boasting what Mercedes-Benz touts as the world's most powerful series production four-cylinder turbo engine, the A45 AMG is the high-performance arm's first proper effort at casting its magic on the A-Class range.
Producing 360 horsepower from just two litres of engine displacement is quite a feat, even among truly fast cars.
As has been said before, the A-Class is certainly more overt in its sporty design. The A45 AMG is the culmination of the model range's new-found aggression, especially in its debut Edition 1 guise, which, among other things, features blacked out 19-inch wheels, roof spoiler and air deflectors on the front bumper.
Greeting its occupants upon entry are swathes of black and red, from the dashboard and air-conditioning vents, to the part-leather, part-microfibre fabric semi-bucket seats and seat belts.
In modern AMG fashion, the gear selector has moved from the steering column to the centre console, just like when some of its larger brethren receive the AMG treatment. The interior isn't a great departure from that of the A250 Sport, but it certainly sets the scene for enthusiastic driving.
Visually and aurally, the A45 AMG is hardly reserved with any allusions to motorsport. With ESP set to Sport mode, the flaps in the sports exhaust system open up generously, serving up a great deal of sound.
For a four-cylinder engine, this one emits a rather sporty timbre. A loaded throttle elicits a deep and slightly metallic rasp, while every full-throttle upshift is punctuated with an almighty crackle. As some might observe, this is certainly no Merc for shrinking violets.
On our first lap, the transmission was left to its own devices, and it proved to be reasonably responsive.
Sport mode loosened the electronic reins on the chassis, but it would still pull the car back into line before its driver got too carried away and the slip angles grew too wide.
Subsequent laps were driven with the gearbox in manual mode, and it gave the driver full control of gear selection, within reason. Downshifts may sometimes be disallowed to safeguard against over-revving the engine, but while accelerating in this mode, it happily bounced off the rev limiter unless an upshift was commanded.
It was remarkably easy to clout the rev limiter, such is the car's appetite for acceleration. However with moderate inputs, it was also quite linear in its power delivery, only ramping up near its peak power output at 6,000rpm.
Grip was prodigious in the dry, even through high speed corners. Understeer, though, is the eventual outcome if one is not neat enough with cornering; it doesn't quite have the unwavering, vise-like front-end grip of, say, a Megane RS265. Of course, in a straight line, the Merc monsters everything else in its class.
A demonstration of its launch control, or race start in Mercedes-Benz parlance, capped our day at the circuit. Its execution is such:
Switch ESP to Sport, pull both shift paddles simultaneously, and then pull the right-hand paddle once more to confirm the intention to use race start. With the left foot on the brake pedal, a sharp jab of the throttle pedal to the floor holds the engine at 4,000rpm; right at this moment, the A45 AMG really sounds like a rally car eagerly awaiting the go-ahead.
Once the brakes are released, it leaps away like the proverbial scalded cat. Observed from the outside, the front wheels' apparently quicker rotation compared with the rears serve to confirm the 4WD drivetrain's front axle bias.
No timed runs were conducted, but subjectively the claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.6 seconds felt entirely believable. Furthermore, Mercedes-Benz is confident that the A45 AMG will stand up to repeated use of its race start function; the onboard computer disallows race start if the temperatures of the car's coolant, engine oil or transmission fluid are outside what it deems to be ideal operating parameters.
Initially, the A45 AMG will be available in Malaysia exclusively as the Edition 1. Mercedes-Benz Malaysia's vice president of sales and marketing Kai Schlickum said offering the standard A45 AMG might be considered after the first six months of the A45's Malaysian market debut, depending on customer feedback.
The A45 AMG serves to do two things: while it crowns the A-Class range, it is also the entry point to the realm of AMG models.
It is understood that Mercedes-Benz Malaysia is working hard to satisfy demand that currently far outstrips supply, which could mean this: Malaysian buyers are ready for small, loud and fast Mercedes-Benz hatchbacks.
Specifications of the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG
Engine: 1,991cc inline-four cylinder, direct-injection turbocharged petrol
Max power: 360hp @ 6,000rpm
Max torque: 450Nm @ 2,250-5,000rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, all-wheel-drive
Acceleration (0-100km/h): 4.6 seconds
Top speed: 250km/h (electronically limited)
Fuel consumption (combined): 6.9L/100km
CO2 emissions (combined): 161g/km
Safety features: ABS, EBD, three-stage ESP
Tyre size: 235/35/R19
Price: RM348,888 excluding insurance