Mercedes-AMG A45s (2020 - 2026)

The AMG A45 S pushed the hot-hatch formula into supercar-baiting territory. Its hand-built turbocharged four-cylinder engine, advanced all-wheel drive and drift-capable rear differential gave a compact hatchback a level of performance that would have seemed absurd a generation earlier.

Its significance is modern rather than nostalgic. The A45 S shows how far electronics, turbocharging and traction systems have moved the segment, turning a practical five-door car into one of the most technically intense small performance cars on sale