One of the things that makes Carwow videos interesting is how they compare cars in different ways. In this case, a power-to-weight comparison between a BMW M240i, AMG A45, Audi RS3 and Golf R. But the best part? It’s fun to watch.
It starts with the Volkswagen Golf R. Powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with an advertised 320 horsepower, it is equipped with a seven-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The owner thinks his car produces around 325 horsepower, which turns out to be almost on the nose. The highest of the three dyno runs came in at 324.6 horsepower.
Up next is the BMW M240i. As one of the most powerful versions of the BMW 2 Series, the M240i was equipped with a 3.0-liter turbo producing 347 horsepower. Like the Golf R, the BMW owner thinks 347 is a little weak, in which case it should be closer to 400 horsepower. Again, the car produces more power than advertised, but at 375 horsepower, it falls short of what the owner expected.
Moving on to the Audi RS3, we have a 400-hp 2.5-liter turbo five-cylinder. According to its owner, it should develop between 410 and 415 horsepower. Like the Golf R, it has all-wheel drive and a seven-speed gearbox. Also, like the owner of the Golf R, the owner of the RS3 is right on target with his estimate. The actual number came out at 413 horsepower.
Finally, it’s the turn of the Mercedes-AMG A 45. Its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder pumps out a factory-claimed 421 horsepower. Like all cars, it is an all-wheel drive with an automatic gearbox, in this case with eight gears. But unlike other owners, the owner of this Mercedes thinks it produces a little less power. His estimate is around 417. Turns out he was right to be pessimistic because the car only produces 386 horsepower.
So who won ? In this competition, the challenge was not pure power but the power-to-weight ratio. Each car was also weighed and Carwow calculated the ratio using its recorded figures against the English ton, which is 2,240 pounds. Using these calculations, the Audi RS3 came in first with 254 horsepower per ton, followed by the Mercedes-AMG, the BMW and finally the VW.
