The BMW M135i and Volkswagen Golf R both suffer from the same issue — a lack of excitement. Both are great cars to drive everyday; they’re fast, they’re comfortable, and they’re practical. However, despite their impressive performance and capable handling, neither car is truly special to drive. Though, to be fair, the Golf R is typically considered to be more fun by most enthusiasts. Thankfully for any M135i owners, there are ways to improve that excitement, such as a tuning kit from AC Schnitzer.
In this new comparison test from Top Gear the AC Schnitzer-tuned BMW M135i — dubbed the ASC1 — takes on the new Mk8 Volkswagen Golf R, to see if its improvements are enough to help take down the superior Volkswagen.
To make an ASC1, AC Schnitzer throws some cool looking aero to the outside, some new wheels, a few interior tweaks, and — most importantly — a new coilover suspension setup. While the coilovers are manually-adjustable, the come from AC Schnitzer in their preferred settings, which comes from fine tuning at Germany’s favorite race track. That coilover suspension setup is the key to unlocking whatever fun lies beneath the yawning surface of the M135i.
With AC Schnitzer’s coilovers, the BMW M135i is more playful, sharper, and more engaging than the stock car, while also feeling just as comfortable. Even without more power, as this tuning kit doesn’t come with any, the ASC1 is a surprisingly fun upgrade over the standard car. Is it good enough to take down the Volkswagen Golf R, the world’s favorite super-hatch? That’s a tough question because the ASC1 does seem inject more fun into the recipe but it also costs quite a bit and requires an aftermarket solution to get it right. The Golf R isn’t perfect, by any means, but it’s more right than the BMW M135i out of the box.
[Source: Top Gear]
