Doing 137 mph in a 43 mph zone is how you donate your AMG to the police

French police impounded a Mercedes-AMG A45 after catching its driver hurtling through a Marseille bypass at 137 mph in a 43 mph zone. The incident unfolded on the L2 bypass in the early hours of Tuesday, where officers from the CRS highway patrol intercepted the hot hatch after a radar flagged the excessive speed. The driver’s license was suspended on the spot and the car towed immediately to an impound lot. Exceeding the limit by more than 51 mph in France triggers severe penalties, including heavy judicial fines, points deductions, and the potential permanent confiscation of the vehicle. A Facebook post by the Préfecture de Police des Bouches-du-Rhône showed a white AMG A45 with aftermarket taillights, a fixed rear wing, and a red rear diffuser extension. The W176 generation of the A45, which debuted in 2016, packs up to 375 HP from its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, while the current W177 generation, introduced in 2020, cranks out 416 HP. All variants send power to all four wheels through a dual-clutch automatic transmission. The L2 bypass, despite being a smooth three-lane-per-direction expressway, snakes through winding tunnel sections and blind corners, justifying the conservative 43 mph limit and underscoring the recklessness of the stunt.