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BMW M135i vs. Mercedes A45 AMG in Euro small-lux throwdown

BMW and Mercedes-Benz - please, please, please bring the M135i and A45 AMG hatchbacks to North America. For as long as we can remember, buyers in the New World have been forced to look longingly at Europe and Great Britain and the excellent super hatches that are so routinely offered there. And while we're quite content with the Ford Focus ST and Volkswagen GTI, having a 360-horse five-door with a premium, content-rich interior sounds quite nice.
Our envy for Europe has grown after watching the latest video from Drive, which stars Chris Harris, the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG and the BMW M135i. This latest battle between MB and BMW takes place on both road and track, with Harris providing a running commentary. If you're interested in the upcoming Mercedes CLA45 AMG, you should pay special attention to the section on the A45, as the two are essentially fraternal twins. While the video is a bit on the long side, it provides a comprehensive rundown of both cars, giving those of us in North America just a small taste of what we're missing. Check it out by scrolling below.

BMW prices M2 at $52,695, X4 M40i at $58,795

BMW announced pricing for both the M2 and X4 M40i during the 2016 Detroit Auto Show. The M2 will be the slightly more attainable of the two, priced at $52,695 (including the $995 destination charge). That's about the price of a base Porsche Cayman, and represents a $7,550 premium over the price of the next-step-down M235i ($45,145 delivered). For that much scratch, you get a 2 Series coupe amped up with a 3.0-liter turbo six good for 365 horsepower and 343 pound-feet of torque. With all that muscle on tap, the M2 will rocket to 60 in 4.2 seconds (in M DCT form) and tops out at a typically German electronically-limited top speed of 155 miles per hour. Deliveries start in April. If you need more than two doors (but not much more head room), BMW also rolled out the new X4 M40i at the Detroit Auto Show, and with delivery set to commence next month, it has now released pricing for that as well. The high-performance slant-back will command $58,795 (delivered) – or $8,100 more than the X4 xDrive35i. (That places it price-wise in between the base Macan S and GTS.) It packs a 355 hp turbocharged inline-six channeled to all four wheels, and is capable of reaching 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. THE 2016 NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW IN DETROIT: - BMW to announce pricing of the all-new 2016 BMW M2. - BMW to announce pricing of the all-new 2016 BMW X4 M40i. Woodcliff Lake, N.J.: January 11, 2016 10:30 am EST /7:30 am PDT ... Today, the all-new BMW M2 and all-new BMW X4 M40i made their world debut at the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The 2016 BMW M2. Making its highly anticipated world debut, the first ever BMW M2 features the renowned BMW M performance complimented by a sleek interior and exterior design. The new entry model of the BMW M GmbH is perfectly aligned with M tradition ensuring unbeatable driving dynamics on the roads and the track, embodying the true DNA of BMW M vehicles. A newly developed M TwinPower Turbo technology 3-liter, 6-cylinder engine produces 365 bHP and 343 lb-ft of torque between 1,400 and 5,560 with an overboost function raising this figure to 369 lb-ft between 1,450 and 4,750 catapulting the high performance vehicle from 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds ( M DCT) with a top speed of 155 mph. Inspired by its motorsport roots, the BMW M2 sets the pace in its segment when it comes to agility, driving feeling, directional stability, steering precision and controllability at the limit, without any compromise in everyday use.

European jury picks finalists for 2015 Car of the Year

There are countless Car of the Year awards handed out each year, and naturally, Europe has its own way of doing things. Every year, a panel of jurists representing seven publications in seven different languages and seven different countries get together to name their joint Car of the Year. The panel released a list of 32 candidates back in July, and it has now whittled that list down to seven nominees. The list consists of the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, the Citroen C4 Cactus (shown), the Ford Mondeo, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the Nissan Qashqai, the Renault Twingo and the Volkswagen Passat. Of those seven, only two are available in the US – those being the Mondeo (sold Stateside as the Fusion) and the C-Class. The Passat is an entirely different model in North America, the Qashqai isn't offered here, Citroen and Renault don't even participate in our market and the BMW 2 Series is represented here only by the completely different coupe and convertible. Expect the one and only recipient of the 2015 Car of the Year award to be announced at the Geneva Motor Show this coming March, and while you're waiting, you can place your guesses for the eventual winner in Comments. Featured Gallery 2015 European Car of the Year: Nominees News Source: CaroftheYear.org BMW Ford Mercedes-Benz Nissan Volkswagen Citroen Renault car of the year nissan qashqai citroen c4 cactus bmw 2 series active tourer