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Mercedes-Benz A 38 AMG (W168) is fascinating, and its twin-engine setup is a legendary piece of AMG history.
Here is a detailed explanation of the Twin-Engine Prototype, with all the numerical and technical details presented in standard format:
🚗 The Twin-Engine Prototype (The A 38 AMG)
The Mercedes-Benz A 38 AMG, often nicknamed the "2 Engine" car, was a highly unusual and limited-run prototype based on the first-generation A-Class (W168) chassis. It was created by AMG to inject extreme performance into the small, practical hatchback.
💡 The Engineering Philosophy: Dual Power
The idea behind using two engines was a creative workaround to a complex problem. AMG needed massive power and All-Wheel Drive (AWD) for this light, tall car, but developing a single, high-output engine to fit the front-wheel-drive platform and manage that power efficiently would have been costly and complicated.
The A-Class's unique "sandwich floor" design—where the engine was mounted at an angle to slide beneath the cabin in a crash—left unexpected space under the rear floor, which the engineers exploited by fitting a second complete engine and drivetrain assembly.
⚙️ How the Twin-Engine System Worked
The A 38 AMG was essentially two cars mechanically linked together:
| Component | Front Setup (Front Axle) | Rear Setup (Rear Axle) |
| Engine | Standard A-Class engine (M166 I4) | An identical A-Class engine (typically the 1.9 Liter unit from the A 190 model) |
| Drivetrain | Drives the Front Wheels (FWD) | Drives the Rear Wheels (RWD) |
| Combined System | All-Wheel Drive (AWD) when both engines are engaged. |
Engine Control:
Both engines had their own separate gearboxes but were cleverly linked to the same gear selector and clutch mechanism for synchronized operation.
The rear engine could be switched on or off by the driver (reportedly via a simple switch inside the cabin). For normal driving, the car functioned on the front engine alone, operating as a regular FWD A-Class.
When the driver flipped the switch and engaged the rear engine, the car transformed into a high-performance AWD hot hatch. The "38" in the name is derived from the approximate combined displacement: 1.9 L + 1.9 L = 3.8 Liters.
📈 Performance and Specifications
Using two stock engines allowed AMG to achieve a massive performance boost without developing a turbo or a larger engine block for the A-Class platform.
| Specification | Detail |
| Combined Power | 184 kW to 206 kW (250 to 280 hp). The most frequently cited figure is 186 kW (253 hp). |
| 0-100 km/h | Approximately 5.7 to 5.9 seconds, which was exceptionally fast for a small car at the time. |
| Chassis Upgrades | The car was lowered and fitted with uprated suspension, along with larger, high-performance E 55 AMG brakes to handle the extra speed and power. |
🏆 Status and Legacy
Rarity: Only a few units—reported to be just 4 units—of the A 38 AMG prototype were ever constructed.
Non-Production: Mercedes-Benz deemed the twin-engine car too costly and complex for public sale. The production cost essentially doubled due to having two complete drivetrains.
F1 Gift: The prototypes served primarily as high-profile marketing tools. Two of the exclusive cars were famously presented to the successful McLaren-Mercedes Formula 1 drivers of the time, Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard.
The A 38 AMG remains an iconic example of the extreme and unconventional lengths manufacturers will go to for a one-off performance statement.
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