Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC: Five reasons you should buy one

As you've probably read by now, we've recently got behind the wheel of the new Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC, the latest and littlest tarmac punisher of the German high-performance brand, in Majorca, Spain. Positioned below the A 45 in terms of price and performance, the A 35 is expected to arrive in Singapore sometime between the end of 2019 and early 2020.

And while that may mean it'll be awhile before hot hatch enthusiasts in Singapore can get their hands on one, here are five reasons why it's well worth the wait.

Revisions to the A250's 2.0-litre including a new twin-scroll turbo result in 302bhp and 400Nm of torque

1. It's far from mundane

The A 35 may not have a hand-built AMG engine; its boosted 2.0-litre is a revised and uprated version of the A250 powerplant but it's no pushover with 302bhp and 400Nm of torque.

Fitted with a twin-scroll turbo, the full brunt of its puissance is dished out quickly and linearly, accompanied by a throaty snarl that crescendos the harder you accelerate in its naughtier Sport and Sport + drive modes.

Well-crafted paddle shifters allow you to manually swop gears, accompanied by upshifting pops

2. It's got a slick seven-speed dual clutch

The only transmission available is a seven-speed dual-clutch but Mercedes promises that it's been set up for 'spontaneous acceleration in all ranges'. More importantly, it integrates a playful launch control feature, which Mercedes terms as the Race Start function.

With that employed, the A 35 will complete the century sprint in 4.7 seconds, making it a smidgen quicker than the Audi S3. Compared to its more expensive A 45 sibling, it's only 0.5 seconds slower.

The A 35 supplies tons of mechanical grip, which instils confidence even for the noobiest of drivers

3. It's happy to be driven… hard

To make sure it that doesn't lose its cool in corners, AMG has stiffened up the A-Class' chassis with things like a bolted aluminium plate under the engine, and two additional diagonal braces up front.

In fact, all the important bits, like the engine, suspension, all-wheel drive, transmission, driving programmes and tuning, of the A-Class have been breathed over by AMG to ensure maximum performance at the limit.

Driving in Comfort mode softens the suspension and closes the exhaust flaps for quiet town-trotting

4. It's not as vulgar as the A 45

While it's amazing as a hooligan hot hatch, the A 45 isn't as comfortable for everyday use as, say, an Audi RS3. It rides too harshly, and is always so angry and loud, which makes it little anti-social around town.

The A 35, on the other hand, is gentler when you want it to be. In its default Comfort mode, its adaptive suspension is as comfortable as a C-Class, and its actuated exhaust flap shuts to leave with you a peaceful drive.

The A 35's cockpit is a digital feast, infused with racy AMG bits that separate it from the regular A-Class

5. It's got a beautiful cabin

Undoubtedly the best in its class, the A-Class' stunning cabin has been brought over to the A 35, and sprinkled with racy AMG goodies.

Its digital display screens can be filled with performance info and shouty red displays, there's a new perforated, leather-wrapped and flat-bottomed AMG steering, matching contrast stitching and oh, don't get us started on how lovely those AMG sports seats are…