Renowned automotive journalist Chris Harris compares the BMW M135i against the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG.
While in Estoril for the BMW 4 Series Coupe press launch, we had a chance to chat with Harris and learned about his upcoming review. According to the British journalist the M135i is fun a super fun car to drive and while it’s not an 1M, it’s still one of the most exciting BMWs in the current fleet.
BMW M135i is powered by a 3-liter, straight six-cylinder engine and 235 kW/320 hp and 450 Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm. The technology package includes a TwinScroll turbocharger, direct High Precision Injection with central multi-hole injectors, VALVETRONIC variable valve control and Double VANOS variable camshaft timing.
The BMW M135i sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.1 seconds (automatic: 4.9 seconds) and reaches a top speed of 155 mph.
Based on the A-Class hatchback, the A45 is engineered by the AMG division to include numerous performance, handling and styling upgrades. The one thing that impresses us is the powerplant found under the hood: a 2.0 liter turbocharged inline-four cylinder which produces 360 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. This engine is paired to a seven-speed AMG dual-clutch transmission and power is sent to the ground using 4Matic all-wheel drive.
It runs from 0 to 60 mph time of 4.5 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph.
Stuttgart v Munich in the battle of the super hatches. Includes road, track, lap times, standing start acceleration.
