Mercedes A45 AMG: special edition celebrates F1 championship

Mercedes will launch a Formula 1-inspired version of its A45 AMG this weekend to celebrate its domination of the 2015 Formula 1 World Championship.

The carmaker cruised to the Formula 1 Constructors' championship again this season, while Briton Lewis Hamilton picked up his third driver's title – the second in Mercedes colours. His team-mate Nico Rosberg is assured of second place in the standings with one grand prix to go.

The team's F1 challenger this year, the W06 Hybrid, has won 15 out of 18 Grand Prix this season and scored 17 pole positions.

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The special edition A45 AMG, or, to use its full name, the Mercedes A45 AMG 2015 World Champion Edition, is nothing more than a cosmetic tweak. Underneath it has the standard A45 AMG's 355bhp, 2.0 -itre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, a seven-speed DCT gearbox, and a Haldex based all-wheel drive system – all of which make the A45 one of the quickest hot hatchbacks ever.

The standard car isn't cheap, starting at £38,000, and Auto Express expects this special edition to be priced at around £46,000 when it goes on sale in Europe next year.

For the extra money, you get a turquoise livery kit inspired by the racing colours of the Formula 1 team, with the same colour running through the interior in stitching and stripes on the seats. The dashboard and vents also come with turquoise detailing.

The car's 19-inch alloy wheels follow the same colour code, with a turquoise ring around the edge of the rim, and lime green in the centre. It also sports some carbon-fibre aero weaponry in the form of a larger front splitter and rear wing.

This isn't the first time we've seen Mercedes make a special edition car to mark a world championship. Last year victories led to the SL 63 AMG World Champion Edition by Hamilton and Rosberg – and, given Mercedes' current form in F1's V6 Hybrid turbo era, we may have another to look forward to next year.