Introduction
The Mercedes A35 is part of the A-Class series by Mercedes-Benz and is widely celebrated for its blend of luxury, performance, and technology.
This pedigree makes it a favourite canvas among car enthusiasts and tuners who relish the chance to make modifications.
The Mercedes A35 offers a stout heart right out of the box. It’s equipped with a 2.0L four-cylinder turbocharged engine, capable of producing around 306 horsepower and 400Nm of torque.
However, its performance power isn’t what elevates the status of the A35 for modifications. It’s the potential to extract even more strength!
The 2.0L turbo engine has substantial untapped potential, and with the right component upgrades, you can extract some serious power.
The A35 doesn’t only shine in terms of performance upgrades. There’s a world of aesthetic modifications at your disposal too!
In this guide, we’ll go over a host of both performance and cosmetic modifications for your A35.
Whether you are after ways to boost straight line power, handling performance or are looking for body kit parts – this definitive guide has you covered.
We’ll go over performance mods first then we’ll go over all the best cosmetic mods to upgrade the exterior of the car.
Let’s get into it.
Remap
Remapping is often go-to strategy for enthusiasts owners who want to boost their A35’s performance without committing to costly hardware upgrades.
Unlike other mods that often require mechanical adjustments, a remap simply involves modifying the car’s electronic control unit (ECU) settings
Despite its lower price tag, it can deliver significant gains in performance.
Expect increased power, torque, a much improved throttle response and as a result – a much more engaging drive!
From a typical “Stage 1” remap, (no additional mods), you can expect to see gains of around 50bhp and 100 lb/ft of torque!
For the best results, opt for a bespoke remap/tune on a dyno. Avoid generic flash tunes, especially if you have other performance upgrades on the car as these types of remaps won’t account for the additional hardware on the car.
A remap is often recommended after fitting mods like a downpipe, so if fitting these mods, plan to have your A35 remapped right after for the best results.
Downpipe
The factory downpipe, while efficient enough, is designed with a compromise between emissions, production costs, and performance.
An upgraded downpipe, often wider in diameter and with a more free-flowing design, reduces exhaust back pressure.
This means the turbocharged engine can breathe more easily, exhaust gases can escape more quickly, and the turbo can spool faster.
The result?
A significant boost in power, torque and throttle response that can transform the way the car behaves when you plant your foot down. This means you get faster access to the power you crave whether it’s for daily driving or on the track.
Aside from the impressive performance benefits, an upgraded downpipe will also unlock a deeper, more aggressive exhaust note that is sure to be music to your ears.
You will have the option of going for a catted or catless (decat) downpipe.
To remain road legal, you will need to go for a catted downpipe which come fitted with a high flow sports cat. These are catalytic converters that are less restrictive than the OEM one, allowing for greater performance while still allowing your A35 to pass emission tests.
If legality isn’t a concern for you or you solely track your A35, then you can go for a catless downpipe. These usually work out a little cheaper, and have the least restrictive design. However, they won’t pass emission tests.
Whatever option you decide to go for, ensure you pick a high quality downpipe for maximum performance and reliability. We would recommend Milltek for their fantastic exhaust build quality and solid power gains.
Milltek Catted Downpipe
For the A35 AMG
Milltek Catless Downpipe
For the A35 AMG
Cat-Back Exhaust
The sound of the engine is an essential aspect of the driving experience, especially in a performance-oriented car like the A35 AMG.
Installing an aftermarket cat-back exhaust system can take the auditory experience of driving your A35 AMG from good to exhilarating.
An aftermarket cat-back exhaust system will yield a deeper, more aggressive exhaust note.
It’s not all about sound though.
An aftermarket cat-back exhaust system also reduces back pressure due to its wider pipes and less restrictive mufflers, which can translate into modest gains in horsepower and torque.
While the performance improvements might not be drastic as a downpipe upgrade, when combined with other performance upgrades, a cat-back exhaust can significantly help alter the power curve for better throttle response and a more lively acceleration.
On the A35, aftermarket cat-back systems either come as valved or non-valved.
What system you go for will depend on how loud you want the exhaust to be and how much control you want over the sound.
Valved systems are slightly quieter, producing a nice sound without being overwhelmingly loud or generating unwanted drone at cruising speeds. This also gives you the benefit of being able to control the sound on the go through the different driving modes.
If you are wanting a louder and aggressive sound, then you will want to go for a non-valved cat-back system. While louder, you will lose the ability to adjust the exhaust levels.
We’ve listed a couple of options below from Milltek.
If you’re looking for something loud, go for the non-valve race system exhaust which does away with the backbox.
For something slightly more tame that you can control as you please, go for the valved cat-back.
Milltek Valved Cat-back
For the A35 AMG
Milltek Non-valved Race Cat-back
For the A35 AMG
Performance Air Intake
Aftermarket intakes present a tantalisingly controversial topic within the car enthusiast community. When many of us think of aftermarket intakes, we picture cone filters that are primarily there to increase induction noise.
While it’s true these cone filter kits do sound great and can in some cases provide performance gains, they can also cost performance in many cases.
This isn’t what you want when tuning your A35 AMG, you want to increase the power!
On these cars, you want to go for an enclosed air intake like the one from Eventuri or MST as opposed to your traditional cone filter induction kit.
While these enclosed kits can be pricy, they offer fantastic proven performance gains (we’re talking 15bhp+) when remapped!
The Eventuri and MST intakes provides a minimally restrictive intake whilst also maintaining very low intake temperatures to ensure consistent power delivery.
The standard intake is placed quite close to the exhaust manifold which we all know get’s quite hot, so the enclosed nature of these intakes ensures that they’re shielded from hot components in the engine bay around it.
Eventuri Intake
For the A35 AMG
MST Intake
For the A35 AMG
Grille Upgrade
You have different options when it comes to personalising the grille.
Some opt to black it out along with the Mercedes badge, while others opt to replace the grille section entirely with an alternate version.
One of the more popular grille upgrades is the Panamericana grille.
This is a classy, bold looking grille that comes with chrome styled studs to give the front end of your A35 a rear sense of luxury.
Check it out below.
Black Panamericana Front Grille
For the A35 AMG
Chrome Panamericana Front Grille
For the A35 AMG
Front Splitter
An aftermarket front splitter adds an aggressive sporty look to the front end of your A35, complimenting the sharp lines of the car nicely.
As an affordable and easy to install mod, it’s very popular in the enthusiast circles of A35 owners.
Aside from it’s great looks, a front splitter can also provide performance benefits. While the noticeable effects on the smaller and subtle front splitters will be minimal in daily driving, it’s worth mentioning for those of you who really like to push the car hard in the corners.
A well designed from splitter can help reduce lift and increase downforce at the front tyres.
A front splitter creates a high-pressure zone at the front, improving the your A35’s stability and grip through the corners and at high speed.
The Maxton front splitter made bespoke for the A35 is a very popular choice among enthusiast owners and is made from ABS plastic for durability.
Maxton Front Splitter
For the A35 AMG
Rear Spoiler
A rear spoiler can significantly enhance the A35 AMG’s visual appeal, imparting an edgier, more aggressive sporting look.
This modification implies performance and speed, and gives the rear end of the car a mean look.
The benefits of adding a rear spoiler don’t just stop at looks though!
By design, a spoiler “spoils” unfavourable air movement over the car. The spoiler helps reduce lift that increases at high speeds, maintaining the car’s grip on the road.
Some A35’s can be spec’d with a rear spoiler from the factory, so if this is you then you will likely not want to bother with upgrading this section as the factory optioned one looks brilliant too.
Some owners opt for wrapping or painting the factory spoiler, to either blend in with the colour of the body or create some contrast and make it pop more.
Rear Spoiler
For the A35 AMG
Sideskirt Extenders
Sideskirt extenders are additional pieces that are added to your A35’s sideskirts to make them longer and lower, giving a lovely sporty look.
While they are subtle in nature, they offer a strong visual impact and help give the illusion of the car being closer to the ground.
Asides the aesthetics, adding sideskirt extenders can offer benefits in terms of performance. They can help manage airflow that goes underneath the car, reducing drag and lift, which in turn can enhance stability at higher speeds. Realistically you won’t notice many performance benefits in daily driving however.
Another often overlooked benefit of sideskirt extenders is the protection they offer from road debris. They can act as a protective barrier, shielding your A35 from rocks and gravel that may get kicked up during driving.
Maxton have made a fantastic set specifically for the A35 which fit perfectly and definitely look the part.
Maxton Sideskirts
For the A35 AMG
Wind Deflectors
Wind deflectors allow you to enjoy fresh air while driving without having to deal with the gusts of wind that usually accompany open windows. With the windows down, you’ll also be able to hear that sweet exhaust note much clearer.
By design, they channel the airflow around your A35 instead of into it. You can drive with your windows slightly down even when it’s raining, and still enjoy a well-ventilated without getting the interior wet.
One of the great things about this modification is that wind deflectors are extremely easy to install and can be done yourself without any special tools.
Most wind deflectors come with adhesive tape or clips to make fitting them easy. We would recommend the below wind deflectors for their ease of install and great looks.
Wind Deflectors
For the A35 AMG
Finishing Thoughts
We hope you found this guide useful at helping you decide on the next mods and upgrades for your beloved A35 AMG.
On the performance front, the A35 is a very tuneable car and responds very well to power upgrades. A remap, full exhaust and intake will easily say you into the high 300’s when it comes to horsepower.
Of course, performance doesn’t stop at power. Lowering springs are also advised if you want to improve handling performance and give the car a lower stance.
Cosmetically, the car already looks great from the factory. Some subtle body mods like a front splitter, rear spoiler and sideskirts can go a long way at setting it out from the crowd and turning your A35 into a proper head turner.
Happy modding!
