When the Mercedes-Benz A-Class was launched in late 1997, it had virtually no dreams of being sporty. It was a stubby hatchback, meant for bounding about city streets and being easy to park. That is, until a company called HWA was contacted to build a hot version called the A32K. Once completed, the supercharged A32K was a far cry from its original A-Class formula.
It was a one-off design. HWA was hired to build it for a private customer, meaning there’s no other first-gen Mercedes A-Class out there like it. The company gutted an A-Class, ripped out its standard engine and driveline, significantly upgraded its suspension, and completely changed its front-end structure to make things work. It wouldn’t be until over a decade later that an A-Class would be built with performance in mind, meaning the A32K was quite the harbinger.
HWA Had To Completely Revamp The A-Class To Fit A V6
2002 Mercedes-Benz A32K AMG front 3/4Mercedes-Benz
Looking at the picture above, it’s easy to see how there was little room for a bigger engine under that tiny hood. Unconventional packaging and its awkward appearance meant the standard A-Class came with four engine choices, the largest of which was a 1.9-liter gasoline four-pot. HWA decided to do away with the tiny four-bangers completely and install a 354-horsepower, 3.2-liter supercharged V6 borrowed from the SLK32 and C32 AMG models.
Mercedes-HWA A32K Specs
Engine
3.2L supercharged V6
Horsepower
354 hp
Torque
332 lb-ft
Top Speed
~170 mph (unlimited)
Curb Weight
3,671 lbs
A five-speed automatic transmission was lifted from those two, as well. To fit the new mill and gearbox, HWA had to do some extensive demolition work underneath the A32K’s front fascia. The dashboard needed to be moved backwards, along with the front seats, resulting in a 2.8-inch reduction in passenger room from the front row back. This also meant modifications to the vehicle’s subframe were required.
Compounding the front-end surgery was a whole host of separate upgrades targeting the chassis, suspension, and brakes. From start to finish, the project reportedly took several months to complete. The project was also extended by HWA’s initial plan to shoehorn a 500-horsepower V8 under its hood, but this idea proved impossible due to space constraints.
HWA Binned The Front-Wheel Drive
2002 Mercedes-Benz A32K AMG sideMercedes-Benz
Arguably the largest piece of the A32K’s extensive makeover was its drivetrain transformation. When it was produced, the first-gen A-Class made use of front-wheel drive, and was one of just a few Mercedes-Benz models to do so to date. Because front-wheel drive simply would not be possible, HWA borrowed its driveline from the SLK32 AMG, meaning the A32K suddenly became a rear-drive machine.
Its suspension system was completely changed, too, although it wasn’t wholly lifted from the SLK32 AMG. The bones were sourced from the SLK, but HWA went about tuning it specifically for the A32K, likely due to the huge differences in design between the SLK-Class and A-Class. The A32K’s chassis and suspension changes were things like a wider track, chassis reinforcements for more stiffness, and spring and damper alterations to accommodate the A32K’s unconventional weight distribution.
2002 Mercedes-Benz A32K AMG rear 3/4Mercedes-Benz
Not even its brakes were safe from the butcher’s block. Because the hot hatch carried an estimated top speed of roughly 170 mph, and because the stock A-Class had failed the Moose Test, HWA knew the A32K’s brakes had to be brought up to speed. HWA chucked out the standard units and installed brakes borrowed from, you guessed it, the SLK32 AMG. A set of custom bracketry and special line work were required to make the borrowed brakes cooperate.
The End Result Was A 5-Second Hatchback That Barely Resembled Its Origin
2002 Mercedes-Benz A32K AMG engine bayMercedes-Benz
According to period reports, the finished Mercedes-HWA A32K reached 0-60 mph in roughly five seconds flat. Keep in mind, this was 2002, and other hot hatchbacks like the Ford Focus SVT took nearly seven seconds to hit 60 mph from a stop. While its top speed was rumored to be 170 mph when unlimited, being an early 2000s German model, it was shackled with a 155-mph limitation.
For those of you who are fans of sleeper models, the A32K could probably be considered one of the sneakiest on the road. Looking at it, you wouldn’t be able to tell much of a difference. Until you look closely. For example, its rear end sports a revised bumper with two chromed exhaust tips sticking out of it. It also has a set of AMG-branded wheels. Its wider track can also be spotted due to some small fender flares.
Not to mention, the A32K was miles ahead, and to the side, of its standard A-Class brethren in terms of sheer performance prowess. To say that HWA merely tuned an A-Class would be a gross understatement. Virtually every single aspect underneath its skin was dragged out, changed or thrown away, and reinstalled to make its supercharged, hot-hatch attitude work on the streets.
It Took Over A Decade For Mercedes To Finally Build Its Own Hot A-Class
2013 Mercedes-AMG A45 White Front Angle Track DrivingMercedes-AMG
In 2013, Mercedes-Benz finally figured it would be a good idea to build a hot A-Class. The resulting model was called the A45 AMG, which shared much of its guts with the related CLA45 AMG. Both models made use of a 2.0-liter, turbocharged inline-four with 360 horsepower on tap, and later iterations wound up breaking an engine output record that will likely never be beat. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic was hooked up to it, and Merc’s 4MATIC all-wheel drive put the power to the pavement.
These two A-Class performance derivatives followed a very different path to greatness than the preceding A32K. For one thing, they both use tiny, turbocharged engines instead of a larger blown unit. They also make use of much more sophisticated electronics, along with all-wheel drive. The A32K’s one-off, rear-drive nature was like a sledgehammer to the A45 AMG and CLA45 AMG’s X-Acto knife.
2002 Mercedes-Benz A32K AMGMercedes-Benz
If you asked Mercedes-Benz who its first “official” hot hatchback was, whoever was answering the question would tell you the A45 AMG. Because the HWA A32K was never really part of the Merc family — even though HWA was sanctioned by Mercedes-Benz at the time — the brand simply doesn’t acknowledge the model as being the first. A decade later, though, Merc officially got in the game.
Whether the A32K had anything to do with the decision will likely never be known, but that doesn’t matter — the A32K was first to the punch, complete with its supercharged engine and fuddy-duddy looks.
Base Trim Engine
2L AMG I4 ICE
Base Trim Transmission
8-speed auto-shift manual
Base Trim Drivetrain
All-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
416 HP @6750 RPM
Base Trim Torque
369 lb.-ft. @ 5000 RPM
Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
20/28/23 MPG
Base Trim Battery Type
Lead acid battery
Infotainment & Features
8 /10
Sources: Mercedes-Benz, Supercars.net.
