Publications
Partners
• The world's most powerful hatchback takes on an Italian super sports sedan.
• The Mercedes-AMG A45 S is powered by the most powerful 2.0-litre motor in the world.
• On the other hand, Alfa Romeo's Giulia QV uses a Ferrari-sourced engine with no less than 375kW.
In the middle of 2019, I drove the Mercedes-AMG A45 S at its international launch.
The carmaker billed it as the most powerful hatchback in the world, and there's no doubt it is.
The Affalterbach missile is powered by a M139 2.0-litre turbocharged motor producing 310kW and 500Nm. Never before had the car world experienced this much power from a production car.
AMG also bragged about a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.9 seconds. The A45 S rewrote tore up the rule book and dropped an atomic bomb on the hyper hatch power war. If unrestricted, the Merc will hit 270km/h.
It uses an eight-speed twin-clutch gearbox to spread all the power to four wheels. The all-wheel-drive system adds extra weight and the car tips the scale at 1635 kilograms.
The team at Carwow have lined up a bright yellow example of the loud, small German car for a drag race.
The world's most powerful hatchback takes on the Alfa Romeo Giulia QV. It uses a 2.9-litre V6 turbocharged motor with 375kW and 600Nm. It outguns the little AMG in terms of power, and it even weighs less at 1524 kilograms.
The Alfa has lots of bit of carbon fibre parts that reduce the weight significantly despite it being a four-door, five-seater saloon car that can comfortably transport a family.
The QV offers more thrills by virtue of sending all its power to the rear wheels only via a normal torque converter automatic gearbox. I remember driving the QV at a private track in Franschhoek.
The delicious noise of that V6 screaming to the redline while I was sitting snug in huge bucket seats powering around the tight circuit.
It's lithe and precise with enough room to play if you're willing to skirt on the wrong side of caution.
The QV is engaging, brilliant to drive and arguably better looking than an M3, C63 or RS4. It's the one we all want to drive but perhaps don't want to own.
See how it performs in a straight line up against the AMG in this drag race:
