The Brabus-tuned Merc-AMG A45 S has 444bhp

Mercedes likes to make a rather large song and dance about the fact that the 415bhp A45 S utilises the most powerful four-cylinder engine in mainstream production. It’s an incredible unit which you can read all about by clicking these blue words. 

Somehow, even that wasn’t enough for Brabus, though. Welcome to the B45. Yeah, the name doesn’t make sense, but that really doesn’t matter here.

Brabus has remapped the little 2.0-litre turbo, fitted a new duct for the air box and added something called a BoostXtra adapter. Brilliant. The result is a rather ridiculous 444bhp and 406lb ft of torque, with the adapter apparently creating racecar-like blow-off noises. Oh Brabus. 

The B45 also gets new 20-inch wheels and height-adjustable sports springs which lower the hot hatch by up to 3cm.

All of Brabus’ work means a 0-62mph time of just 3.7 seconds, and obviously there’ll be worries about the stresses placed on a four-cylinder engine that’s making as much power as a Porsche 959, so the B45 also comes with a three-year/62,000-mile Brabus Tuning Warranty. 

See, it is sensible after all.