The Mercedes-AMG A45 S and VW Golf R are two of essentially the most potent scorching hatches in the marketplace and Rory Reid from AutoTrader just lately had the chance to place the duo via their paces on a racetrack.

Whereas many different scorching hatches in the marketplace proceed to stay with the tried and examined front-wheel drive structure, the Golf R and A45 S are all-wheel drive. As such, they provide up a lot better traction and are superior in straight line acceleration.

Watch Additionally: New VW Golf R Dares Challenge The Mercedes-AMG A45 S In A Straight Line Fight

Each the Golf R and A45 S have 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines however the Merc has a major energy benefit with 415 hp and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) in comparison with the 315 hp and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) of the VW. It’s hardly a shock then that when the 2 are lined up for a drag race, it’s the Mercedes that takes a straightforward victory.

Two of the good options of each the Golf R and A45 S are their Drift modes. The Ford Focus RS pioneered the usage of a Drift mode and within the VW, as much as 50 per cent of energy may be distributed to the rear wheels when it’s enabled. By comparability, there isn’t any restrict to how a lot energy the A45 S can ship to the rear wheels, so it feels far more rear-biased than the VW, as Reid notes.