Audi S3 Vs. Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG: Which To Buy?

Car Wars is where we pit some of today's hottest cars against each other and then, in a commenting fight to the death, decide which one we'd buy. Today we have two entry-level hotted up German sedans for about the same price.

For decades, the tire annihilators built by Mercedes-Benz's AMG division fell under the sole purview of the wealthy. If you wanted to feel the power of a hand-built AMG motor, you had to pay top dollar for it. The new 355 horsepower CLA45 AMG changed all that and did it in style.

With a starting price of just $47,450 — about $15,000 cheaper than the C63 AMG — you get the most powerful production four-cylinder engine currently the market. You also get what I believe to be one of the most stunningly gorgeous sedans ever, but my co-Jalop Travis vehemently disagrees with me on that.

With a potent 2.0-liter turbo four and all-wheel drive, the CLA45 AMG feels like a shot across the bow to Audi. But Audi's not about to take this lying down! They're bringing the 2015 Audi S3 to the U.S. in sedan form for the first time ever. With just shy of 300 horsepower and Quattro all-wheel drive, it's not messing around. Pricing hasn't been announced, but Travis wants to see it be in the low-$40,000 range.

I have driven the CLA45 AMG and I loved it. Travis just got back from tooling around in the S3 in Monaco and he speaks very highly of it. Both are great cars, but we're in a bit of a disagreement as to which one is better.

I'd take the AMG, Travis would take the S3.

Check out our debate in the comments and let us know which one you would pick.