BMW M135i vs. Mercedes-AMG A35: The Drag Race

The BMW M135i and the Mercedes-AMG A35 may be the cheapest performance cars on offer from the two German marques, but both are pretty mean, nonetheless. The question is, which one is faster?

The Mercedes-AMG A35 comes packing a two-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine rated at 306 hp (228 kW) and 400 Nm (295 pound-feet) of torque. It uses a seven-speed DSG transmission and 4Matic+ AWD system to send the momentum to all four wheels. Its electro-mechanical multi-plate clutch can direct up to 50% of torque to the rear axle, resulting in 4.7 seconds from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph). The top speed is capped at 250 km/h (155 mph), as usual.

The BMW M135i comes very close to its rival in terms of specs. It also packs a turbo-four mill with two liters of displacement, also has 306 hp (228 kW) at the crank and xDrive AWD. Its top speed is likewise capped at 250 km/h (155 mph). However, it packs more maximum torque (450 Nm, or 336 lb-ft) and uses an eight-speed automatic transmission to deliver it to the axles. The sprint succeeds in 4.8 seconds (down to 4.7 s with the M Performance package installed).

As you can see on the video, both hot hatches launch almost equally fast and go shoulder-to-shoulder. However, the Mercedes quickly gains some headway and continues to gain it until the finish line, beating the BMW to it by a full car length.