Saturday, December 3, 2011

Mercedes-Benz prepping tiny-tough B-Class AMG


Mercedes-Benz prepping tiny-tough B-Class AMG







It's still unclear whether or not the all-new Mercedes-Benz B-Class will be offered here in the United States (for reference, the old B-Class was available in Canada, meaning the small Benz hatch has seen plenty of time on North American shores), but these spy shots certainly give us one more reason to lust after the compact Merc. Nearly every model range in the automaker's lineup benefits from some sort of high-performance AMG variant, and it appears that Mercedes-Benz is working on something sweet for its little B-Class, as well.

Rumored to be dubbed the B25 AMG, this hotter B-Class will likely be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four capable of producing somewhere between 320 and 350 horsepower. That grunt will reportedly be sent to all four wheels via a dual-clutch transmission, though the number of speeds (six or seven) is unclear at this time.

Visually, the AMG will stand apart from the standard B-Class with the addition of larger wheels on lower profile tires, bigger brakes and a more aggressive front end treatment – you know, the standard AMG flare. It certainly seems like a potent package, and if Mercedes-Benz does end up offering the B-Class her in the U.S., we certainly hope the little AMG variant will be part of the lineup.