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450 HP Mercedes-AMG A45 Challenges BMW M4 to an Airfield Drag Race, Does Well

If you find yourself behind the wheel of a BMW M4, in theory, you shouldn't be worried about a Mercedes-AMG A45 lining up next to you for a series of drag races. If the Affalterbach compact packs a solid aftermarket treatment, though, you might have a problem.
450 HP Mercedes-AMG A45 vs BMW M4 Airfield Drag Race 4 photos
Photo: YouTube screenshot
450 HP Mercedes-AMG A45 vs BMW M4 Airfield Drag Race450 HP Mercedes-AMG A45 vs BMW M4 Airfield Drag Race450 HP Mercedes-AMG A45 vs BMW M4 Airfield Drag Race
We've brought along a piece of footage that demonstrates the potential of a tuned hot hatch - the clip at the bottom of the page shows the an A45 that's been dialed all the way to 450 hp and an M4 getting it on an airfield in the UK.

The conclusion of this straight line battle is as solid as they get, since the two German weapons race on multiple occasions, going for both standing take-offs and rolling starts.

If, by any chance, you feel the two-liter turbo of the hot hatch has been taken too far, we'll remind you that the (more or less official) record for the M139 saw the unit being pushes to 600 ponies. To make things even more fun, the car accomodating all that muscle is a GLA45, one that comes all the way from Taiwan.

The Mercedes-AMG is owned by racing driver Archie Hamilton, who also enjoys the status of a part-time YouTuber. Those of you following his vlog tales know that the M4 seen here isn't stock either.

Last year, the M4 received an ECU remap that saw the twin-turbo 3.0-liter straight-six heart of the Bimmer delivering 520 horses. We've added a second video below, one that allows you to see how the ECU massage changes the M4's personality.

As you can imagine, the M machine races the A45 using both the standard software, which sees the thing delivering 431 hp, and the custom one mentioned above. And seeing the battle going from apple-to-orange to an all-orange fight is certainly one of the sweetest bits of the video.

P.S.: Those of you willing to see this 450 hp A45 battling a stock incarnation of the hot hatch should check out this story.

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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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