AMG considering hardcore version of Mercedes CLA 45 AMG

While the new Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG isn’t exactly short of power, with its 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engines unleashing a V8-rivalling 265kW of power and 450Nm of torque.

However, that didn’t stop AMG from considering an even more extreme version of the four-door coupe, as admitted by AMG chief Tobias Moers in a recent interview with Drive.

AMG believes that there’s more power to be extracted from the CLA 45 AMG’s boosted four-pot, paving way for a hardcore variant based on the CLA 45 AMG Racing Series. Mercedes have, however, ruled out a Black Series version in the near future.

The more powerful CLA 45 AMG could arrive as early as 2014 as the German luxury marque make big plans for engine downsizing across its range of models, focusing on smaller, more efficient turbocharged engines.

Moers pointed out that the downsizing trend could force AMG to modify the CLA’s front-drive transverse (east-west) layout into a rear-drive longitudinal (north-south) layout so that the engine could be fitted on models slotted above the A-Class, on which the CLA is based.

The AMG boss went on to say that 2014 will be “a very important year for Mercedes and AMG” but remained tight lipped about upcoming products.