BMW’s all-new hot hatch, the M135i xDrive, was set loose at the Hockenheim GP on a timed lap to see how quick it really is.
Conducted by SportAuto, the test saw the company’s challenger to the likes of the Mercedes-AMG A35 run across the finish line 2:06.00 minutes after setting off.
So, what does that mean? According to FastestLaps, the M135i managed to beat the outgoing Volkswagen Golf R Variant by 6 tenths of a second. It was also 0.7 seconds faster than the Seat Leon Cupra R ST and 0.8 seconds quicker than the Hyundai i30 Fastback N. The Audi S3 Sportback lapped the track in 2 minutes and 7.4 seconds and the Abarth 124 Spider in 2:12.50.
Also Watch: 2020 BMW M135i Measured Against Old M140i In Series Of Tests
At the other end of the board we find the BMW i8 Roadster, with a 2:05.80 lap time, and the old Mercedes-AMG CLS 63, which ran the course in 2:05.75. The Mercedes-AMG A35 did it in 2:05.10 and the Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR in 2:03.60.
Unveiled a few months ago, the the new M135i packs a 306 PS (302 hp / 225 kW) and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and all-wheel drive. Despite the shift to a new architecture, it is is anything but slow, needing only 4.8 seconds from rest to 100 km/h (0-62 mph), and being capable of sprinting all the way up to 250 km/h (155 mph).
Pricing for the M135i starts at €48,900 ($54,390) in Germany, or about €1,100 ($1,225) more than Mercedes-AMG’s A35 4Matic.
