By: IOL Motoring Staff
Affalterbach, Germany - If ever there was a reason for a commemorative special-edition model, this is it, as Mercedes AMG celebrates an emphatic double of Formula One Drivers' and Constructers' titles.
What's perhaps a little surprising is that AMG has chosen to mark this achievement, not with an exclusive collectors' version of its GT flagship but with 'a Silver Arrow for everyday', a sweetly customised but still very drivable A45 4Matic.
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It's available in metallic silver, metallic grey or matte grey, in each case with distinctive Mercedes F1 pale green and black go-fast stripes and detailing on the special aero kit.
That includes an oversize front splitter with special flics and an F1-inspired tailgate spoiler, matched to special 19 inch cross-spoked alloy rims in titanium grey with green flanges.
Inside, there are rib-hugging electronically adjustable sports seats upholstered in a leather/microfibre mix with green and white stripes and green contrast stitching.
There's more green top-stitching on the microfibre-trimmed sports steering wheel, armrests and dashboards, as well as distinctive green highlight strips on the seatbelts, and a special badge on the lid of oddments tray in the centre console.
FULLY LOADED
The Affalterbach whitecoats have also raided the AMG options catalogue to give fresh meaning to the Americanism "fully loaded" with the Night, Exclusive and Dynamic Plus packages all included as standard issue.
Mechanically the special edition is box stock, with the two-litre turbopetrol four distributing 280kW via AMG Performance all-wheel drive and front-axle differential lock for a 0-100 getaway in 4.2 seconds.
The A45 AMG World Champion Edition is making its world debut at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend, and will be released in Europe in January 2016 at €65 402.40.
Mercedes-Benz SA is in talks with Head Office to see how many can be made available for SA release in the first quarter of 2016 - but at best it will be no more than a handful. Prices, as usual, when they get here.