maff125

iTrader: (1)

No lsd on the 135i?, its quick but is it more of an m sport rather than an m power car?

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

All the more reason why I think they should have imported the xDrive version as a option.

Thats said the eLSD does work OK as there is a option for it to work with the stability disabled and configured NOT to cut engine power. Quite effective...well, it is on our 530d at least (sport+ mode IIRC...its one mode up from Sport).

Any whoo...Merc have announced a new rival: The new A-Class A45 AMG...with AWD Pity its only a 4-banger and only available as a 5-door automatic (AMG 3.6 V6 AWD 3 door manual would have been awesome..yet another manufacturer missing out on a trick opportunity ).

SRSport

6 cylinders in an A class? A 5 speed automatic is a very odd sounding choice have to admit. My biggest concern would be rust though. Still an impressive looking beast and I guess those buying them new dont need to worry about rust for at least 4 years.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

They put 6 cylinders in a 1series and the MKV Golf...so why not? 4 cylinder-turbo engines are so boring..everyone and their dog makes them.

The only option for the AMG 45 is the 7speed dual clutch transmission...so not a conventional automatic, but because it has two pedals I will still call it a Automatic as thats what it will say on the V5 when its registered (and it really narks off DSG and SMG owners )

PS I'm talking about the new A-class (W176)... which is a completely different car to the crappy old top-heavy things that came before it (W168). But that said the old A-class never rusted either. W215 CL-classes on the other hand are rust buckets; because some mercs rust, doesn't mean they all do.

Much like Ford's previous generation KAs and Fiestas suffer chronic rust (MK5 Escort based floorpan)...but Focuses and Mondeos generally don't, nor do the new Fiestas or KAs (not Escort based). Note the latter four aren't made in Dagenham, there's a clue in that..all the Fords made at the Dagenham plant were rustbuckets...Its a similar story with Mercedes; as the factory location dictates which steel processing/coating plants they use.

SRSport

Its too early to say with the more recent Mercs but it was a lot more than the just CLs that rusted. Most MBs were made from very poor grade steel, thinly painted and formed with seams that were not subjected to the appropriate quality control standards. All of these were cost cutting measured not befitting a marque such as Mercedes Benz and all three contributed to excessive rusting.

I was under the impression that the GTI handled better than the R32 due to the lighter 4 pot engine - although I believe you would be more qualified to share opinion on that. Its a good point about the 1 series though and I think that overall the BMW would win my vote over the Mercedes despite its frumpy ugly ducking front end.

Matteeboy

Interesting. I had one of a last mk3 Gti 16vs which was luckily made in Germany. Most of the earlier ones made is South Africa fell to bits.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I guess we'll see about the Mercs of present.

The Golf GTi Vs R32 never compared for me (in MKV form at least...the older AWD system in the MKIV was a bit too passive for my liking). The press and forum know-it-alls may have often done that, but I learnt not to listen to them these days as most of the motoring press have become far too pretentious trying to assert some statistical flaw as reasoning to why one car is better; I found it quite funny as nobody has actually quoted the weight of either bare engine; Its all just assumed. And now the Golf R has a boring 4-pot (yet slightly lighter) they still say the GTi is better as its lighter, just now they blame the AWD For all we know it could be the subliminal effect of the plaid cloth seats and the badge on the boot.

Truth is the handling is different due to many things other than just the weight; I'm running a touch of toe-out on the rear suspension of mine which makes it a bit more rear-biased (previous owner did it, I just kept it like that as it works nicely...from the factory the rear should toe-in). I can make the same exact adjustments on any Golf/Leon/Octavia as they have pretty much the same suspension so have the same adjustability (although lots of bits do vary between models, the adjustment is the same...except the TT - typically).

So journalistic/forum rhetorics and adlibs aside, I just give this verdict: If you can live with FWD and a farty drone of a engine you have a GTi. Or we can expand ths further and say the new Focus ST (no longer a 5 pot ). However, if you are wanting something with a soulful sounding engine that can actually put all of its available power down in the wet, its a R32. You can argue thats the same reason why people buy scoobies (guilty as charged ).

I think this brings us back to the M135i perfectly. BMW is best known for its glorious six pot engines and to have that in a compact-yet-practical everyday car means for those reason alone It is the best replacement to a R32. The lack of AWD option is the big sticking point....an annoying one at that as we know the German version has it as a option.

If it were a weekend toy, however. I'd struggle to justify this over something a little more nutty and impractical (Lotus, Caymen S, 997, or 993, M3 coupe, R8 etc).

Matteeboy

Indeed Ali. I had the mk4 and the gap between it and the GTi was huge but the mk5 was closer. But with fwd and a four pot engine; no thanks.

Tests are showing under 11s to 100 (some even very near 10) which really is rather nippy.

Imagine a tuned 135i...!