Although it’s not a full-fat M, the M240i is a firecracker and can hold its own in a drag race. A new acceleration test shows the M Performance 2 Series Coupe being pitted against the most exciting German hot hatches money can buy. Yes, we are talking about the Mercedes-AMG A45 S and the Audi RS3 Sportback.
It’s a battle of cylinders as the AMG has a four-pot 2.0-liter engine while the Audi uses an inline-five 2.5-liter mill. As for the M240i, it has the biggest powertrain of the trio – a 3.0-liter inline-six – but with the least amount of power. In addition, the Bavarian coupe is the heaviest car of the lot, so the numbers don’t work out in its favor.
The M240i Didn’t Disappoint, But It Didn’t Impress Either
Despite not being a legitimate M car, the M240i was put through its paces in a drag race against the flagship versions of the A-Class and A3. Of the three, the BMW is the only one to have a rear-wheel-drive-based AWD system. The other two have their origins in a platform conceived for FWD cars. Even so, the drag race goes to show the M2 can’t come soon enough to (possibly) restore the hierarchy.
In the sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h), the RS3 needed just 3.7s to get the job done. The AMG took four seconds flat while the M Performance car required an extra tenth of a second. The gap widened after the 0 to 124 mph (200 km/h) run, completed by the Audi in 13.4 seconds. Once again, the AMG was second with a time of 14.7s and the M240i was third with a 15.2s run.
Bear in mind this wasn’t a quarter-mile test as the cars completed a full kilometer (0.6 miles). The hot hatch carrying the Four Rings took 21.7 seconds. It was followed by the AMG in 22.4 seconds and the BMW right behind, at 22.5 seconds. Will the new M2 really top the RS3? It’s hard to say because it’ll come exclusively with rear-wheel drive. Of course, straight-line acceleration doesn’t fully reflect a car’s performance.
Source: Motorsport Magazine / YouTube
