Autocar test - Merc v BMW v GTI

[Bill_the_Bear]

Audi S3 should really be compared with the A45 AMG and BMW M135i.

S3, or RS3?  S3 to the Beemer, but RS3 to the A45 I would suggest.  i.e. even the BMW and Merc aren't exactly in the same class.  I'm not sure class is quite the right word, more like degree.  The A45 is taken to a higher degree than the M135i.  When the M2 appears I'm guessing it will be the direct comparison to the A45 and RS3.

[CraigW]

Audi S3 should really be compared with the A45 AMG and BMW M135i.

S3, or RS3?  S3 to the Beemer, but RS3 to the A45 I would suggest.  i.e. even the BMW and Merc aren't exactly in the same class.  I'm not sure class is quite the right word, more like degree.  The A45 is taken to a higher degree than the M135i.  When the M2 appears I'm guessing it will be the direct comparison to the A45 and RS3.

I would expect the RS3 and M2 to be in a similar price bracket to the Merc as well. I bet you that both will be far superior to the Merc when the reviews come out.

[Bill_the_Bear]

Audi S3 should really be compared with the A45 AMG and BMW M135i.

S3, or RS3?  S3 to the Beemer, but RS3 to the A45 I would suggest.  i.e. even the BMW and Merc aren't exactly in the same class.  I'm not sure class is quite the right word, more like degree.  The A45 is taken to a higher degree than the M135i.  When the M2 appears I'm guessing it will be the direct comparison to the A45 and RS3.

I would expect the RS3 and M2 to be in a similar price bracket to the Merc as well. I bet you that both will be far superior to the Merc when the reviews come out.

My money would be on the M2 to win hands down.  Pure speculation here of course!

[matchboy]

The M cars are pure class, one day I will have a brand new M5 in Estoril Blue

(In my dreams)

[Bill_the_Bear]

(In my dreams)

... and assuming there is any (affordable) oil left in 10 years time.  Or 5 for that matter.  Enjoying a GTI now rather than waiting and doing something sensible like pay off my mortgage is to some degree a result of wondering if in the not to distance future we'll be moving towards electric in a serious way.

I can't see road transport, especially personal road transport, being anywhere but the bottom of the priority list for a diminishing oil supply when compared to chemicals, medicine, agriculture, lubricants, plastics, naval fuel, power generation, aviation, or space.  And that is before we realise we have a viable electric vehicle but no alternatives for the above uses, save nuclear for the power plant (maybe).

Enjoy it now!

[matchboy]

Yep, sooner or later we'll all be stuck in electric cars that are computer controlled and limited to 50 - so best enjoy it now!!

[am1w]

The BMW F20 1 Series will have a facelift in 2014 so that the it can show its face in broad daylight. There will also be some other tweeks to its performance.

I've driven the A45 AMG and felt my spine could not stand the bone shaking ride on our terrible roads. I preferred the M135i for everyday use. So I don't know what Steve Sutcliffe is talking about re the Merc's goodish ride.

There is also a comparison in the latest 'Car' Mag by Georg Kacher between the A45 AMG, M135i and Audi S3. Merc the winner but with caveats, one of them being the harsh ride.

But when the M2 and RS3 arrive, they'll give the Merc a bloody nose. So Merc has the title for best mad hot hatch for a short time.

Me: for now I'll stick with my BMW F30 330d sDrive M Sport, 0-60 mph in 5.3s and 40+ mpg in town.

[Hobojim]

Don't worry too much about the oil Bear. There is quite a lot left! Previous oil wells only extracted about 10-20% of the reserve. Technology is improving and i think we are up to about 30-40% now. So there is still a lot left!

[JonnyG]

Yep, sooner or later we'll all be stuck in electric cars that are computer controlled and limited to 50 - so best enjoy it now!!

LoL, exactly my thoughts too 

[monkeyhanger]

The M cars are pure class, one day I will have a brand new M5 in Estoril Blue

(In my dreams)

I was very tempted with a 3 year old one about a year ago. My cousin's neighbour was crippled in an accident in his teens and received a lottery win style payout as a result. Every 3 years he buys himself a brand new M5, washes it twice a week, never takes it out in the rain (I think he's crazy on that point!), does about 6k miles a year in it and gets about £24k at trade-in time.

He offered his next one to me for whatever the garage offered in part-ex, knowing I buy cars in that price range (albeit new). It was very tempting (I was prepared to pay a daft fuel bill for that kind of saving on that kind of car), but it would have never fitted in our garage (too wide) and it's not the kind of motor i'd want out on the drive or the street.

His garage is like a fortress (resembles Tony Stark's workshop), I thought it would be inevitable that i'd get burgled for the car keys at some point (even though we live in a nice area) and decided it wasn't worth the chew. Occasionally I regret that decision - I suppose if I change my mind I have 2 years to wait until his next one is available.