How the history of Mercedes-AMG, BMW M and Audi RS began

Virtually all car brand models, developed by their own sports divisions, are able to take the most out of standard cars and turn them into powerful units. This is the case with BMW with its M department, with Mercedes with AMG, with Volkswagen R. With this list, Motor is recalling the models that opened these specialized sports departments. The oldest of them are in the 90s, and the youngest is only five years old. The brands below are in alphabetical order.

Audi Avant RS2

The first Audi in the RS series (RennSport - racing sports) of the sports division of Audi Sport GmbH (until 2016 it was called quattro GmbH) was a family car developed in conjunction with Porsche. It has a 2,2-litre, 5-cylinder turbocharged in-line petrol engine developing 315 hp. It also has a quattro all-wheel drive system. Can you imagine climbing 262 km/h with your kids in the back seat or 100 km/h in just 4,8 seconds? 

BMW M1

Although unofficially the first BMW M was the 530 MLE (Motorsport Limited Edition), produced in South Africa between 1976 and 1977, history puts the M1 as the model that started the Munich brand's sports saga. Created in 1978 and assembled by hand, it uses a 6-liter, 3,5 hp in-line 277-cylinder engine. With its help, the car accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in 5,6 seconds and has a top speed of 260 km / h. Only 456 units were produced, making it one of the most popular collection BMW models.

Jaguar XJR

The British brand R (now SVR) division debuted in 1995 with this sedan powered by a 4-liter 6-cylinder inline engine producing 326 hp. at 5000 rpm / min. The Mercedes-Benz C 36 AMG rival, also the protagonist on this list, sprints from standstill to 96 km / h (60 mph) in 6,6 seconds, has a distinct aesthetic and features Bilstein adaptive dampers.

Lexus IS F

Although the Japanese brand is distinguished by its hybrid models, it also boasts a sporting history that began in 2006 with the IS F. The model is powered by a 5-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine producing 423 hp. at 6600 rpm and 505 Nm at 5200 rpm. The model has a top speed of 270 km / h and accelerates from standstill to 100 km / h in 4,8 seconds. All power is sent to the rear axle via an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Mercedes Benz C 36 AMG

The first model jointly developed by Mercedes-Benz and AMG is this sedan equipped with a 3,7-liter six-cylinder in-line engine producing 280 hp. at 5750 rpm and 385 Nm in the range from 4000 to 4750 rpm. The car, which sprints from 100 to 6,7 km / h in 4 seconds, comes standard with a 300-speed automatic transmission with torque converter and traction control. Of course, the first product in AMG history was the 1971 6,8 SEL converted into a racing car. Its 8-liter V420 engine develops XNUMX hp.

Range Rover Sport SVR

The most recent model on the list dates from 2013 and is powered by a 5-liter V8 petrol engine that develops 550 hp. between 6000 and 6500 rpm. It is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission with torque converter and all-wheel drive system. Despite its weight of almost 2,3 tons, it accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in 4,7 seconds and has a top speed of 260 km / h.

Renault Clio Sport

Although Renault's sports series is almost as old as the brand itself, we decided to start with the first model called Sport (meaning the Renault Sport division). This is the second generation Clio with a naturally aspirated 2,0-liter petrol engine producing 172 hp. at 6250 rpm and 200 Nm at 5400 rpm, paired with a 5-speed gearbox. The top speed of the model is 220 km / h, and acceleration from standstill to 100 km / h takes 7,3 seconds.

SEAT Ibiza GTi 16V CUPRA

The first Cup Racing or CUPRA in 1996 was called the GTi 16V. Its 2,0-liter naturally aspirated petrol engine develops 150 hp. power at 6000 rpm and 180 Nm at 4600 rpm. Equipped with a five-speed manual transmission, this model was born to celebrate the victory of the Ibiza Kit Car in the 2-litre World Rally Championship. Accelerates to 100 km / h in 8,3 seconds, top speed is 216 km / h. Since the beginning of 2018, CUPRA has become an independent brand.

Skoda Octavia RS

At the turn of the century, Skoda competed in the World Rally Championship and tried to take advantage of this media advantage by creating a sports sedan equipped with a 1,8-liter turbocharged petrol engine and 180 hp. and 235 Nm between 1950 and 5000 rpm. The model, which is also available as a station wagon, accelerates from 10 to 7,9 km / h in 235 seconds and has a top speed of 180 km / h.This was the first RS (or Rally Sport) of the modern era, after the inherited RS 200, RS 130 and XNUMX RS, almost unknown in Western Europe.

volkswagen golf r32

The fourth generation of the German compact model marked the beginning of the R department. This sports car had a 3,2-liter naturally aspirated V6 engine with 241 hp. at 6250 rpm and 320 Nm in the range from 2800 to 3200 rpm. Thanks to the 6-speed manual transmission, 4MOTION all-wheel drive system and special suspension, the model accelerates from 100 to 6,6 km / h in 246 seconds and has a top speed of XNUMX km / h.