The hot hatch power war shows no signs of slowing. You can now buy a BMW 1 Series with 335bhp, a Ford Focus with 345bhp, or an Audi A3 with as much as 395bhp. So the new AMG-badged A-Class must be nudging 400bhp, right? Yet the A 35 will still sprint from 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds and hit an electronically limited 155mph. That pegs it pretty close to the latest Porsche 718 Cayman S, and not far off Ferraris from a decade ago. Mercedes is keen to reiterate this isn鈥檛 a replacement for the old A 45. Instead, as the market grows and the average A-Class buyer gets ever younger, the brand鈥檚 customers are asking for even more choice. Bosses see this car as a stepping stone to bigger, brasher and more powerful AMG products. The A 35 has a new 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which transfers power to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
There are five drive modes to choose from, and owners can also select an Individual setting, which allows separate adjustment of elements like the dampers, throttle and gearbox responses. Flicking the A 35 into its most aggressive mode transforms the car鈥檚 behaviour. Far from being the A 45鈥檚 poor relation, the hot hatchback feels composed, grippy and lightning fast. It flatters in a way the old A 45 could not, mimicking the Golf鈥檚 incredible all-weather ability with a welcome degree of added involvement. The steering isn鈥檛 brimming with feel, but is well weighted. The way this car turns into a corner is astounding; you鈥檒l have to be going at it with real commitment to discover any understeer. The A 35 encourages you to drive harder, but never feels as though it will bite if you overcook things on the way out of a bend. Also fitted is a new AMG Dynamics programme, which uses the brakes on the inside wheel at the rear axle to boost agility. But the car is so capable, you never notice it working. It sticks to the tarmac with limpet-like grip, covering ground at an alarming rate.
The suspension comprises a MacPherson strut and aluminium wishbone on the front axle, and a multi-link set-up at the rear. Customers can opt for adaptive dampers, which serve up three suspension modes. It鈥檚 not easy to judge the ride on pan-smooth Mallorcan tarmac, but it does feel like a car that鈥檚 more adept the faster you go. While sharp edges and potholes can make the A 35 feel unsettled around town, it flows beautifully at speed. Despite being ever-so-slightly quicker than the most potent VW, the A 35 will return similar fuel economy. WLTP test figures of 38.7mpg suggest this is a fast family car that allows you to have your cake and eat it. Prices start at 拢35,580 (a Golf R DSG costs 拢34,340), with the first cars due in the UK early in 2019. As standard, all models have two seven-inch digital displays. You also get a reversing camera, sports exhaust, climate control and keyless go. The AMG Premium Plus pack adds a Burmester stereo, electric seats, adaptive LED lights and a panoramic roof. Specifying this when you order also adds a 10.25-inch central display, which lifts the cabin to a level that allows the A 35 to compete with cars costing twice the price. The A 35 looks and feels like a premium car and makes an Audi RS 3 seem dated, while the AMG interior ensures you don鈥檛 forget what you鈥檙e driving. Even so, a prod of the throttle dispels any question that this is anything but the fastest A-Class currently on sale.
We just got our hands on another set of spy shots of the 2020 Cadillac CT5, and it looks like things are progressing nicely for the automaker鈥檚 upcoming midsize sedan. Last summer, Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen confirmed that the automaker would be killing some of its sedans and replacing them with the new CT5. Models like the ATS, CTS and XTS would come to an end, paving the way forward for a new midsize offering. According to Carscoops photographers, it is smaller than a BMW 5-Series, but larger than a 3-Series. The size of the sedan makes sense for Cadillac鈥檚 new lineup. The CT6, which is similarly sized to a 7-Series, will soldier on and the CT5 will become the brand鈥檚 way of trying to kill two birds with one stone. Looking at the profile reveals a fastback-like roof, similar to the Kia Stinger or the Porsche Panamera. The taillight design at the back is noticeably interesting, as it looks like a strip of LED lights will connect the two taillight units at the rear. Two rectangular exhaust outlets are poking through the camouflage. With its wide, hunkered-down loo, and the prominent hood bulge, it looks like Cadillac could be testing a high-performance variant of the CT5. While the base engine in the sedan is expected to be a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder motor, the V model should have a more potent powertrain. Rear-wheel drive will be standard on the sedan, while all-wheel drive will be available as an option.
Six weeks after the Coupe launch, attention now turns to the Porsche 911 Cabriolet. The open-top 911 continues a decades-long tradition, established when the Stuttgart sports car manufacturer unveiled the prototype of the first 911 Cabriolet at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt in September 1981: customers and fans alike were instantly captivated. The first fully open-roof 911 variant rolled off the production line in 1982, and it has been a constant feature in the model range ever since. The new model echoes the timeless and contemporary design of the Coupe, remaining unmistakably a Porsche 911 in Cabriolet form. The fully-automatic soft top has an integrated glass rear window and the roof structure contains magnesium surface elements, known as 鈥榖ows鈥? which reliably prevent ballooning of the roof at high speeds. The 911 Cabriolet is initially available as a Carrera S with rear-wheel drive and Carrera 4S with all-wheel drive. Both use the charismatic flat-six cylinder, 2,981 cc, twin-turbocharged 鈥榖oxer鈥?engine producing 450 PS (331 kW) at 6,500 rpm and 530 Nm torque between 2,300 and 5,000 rpm.