The Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG has found itself into another comparison test with what is currently its only premium rival, the BMW M135i. The head to head took place exclusively on a circuit and the two cars were put up against each other by Auto Express.
Even though the M135i is not a true blood Motorsport Technik car, being developed by the M-Performance sub-brand, it is the only thing that BMW has currently thrown at the compact segment horsepower champion, the A45 AMG.
Both cars in the test are 300+ hp compacts with somewhat similar performance and/or specs on paper and reasonably close starting prices.
Nevertheless, a keener eye can see that there are a ton of differences between the two as well. The BMW is a six-cylinder while the AMG has to do with four, the Bavarian has rear-wheel drive (xDrive optional, but not in the UK) while the Swabian has on-demand all-wheel drive as standard, the M135i has an eight-speed automatic while the A45 AMG has a seven speed dual clutch sequential, and so on and so forth.
The biggest differences are found in the power department, though, since the BMW only makes 320 hp and 450 Nm (332 lb ft) while the furious Mercedes-Benz has a whopping 360 hp and an identical torque figure with an engine that has two cylinders and one liter of displacement less. Which one is faster on a circuit, though? Watch the video below and find out.
Alex handled his first real steering wheel at the age of five (on a field) and started practicing "Scandinavian Flicks" at 14 (on non-public gravel roads). Following his time at the University of Journalism, he landed his first real job at the local franchise of Top Gear magazine a few years before Mircea (Panait). Not long after, Alex entered the New Media realm with the autoevolution.com project. Full profile
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