Stuttgart, Germany - Given that the Mercedes-Benz GLB is more practical and rough-road-friendly than most other members of the three pointed star family, you likely wouldn’t have thought it an ideal candidate for the ‘full-fat’ AMG ‘45’ treatment.
But these days carmakers seem to have an “if not, why not” approach to these kinds of things, which is why it’s likely that we’ll soon see a Mercedes-AMG GLB 45. This is strongly implied by a set of leaked patent images, which first appeared on the
website.
The leaked renderings show some unique design features not seen on the GLB 35 AMG, including quad exhausts.
If it ever sees light of day, the Mercedes-AMG GLB 45 will inevitably offer the same powertrain choices as the GLA and A-Class ‘45’ models, which are powered by the world’s most potent production four-cylinder engine.
In ‘standard’ GLB 45 guise you can expect it to offer 285kW and 480Nm, while the GLB 45 S will be good for 310kW and 500Nm. Both versions of the 2-litre engine rev higher than you expect from a turbo unit, producing their peak power at 6750 and 6500rpm respectively.
The engine will inevitably be paired with the familiar eight-speed DCT 8G dual-clutch gearbox and AMG-tuned 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, which can also selectively distribute torque between the rear wheels as needed thanks to the presence of two multi-disc clutches in the rear diff.
At this stage there has been no actual confirmation of a Mercedes-AMG GLB 45 model, but the patent images imply that it’s more likely than not. Watch this space.