Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Today's fastest hot-hatch races 2008's V8-powered sport sedans: the E90 BMW M3, the B7 Audi RS4, and W204 Mercedes C63 AMG. It's a race of yesterday's best versus today's Mk8.5 Volkswagen Golf R.

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This episode is presented by Valentine One Radar Locator: Find radar before it finds you bit.ly/Valentine1_Hagerty
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HAGERTY MARKETPLACE AUCTIONS:

E92 M3: hagerty.com/marketplace/auction/2008-BMW-M3/ce835789-7e86-47e9-87dd-cc07303d2e1e

C63 AMG: hagerty.com/marketplace/auction/2008-Mercedes-Benz-C63-AMG/e10b887c-b0ff-4031-b686-57f7c32f416c

B7 RS4: hagerty.com/marketplace/auction/2008-Audi-RS4/d27ebd11-23bc-4f67-bc97-9a8c03256edf

HAGERTY INSURANCE QUOTE: hagerty.com/jason
or just jasonsentme.com
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Can today's quickest hatchback, the updated, 328-hp 2025 Golf R, beat the trio of German compact sport sedans from 2008: the 414-hp BMW M3, the 420-hp Audi RS4, and the 451-hp Mercedes C63 AMG.

It's turbo 2.0-liter versus naturally aspirated V-8!

Today's Golf R has all-wheel drive and a hard-launching dual-clutch automatic — and it's going up against two six-speed manuals: the 4.0-liter M3 and 4.2-liter RS4, along with one rear-drive conventional torque-converter automatic in the Mercedes C63.

The Mercedes M156 6.2-liter is a monster, making 443 lb-ft of torque.
The famed BMW S65 makes just 295 lb-ft, the same as the Golf R!
And the Audi RS4's 4.0-liter FSI engine made 317 lb-ft.

Can yesterday's "peak" sport sedans keep up with today's hottest hatch? Watch the race to find out.


Presented by Mobil 1.

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