Audi RS3 vs Mercedes A45 AMG-Drag Race
Audi RS3 Sportback
Hot, throaty sound, exhilaratingly free-revving and brawny power – the five cylinder engines from Audi are legendary. 270 kW (367 hp) output and 465 Nm (343.0 lb ft) of torque – Audi presents the new RS3 Sportback, the most powerful compact car in the premium segment. With its powerful five cylinder, turbocharged engine, the five door model accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 4.3 seconds, and its top speed can be increased to 280 km/h (174.0 mph) upon request.
“There is a long tradition of five-cylinder engines at Audi,” says Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Board Member for Technical Development at AUDI AG. “In the 80s, they turned Audi into a sporty brand, both in motor sports and in production. The new Audi RS3 Sportback features the latest generation of our 2.5 liter, five‑cylinder engine – the most powerful production engine in the modular transverse matrix.”
The multiple award-winning 2.5 TFSI produces 270 kW (367 hp) and 465 Nm (343.0 lb‑ft) of torque in the new RS3 Sportback. The turbocharged engine accelerates the compact five‑door from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds, and top speed can be increased to 280 km/h (174.0 mph) upon request. In the NEDC, it consumes just 8.1 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (29.0 US mpg), with CO2 emissions of 189 grams per kilometer (304.2 g/mi).
A seven-speed S tronic, which shifts even faster than in the previous model, directs the power of the 2.5 TFSI to the quattro permanent all‑wheel drive system. The quattro system features torque vectoring based on intelligent software and is designed through‑and‑through for maximum driving enjoyment. The new Audi RS3 Sportback steers directly into corners. On low-friction road surfaces, drivers can even perform controlled drifts, if desired.
Mercedes A45 A
There’s a new breed of performance car on the market that we’re calling the super-hatch – and the undisputed king of the clan is the 2016 Mercedes-AMG A45.
The stats speak for themselves: 280kW of power and 475Nm of torque, 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h.
All this power comes from a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
It’s simply mind blowing when you consider this level of performance was the rarefied domain of bona fide supercars just a few years ago. Now you can have this kind of pace in a five-door hatchback.
On paper, it’s the fastest hatch in the world, edging out its arch rival, the fresh-out-of-the-box Audi RS3, which packs a similarly potent 270kW and 465Nm, but is one-tenth off the pace getting to 100km/h.
To add some perspective, that’s significantly faster than Maserati’s quickest model, the V8-powered GranTurismo MC Stradale that needs 4.5 seconds, while matching Porsche’s current 911 Carrera Swith PDK transmission (before the updated 991 911s arrive).
Video
Video: Cars.co.za via youtube
Car information: caradvice.com.au