Spied! 2019 Mercedes-AMG A45 Hot Hatch Caught Testing in Colorado [Spy Shots]

Well, this is an unexpected sight.

A TFLcar reader caught what appears to be the 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class testing at the summit of Mount Evans in Colorado. The fact that the A-Class is testing in the U.S. isn’t really all that surprising. While we originally thought the latest model, debuted in Amsterdam earlier this year, wouldn’t reach our shores at all, we will see a sedan version later this year.

However, two things are surprising. Our intrepid reader caught the new A-Class hatchback in the wilds of the Colorado Rockies. Strange – could the U.S. see the hatchback model after all? This also looks like it’s not just any A-Class. It’s the upcoming A45 model. The quad exhausts give the game away, and that’s exciting news for hot hatch enthusiasts. In fact, the A45 is shaping up to be one of the most powerful hot hatches on the market. It’s 2.0-liter turbocharged engine may have one of the highest specific outputs in the world, according to Autocar.

At least in European spec, the most powerful version of the 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class will pack over 400 horsepower from its engine, a significant improvement on the current generation A45 and GLA45 model. Per AMG head Tobias Moers’ statements to Autocar, that figure would give the engine over 200 horsepower per liter. For reference, the Audi RS3 makes 400 horsepower from a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine. In recent AMG tradition, the A45 will likely see a softer, less powerful sibling come along as a stepping stone from the standard 2019 Mercedes A-Class models.

We’ll have to wait and see if we actually get a hatchback A-Class, let alone a hot version in the U.S. market. Still, Mercedes-Benz testing the car in Colorado means the A45 is inching ever closer to going on sale. We also spotted what looks like a new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter in the back of one of these spy photos.

Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more coverage of the 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Check TFLtruck.com for more on the upcoming, next-generation Sprinter! Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car, The Fast Lane Truck and TFLnow for more news, views and real-world reviews.