Spied: 2014 Mercedes GLA45 AMG

Speculation that an AMG version of the new Mercedes GLA junior off-roader could be revealed this year has been given added credence by this spy picture. It is the first time that the new performance-orientated 4x4 has been snapped testing on public roads in prototype guise.

Sister car to the upcoming A45 AMG and CLA45 AMG, the GLA45 AMG is expected to run AMG’s new turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine in combination with a six-speed, dual-clutch automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive.

Official details are yet to be revealed, but the new engine, which carries the internal codename ‘M132’, is claimed to deliver 349bhp.

Together with a higher-powered engine, the GLA45 AMG also receives a heavily reworked chassis. If this particular prototype is any indication, the ride height will be reduced by up to 25mm over standard GLA models, lowering the centre of gravity.

The new model is set to square off against the upcoming Audi Q3 RS, which is powered by a 350bhp turbocharged 2.5-litre, five-cylinder petrol engine.

The GLA45 AMG is expected to get an airing at the Frankfurt motor show in September — five months after the standard GLA makes its debut at the Shanghai show.

Thanks to: Autocar

Hot News: Volkswagen to Introduce 7-Seater SUV at NAIAS 2013

Volkswagen’s new seven-seat SUV, aimed at providing the company with a rival for the likes of the Ford Explorer in the US, will get its first public outing at the Detroit motor show. 

The new 4x4 will be positioned below the Touareg as a cheaper, more spacious offering - the Touareg makes do with five seats. It will be based on VW’s MQB platform, which is versatile enough to be used in cars as diverse as the Polo and this new SUV, and will be built in the US at the firm’s Tennessee plant.

Large, affordable seven seat SUVS are an important part of the new car industry in the US. Honda’s Pilot, the Explorer and Jeep’s Grand Cherokee all cost from around $30,000, and VW will want to price its new vehicle competitively.

Thanks to: Autocar