The guys from CAR Magazine took the hottest hatches for a spin, in order to see which is best in the 1/4 mile drag race. We're looking at the F20 M135i, the Ford Focus ST, Golf GTI Edition 35, Astra OPC and Renault Megane RS Red Bull.
All of the cars we mentioned above are almost identical in numbers, except one. The 1er has the biggest engine and the most power. Let's be fair, the 306 HP coming out of the 3-liter turbocharged N55 engine should make for an easy win for the BMW.
However, it is interesting to see the other cars going head to head. The second most powerful car in the line-up is the 280 HP Astra OPC, followed closely by the Renault Megane RS with 265 HP, the Ford Focus ST with 250 HP and the Golf GTI Edition 35 with its 235 HP.
So, the finish line should be pretty clear, especially since all cars have almost the same weight. However, a drag race like this is a bit unusual because some cars are fitted with automatic gearboxes (the Golf and BMW) and others have manuals (the Focus, Renault and Astra) so skill might turn out to be quite important.
The results are not too surprising. Even though the OPC should've come in second, due to the incredible work the formula 1 engineers did to the RS, the Megane steals second place, followed by the Astra and the GTI, of course (the Focus, even though it was driven by Chris Harris is miles behind the other cars). After all, power is not the only thing that matters, the racing DNA in the Megane and the Golf proved to be essential.
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