Merc A45 AMG v Audi S3 v BMW M1351 - Mercedes Powers Its Way To Pole (Part 3)

That engine is sweeter than apfelstrudel with cream, whipping eagerly through the revs, the mighty mid-range urge putting the four-cylinder competition into perspective, the two extra cylinders of the straight-six ensuring there are absolutely no artificial ingredients involved in making this 3.0-liter motor sound spine-tinglingly good when the mixture gates open. The optional eight-speed automatic cracks quickly through the upshifts too, is keener to downshift than the Merc’s dual-clutch ’box and hides any trace of turbo lag. And the BMW also is clearly the most comfortable car in this group: even with the driving experience selector in ‘Sport’ or ‘Sport Plus’, the suspension will soak up most vagaries with a smile.

Inside Mercedes: looks good, but quality inconsistent and none of the stitching matches

But marketing calls these niche models M Performance Automobiles and that’s exactly what the M135i is: M make-up plus a performance engine and chassis, all wrapped up in the clothes of a compact Gran Turismo. The M135i was our number one choice on the poorly maintained Italian auto-strada, but it is a touch too laid-back to bring your blood to the boil on those memorable Alpine special stages. Furthermore, the brakes are on the soft side when pushed, the quick steering (only two turns from lock to lock) feels over-damped and under-transparent and there is more roll and pitch and dive than we expected from a 1 Series model wearing the M badge. Full marks for ride quality, panache and refinement, but only 3.5 stars out of five for absolute sportiness and driver involvement.

Inside Audi: why can’t Audi seem to elevate its quality cabins into a sporty sense of event?

Would the M135i have won if it looked better and felt more special inside? It might have come closer, but it would still be more of a GT and we still wonder how the 1 Series was ever type-approved for daytime operation on public roads. Thankfully, a facelift will right that particular wrong in 2014. The Audi? It is tight-lipped, monosyllabic and reserved, strangely robotic in the way it performs and flawed in its ability to turn a near-faultless performance into a tangible feel-good experience. There are too many layers of indifference and artificiality in what is, in essence, a solid concept.

Inside BMW: Georg calls it a ‘somber plastic wonder world’. Quality high, feel-good low

Which means, after 48 hours, 800-odd kilometers, 269 liters of premium unleaded and three fresh shirts, the A45 AMG takes the trophy ahead of the BMW and the Audi, off-putting price-tag notwithstanding. The M135i feels like a neatly spiced up 1 Series, the S3 feels like an S-line A3 with more poke. In contrast, the A45 feels more AMG than A-Class, more special than mainstream, more bespoke than espaliered. For the time being, this Mercedes rules the microcosm that was once owned by Scooby, Mitsu and friends. But as soon as the 360-PS M2 and the next 380-PS RS3 are ready to pick up the gauntlet, we shall return to these dream driving roads for an encore.

Spend less and get much more

Merc C63 AMG (2007-on)

Why spend so much on the A45 when a used C63 is over $14,955 less? It’s the cheapest way to get hold of a Merc with AMG’s thundering 6.2-liter V8.

Merc C63 AMG (2007-on)

Audi RS4 (2005-’08)

The S3 is good, but the Mk2 RS4 is one of the best cars Audi have ever built. You still get Quattro, but a 4.2 V8 instead of a 2.0T. Yours from just $19,442.

Audi RS4 (2005-’08)

BMW M3 (2007-on)

Why have a pretend M car for $44,865 when the real thing can be yours for much less? Current-shape, V8-engined M3s now start at $26,919.

BMW M3 (2007-on)

A45 AMG: technically speaking

Engine

As with every AMG, A45’s engine is hand-built by a single technician, but rather than being assembled at its Affalterbach HQ with the V8s, it’s made at Merc’s Kölleda engine plant

A45 AMG back

Special edition

Worried the A45 is rather plain? The ‘Edition 1’ has white paint with grey graphics, red highlights around the grille and mirrors, a carbon-fiber rear wing and front aero ‘flics’. Like an Impreza, only hairier

Gearbox

The AMG dual-clutch ’box interrupts the ignition and injection during shifts in ‘Sport’ and ‘Manual’ to change gears as swiftly as the SLS. Other AMG tweaks: stiffer front suspension, all-new rear axle, bigger brakes

Big power

The A45 produces 360 PS from just 1,991 cc, so its huge 180.81 PS/liter trumps naturally aspirated screamers like Ferrari’s 458 and even the quad-turbo Bugatti Veyron Super Sport