BMW and Mercedes-Benz have been rattling their swords at each other for decades in every single section of the market, and while the Bavarians initially had the upper hand when it came to performance cars, the rise of Stuttgart’s AMG division is challenging the status quo.

In theory, someone searching for a proper rear-drive sports coupe like the BMW M235i shouldn’t be interested in an all-wheel drive sedan like the CLA 45 AMG (even if Mercedes calls if a ‘four-door coupe’) and vice versa, but in practice, you’ll probably see people cross-shopping the two, especially since they’re so closely priced.

Mercedes’ CLA 45 AMG starts at $47,450 (sans destination and handling) and sports a 355hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four, with the BMW M235i kicking off at $43,100 (without D&H) and featuring a 320hp straight six 3.0-liter turbo.

For many people and placing aside any monetary and dealer-related factors, it will all come down to how these cars handle and perform from an enthusiast’s point of view. MotorTrend’s Head2Head took the two German sport compacts and tried them out to find out which one will satisfy you more. See the result in the video after the poll.

By John Halas

Poll: Which concept do you like more?

VIDEO