The Mercedes-AMG A 45 S is the king of hot hatches when it comes to sheer acceleration, but can the BMW M2 CS and Alpine A110 S challenge it in a straight line?
Granted, the Alpine is a sports car and not a hot hatch. It is also grossly underpowered compared to the other two, but it does put up a good fight during the race.
First, the figures. Powering the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that pumps out 421 hp. Moreover, the hyper hatch is all-wheel drive. By comparison, the BMW M2 CS is the most powerful of the trio thanks to its 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six that’s good for 444 hp and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm) of torque. It can be optioned with either a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch but, unlike the A 45 S, it is rear-wheel drive.
Watch Also: Even With The Stig At The Wheel, The Alpine A110 Doesn’t Really Like To Drift
Last but not least is the Alpine A110 S. It is powered by a compact 1.8-liter four-cylinder producing 292 hp and is also rear-wheel drive. It may be down on power but it is also the lightest of the three, weighing in at just 1,114 kg.
The race was held in cold conditions and, unsurprisingly, it was the Mercedes that had the advantage off the line, quickly accelerating into a lead. Meanwhile, the Alpine got the better of the BMW as the driver of the M2 CS struggled to put all of its power to the ground. As the speeds started to increase, the BMW was able to claw back the A110 S and cross the finish line ahead of it but it couldn’t catch the Mercedes, ultimately finishing 0.1 seconds behind it across the 1,000 m (0.6-mile) drag race.
