With the BMW M135i xDrive now getting delivered across the globe, some people are wondering whether the new M Performance model in the 1 Series range is worth the extra money. During our time with the car, we were rather satisfied with how it behaved and couldn’t really complain about its performance. However, the true test the new M135i xDrive has to ace is against its main rivals from Audi and Mercedes-Benz.
We’ve seen a couple of videos showcasing the BMW against the Mercedes-AMG A35 before but now it’s time to take a look at how it fares against the Audi S3. The guys from AutoTopNL had them both for testing purposes and they set up one of their trademark acceleration comparison videos. On paper, the Audi S3 should have the upper edge here, even though it has a bit less torque compared to the BMW.
According to Audi, the S3 should do 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.6 seconds and then go up to a limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). That’s the same top speed as the M135i but 0.2 seconds faster to the benchmark 100 km/h (62 mph) barrier. Under the hood of the S3 hides a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine making 310 PS and 380 Nm of torque. On the other hand, the BMW M135i has 306 PS and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque to rely on.
Video: BMW M135i drag races Mercedes-AMG A35, shows consistent runs
As surprising as it may seem, the video does seem to confirm the S3 is faster but not by much. The Audi is 0.08 seconds faster to 100 km/h (62 mph) and does the 1/4 mile in 12.86 seconds vs the BMW M135i with its 12.98 seconds. The 0-200 km/h (124 mph) sprint takes 18.72 seconds aboard the Audi and 19.17 in the BMW, showing just how close these two cars are.
The BMW does seem to reach a higher top speed though but that doesn’t seem relevant in places around the world without unrestricted Autobahns.
