Top Gear

Season 21

Episode 5: Porsche 918 • BMW M135i • VW Golf GTi Mk7 • Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG

Jeremy Clarkson begins his review of the three German cars by dismissing the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG as far to expensive, comparing it to a fish. He then drives the BMW around the Top Gear test track where he notes the major performance difference between it and the Golf GTI. He further discusses how 1-Series is the first hatchback in a long time to have rear wheel drive. This then leads to a drag race with a shocking outcome where the BMW loses control at 120 mph and spins off for a distance of a quarter mile ; the GTI then wins. At this point Jeremy switches to the VW establishing that its cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, cheaper to insure and no where near boring. The cars are then handed to the Stig where, for the first time this series the track is dry. The VW Golf manages a time of 1.28.6 where the BMW 1 Series comes in first place at 1.25.1; however, slower than the BMW 1M in the damp, which was the full blown M division car starting at £40k rrp before options.