VW Golf GTI vs BMW M135i vs Mercedes A45 AMG Three very different ways of going fast for less than 40 grand By Dan Trent / Monday 28 October 2013 / 166 comments Image not available ...

Why curious? Because in my view, the more appropriate VW Group opponent for the A45 AMG and the M135i would have been the Audi S3.

Indeed, the German trio we’ve got lined up here – the Audi S3, BMW M135i and new VW Golf R – are roughly as quick as a V8-powered Audi R8 from a decade ago.

One is the fact the Golf is actually more expensive than the BMW, and the other is the Volkswagen's steering and handling, which are superior to the M135i 's.

This time it's Which Car's turn, who paired the smallest AMG model with the usual BMW M135i, but also with the much cheaper and less-powered Volkswagen Golf GTi.

Hot Hatch Posh hot hatch fight: VW Golf R Mk8 vs Mercedes-AMG A35 AMG liked Volkswagen’s old 4x4 superhatch so much, it built one. Can it topple the new Golf R?