TESTED 19.7.23, BEDFORDSHIRE ON SALE NOW
Remember straightforward hot hatchbacks of asphalt-sniffing stance and turbo brawn? It's a R sad sign of the times that such cars now feel like a novelty. Hot hatches are dying out, with most in a final evolutionary stage and quite expensive. Fifty-grand Honda Civic Type R, anyone?
Among the stalwarts is Mercedes-AMG's A35, which ticks both boxes. As with all of the A-Class range, it's been refreshed until an EV successor arrives. It inherits the grille and bulging bonnet of the hardcore A45, with Mercedes' roundel swapped for Affalterbach's.
I suppose the message is that the A35 is a proper AMG. But is it really? Doubts linger. As the most 'accessible' AMG, it has always used a modified version of a mainline A-Class motor, not something bespoke to AMG, so questions of authenticity arise. Yet the new C63 has only four cylinders where before you got an earth-shaking V8, so what is authenticity anyway?
Esta historia es de la edición August 02, 2023 de Autocar UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición August 02, 2023 de Autocar UK.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
MG 4
An EV changes your driving style - but not to the detriment of pleasure
PEUGEOT E-208
Time with our French hatch is up. Is it good riddance or au revoir?
In the hot seat
Is the best automotive job in the world actually in miniature scale? Hot Wheels' design boss assures STEPHEN DOBIE it is
Correcting the record
Autocar invented the road test back in 1928 - or did we? KEITH JONES trawls the past to find the true starting point
Road test rebooted
As the Autocar road test forges into its second century, its brief is expanding and it's returning to a familiar place. MATT SAUNDERS explains
Cyber attack
MG is back on the international stage and now trying to return to its sports car roots. MATT SAUNDERS sees if the Cyberster EV can match up to a rival from the present and a relation from the past
KIA PICANTO
As rivals fall by the wayside, Kia's popular city car gets a makeover
MASERATI GRANTURISMO
Latest coupé in a long line of Maserati GT cars hits the UK with V6 power
PORSCHE CAYENNE GTS COUPE
New V8 model gets all the goodies
TOYOTA PRIUS
Back by popular demand with a cool new look and greater driver appeal