Last week, the BMW M5 and Mercedes-AMG E 63, the fastest business sedans of today, debuted in sync. We decided to recall other mass models with outstanding dynamics comparable to supercars of ten years ago. The selection includes the fastest sprinters – cars of nine classes, which accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour in less than four seconds. Electric cars and hypercars are not included in the selection: the owners of breathtaking acceleration to the first “hundred” faster than three seconds are mentioned in a separate article – the gallery has a link to it.
Hatchbacks
The leader in the hot hatchback class is the new Meredes-AMG A 45 S. Four-wheel drive five-door with “record” 2,0-liter turbo four accelerates from a place to 100 kilometers per hour in 3,9 seconds – the same time is spent for starting acceleration by 580 hp Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster with 6,2-liter V12! The main rival of the Mercedes is the Audi RS3 of the outgoing generation with 0-100 acceleration in 4.1 seconds.
Compact sedans
The extreme Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm unveiled in March was the fastest in the list of compact sedans. Four-door with rear wheel drive exchanges first “hundred” in 3.6 seconds – hurricane dynamics is achieved due to the boosted to 540 horsepower 2.9-liter turbocharged V6 engine and lightweight by 100 kilograms of the body. The nearest competitor, the “track” BMW M3 CS, spends 3.9 seconds for a similar acceleration, but the Bavarian sedan was sold at half the price.
Business Sedans
After the restyling, neither the BMW M5 Competition nor the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S became faster in acceleration from a standstill, so the parity remained. The “Emka” with a 625-horsepower V8 4.4 engine gains 100 kilometers per hour in 3.3 seconds, the Stuttgart sedan with a 612-horsepower V8 4.0 engine gives up 0.1 seconds. However, a comparable-sized Tesla Model S Performance is at least 0.8 seconds faster after the upgrade – its acceleration dynamics would be the envy of supercars.
Full-size sedans
Three years have passed since the premiere of the updated Mercedes-AMG S 63, but the executive sedan is still the fastest in its class in terms of acceleration. The first “hundred” conquers “Mercedes” for 3,5 seconds – behind remain and BMW M760Li with 609-horsepower motor V12 and 3.7 seconds, and even a new 571-horsepower Audi S8 body D5 – it spends 3.8 seconds on the starting spurt.
Universes
Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo is the most powerful, fastest and most expensive minivan in the segment. The power plant of the Panamera produces 680 horsepower, so the coveted “hundred” is conquered in 3.4 seconds. Universal Mercedes-AMG E 63 S Estate is slower by 0,1 second, the new Audi RS6 Avant – by 0,2 second. You can clearly see the difference in dynamics in this video.
Liftbacks
The fastest in our selection is the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-door Coupe liftback. Architecturally, the 639-horsepower five-door is close to the E-Class, but a special division of Mercedes-AMG was responsible for the development of the model. The result is 3,2 seconds in acceleration from a place up to 100 kilometers per hour. The same is declared for a 625 hp BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe, but the Bavarian rival does not concern an elevator back – it has a four-door coupe body. Nevertheless, on the market it is a competitor to the four-door AMG GT.
Compact crossovers
In the compact crossover class, the 510-horsepower Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S and the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio Verde are close in terms of claimed performance: the models shared only 2.3 seconds on the 21-kilometer Nürburgring North Loop, and the difference in acceleration from place to 100 kilometers per hour does not exceed 0.1 seconds. The Mercedes-AMG is slightly faster and can do the 100 in 3.8 seconds. Under the hood of the German car – “twin-turbo eight” 4.0, the Italian leads in motion a twin-turbo V6 with a capacity of 2.9 liters. You can see a personal comparison of the crossovers here.
Full-size crossovers
The record holder among production full-size crossovers is the Lamborghini Urus. The Italian all-terrain vehicle with a 650-horsepower V8 4.0 engine reaches 100 kilometers per hour in 3.6 seconds. The Lamborghini beats the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk with a 6.2-liter compressor 717-horsepower eight by one-tenth of a second. The Tesla Model X Performance electric crossover is at least 0.5 seconds faster than the Urus in acceleration from a standstill, but inferior in top speed.
Four-seat convertibles
Among the open-top models, there are examples that change the first “hundred” faster than three seconds, but, as a rule, we are talking about rare two-seat supercars with a rigid roof. Among the convertibles with a four-seat interior and a soft top, the favorite is the BMW M8 Competition. The Bavarian two-door gets to 100 kilometers per hour in 3.3 seconds, 0.2 seconds faster than the updated Mercedes-AMG S 63 convertible with A217 body and half a second faster than the new Bentley Continental GT Convertible.