WHO would have thought that in 2016 we would be talking about sensible, relatively affordable hatchbacks with room for five people and upwards of 250kW under the bonnet?

That notion would have seemed the stuff of fantasy as recently as a decade ago but with the three big German luxury brands now offering exactly that, there is a new battle raging beyond the long standing hot hatch contest.

Critics are quick to point out that even though the 3.0-litre BMW M135i had the largest engine in the segment, its power fell short of the Audi RS3’s 2.5-litre five-cylinder and Mercedes’ manic 2.0-litre four-pot in the AMG A45, but the Munich car-maker has a new secret weapon – torque.

With the arrival of the new M140i and an updated six-cylinder, BMW may still lag in the power stakes with 250kW, but has blasted in to the lead with a stump-pulling 500Nm of torque.

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