As far as competitors go for the A45 AMG there are few and slightly less powerful. Amongst them you'll find the M135i xDrive from BMW and the Audi RS3. The Bimmer is the main rival of the Merc at the moment, though, as the RS3 is an older model.
Therefore everyone compared these two as the ultra hatches they claim to be. The A45 AMG has a 2-liter turbocharged into oblivion engine that delivers 360 HP and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque to the AWD transmission with a dual-clutch gearbox.
The BMW is less powerful, with 320 HP and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque but, in this case, it's also fitted with the xDrive intelligent AWD system to cope with the Merc's system that would've made scarce work of a RWD model.
Furthermore, we suspect the M135i was also fitted with the M Performance exhaust here as it sounds really good. Either way, in this case we have to admit the A45 AMG's superiority, especially towards the end on the 1/4 mile.
However, we do want to point out that the difference is really hardly noticeable and that the Merc is still a full-on AMG whilst the Bimmer is simply an upgraded version of the standard model. Whether the M135i was fitted with the M Performance Power Kit, things might've gone differently.
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