Comparison: 2022 Mercedes-AMG A35 vs BMW M240i xDrive

You ever wonder where all these hot-sauce companies came from? Used to be you had your Sriracha or you had your Tabasco, but now there’s at least eighty-four different kinds of little red bottles in your local grocery store, some of them with names like Howie’s Bowel Nuke or Your Tongue Will Pray For Death’s Sweet Release.

So, too, it is in the car world, where once standalone specialty models have become more like automotive flavours. Automakers spend a lot of money promoting the history and heritage of their performance divisions, and thus they expect to spread it across the range just that little bit further.

Thus, from Germany, we have the A35 and the M240i, both seasoned with a dash of the hot stuff from, respectively, Mercedes-AMG and BMW’s M division. While neither is a full-strength product, they do both represent the smallest package in which you can get some AMG- or M-spiced currywurst. Strictly speaking, these cars might not actually compete head to head; in BMW world, the Gran Coupe version of the 2 Series is the one with four doors. And Canadian shoppers looking at the Mercedes A-Class might well take a good long look at the hatchback version, which offers an extra level of flexibility and is only sold north of the border.

Those quibbles aside, here we have two examples of how two of the largest European automakers go about broadening the appeal of their performance divisions. The results are the opposite of what you might expect.

autos, bmw, cars, mercedes-benz, mg, reviews, bmw m2, mercedes, comparison: 2022 mercedes-amg a35 vs bmw m240i xdrive

BMW M240i xDrive Photo by Brendan McAleer

First up, the A35 sedan, with its (gasp horror!) turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Any dyed-in-the-wool AMG enthusiast might recoil at the idea of fewer than eight cylinders under the hood, and further turn up their noses at an engine that wasn’t hand-built by a single master assembler. But that ship has sailed. When the new C63 AMG arrives, it’ll come with a four-cylinder hybrid. AMG purists, brace yourselves.

Happily, the four-cylinder turbo in the A35 doesn’t really feel like “Stuttgart lite.” Instead, it’s a snorty little thing that punches out about as much power as found in a Subaru STI, but with a far more accessible torque band. Peak power is 302 hp, and as is the case with the vast majority of the AMG range, all-wheel-drive helps get that power to the pavement.

In hatchback form, the obvious comparison is the Golf R. In entry-level sedan, the A35 is a sort of My First AMG. It excels at this task with a bit of the unpolished charm of some of the original AMG cars. The handiwork of Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher was often more about powerslides than poise, and while the A35 looks like a peashooter next to the big V8 cruise missiles, it still has that hooligan feel.

Mercedes-AMG A35 Photo by Brendan McAleer

Where it falls short, really, is not so much the “AMG” part as the “Mercedes” part. The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is sharp and snappy when you’re stepping through the gears briskly, but slow and lurchy when you’re just driving around town. Further, the ride is a little firm for non-European roads.

However, there’s still plenty of Mercedes-like attributes to like here. The interior disguises its entry-level roots by dint of the huge widescreen that stretches across the dashboard. The infotainment controls can still be a little fiddly to operate, but the tech is visually slick. Last, and perhaps best, AMG keeps its badging relatively discreet. The exhaust of the A35 burbles and pops when you’re in the sportiest modes, but it doesn’t cause a visual disturbance.

Romping into view in Thundernight Metallic, which sounds like a David Hasselhoff single but is actually just purple, the BMW M240i, alternatively, is bright and brash. Sorry, that’s – full name – the M240i xDrive, continuing the modern trend of German cars being named by someone falling asleep on a keyboard.

BMW M240i xDrive Photo by Brendan McAleer

Perhaps that’s a bit unfair, as all parts of this little M’s name tell a story. In this case, BMW provides two extra cylinders to go with the two fewer doors (the Gran Coupe gets a four-cylinder with output nearly identical to the A35). Compared to the previous full-M-strength M2, this new coupe has a little less horsepower and a little more weight, but comes with all-wheel-drive for greater traction when putting the power down.

If AMG reserves its loudest looks for a handful of special editions and the company flagship AMG GT, BMW lets all its little M children bellow. Not only does the M240i have M logos liberally shotgunned all over the exterior and interior, but even the door cards are splashed with the three colours of the M brand. Does all this M war paint border on gauche? Who cares? BMW owners themselves have a trend of painting their grilles with the blue, purple, and red of the M division logo. BMW’s just giving customers what they want here.

And if what those customers wanted was more power from a company whose middle name is literally “Motor,” then they will be pleased. The M240i’s 3.0L inline-six is rated at a lofty 382 hp, but BMW often underreports horsepower outputs, and this little coupe is extremely quick.

Power comes on in with a constant shove of turbocharged torque, and the added grip from the all-wheel-drive on corner exit means that this car is likely quite a bit quicker than an actual M2 in the real world.

Mercedes-AMG A35 Photo by Brendan McAleer

The real surprise is how well the suspension is damped, soaking up a badly rutted back road with ease (in Comfort settings). But lest you think the M240i is made for twisty country lanes, the steering feel would beg to differ. Numb steering has been a characteristic in BMWs for some time now, and the all-wheel-drive dials down the feedback even a bit more.

It shouldn’t be a problem. The M240i is fast, flashy, and very capable. If it doesn’t have the at-the-limit feedback you want at a track day, that’s not really the point. Most people wishing for an M4 but at a more accessible price point will be more than happy enough with how fast this M-boosted ‘2 acts in the real world.

BMW’s approach with the M hot sauce? Dump nearly the whole bottle in. AMG? Season to taste. If the few rough edges of the A-Class were more polished, then the A35 would be the better balanced offering. As it is, here the most rewarding experience is one very spicy BMW meatball. Maybe have a big glass of milk after driving it to cool off.

Keyword: Comparison: 2022 Mercedes-AMG A35 vs BMW M240i xDrive

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