Is there a hot hatch king in town?
Can the new Golf R beat its most formidable rivals in drag racing and win? The tough competition from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi may suggest otherwise. Luxury hot hatches have seen a boom in the last few years, and the competition has made the cars better each year. How does the new Golf R compare?
The 2021 Mk8 Golf R features a turbocharged, 2.0-liter inline-4 engine mated either to a manual or an automatic transmission. It also has an all-wheel drive system that transmits power to the ground. The 2.0-liter engine of the 2021 Mk8 golf R produces a respectable 325 horsepower (238 Kilowatts), and 420 Newton meters (320 Nm) of torque. The Mk8 Golf R is a hot hatch with a quick 0-60mph time of just under four seconds.
The MercedesBenz A35 AMG is a challenge to the Golf R. It brings Mercedes-AMG performance and makes it more accessible. The A35 AMG is less powerful than the A45 AMG, and it also has a lower power output. The 2.0-liter inline-4 produces 302 horsepower (2225 Kilowatts), and 295 lb/ft (400 Newton meters) of torque.
The BMW M135i stands out from the rear-wheel-drive performance vehicles BMW is well-known for. Instead, it cashes in on this brand equity to create a platform that is shared with MINI. All-wheel-drive M135i uses the same engine as every other vehicle. It is turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder inline-4, which produces 302 horsepower (225kW) and 450 Newton meters (332 pound-feet). The power is transmitted through an 8-speed manual transmission to an all-wheel drive system.
The Audi S3 is a very similar model to the Mk8 Golf R. This Audi S3 has a 310 horsepower (231 Kilowatts), version of the engine in the Golf R, and a 7 speed dual-clutch transmission. Quattro all wheel-drive is used in the Audi S3, which makes it stand out from its less expensive cousin, VW.
Which hot hatch will win this battle of nearly identical spec sheets?