Although they’re both compact performance cars from luxury brands, the BMW M2 and AMG A45 S are not necessarily direct rivals. Bavaria’s high-performance coupe is sold strictly with a rear-wheel-drive layout whereas Affalterbach’s hot hatch is an AWD-only affair. In addition, the baby M has a larger inline-six whereas the entry-level AMG makes do with a four-cylinder mill.
To even the odds in this drag race, the BMW chosen had the eight-speed automatic transmission since the AMG also has only two pedals. However, the M division will happily sell you an M2 with three pedals. It’s worth noting the M2’s auto is a torque converter whereas the A45 S has a dual-clutch automatic, also with eight gears. The latest M2 has 453 hp and 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) from its 3.0-liter engine, an extra 37 hp and 50 Nm (37 lb-ft) compared to the AMG and its 2.0-liter engine.
These notable differences make for an interesting drag race. On one hand, the AWD layout of the Mercedes gives it an advantage off the line. On the other hand, the more powerful BMW flexes its muscles at higher speeds. To determine a winner, CAR took the M2 and AMG A45 S to the Aldo Scribante circuit in South Africa.
The two German compact performance machines were neck and neck at the start of the drag race. The A45 S was a tad quicker in the first seconds thanks to its AWD system, but it lost the initial advantage once the BMW started to put all that power on the road. Ultimately, the M2 reached the quarter mile first and effortlessly took the win.
AMG has already maxed out the A45 in terms of power and performance since the hot hatchback will not be renewed for another generation. BMW is just getting started with an M2 since there will be a more powerful CS version in 2025 and quite possibly an xDrive variant in 2026. The all-paw model is expected to have over 500 horsepower and corroborated with AWD, it’ll run circles around an AMG A45.
Source: CAR / YouTube
