What's better than a small, fast, and fun to drive car? Maybe riding in the space shuttle, but that's about it. When one thinks of fast performance cars that are small and fun around the bends, one thinks of Germany, and when you think of Germany, you think of BMW and Audi.

BMW's->ke178 M-Division is one of the best, if not the best performance tuning company in the world. They have created so many masterpieces, such as the M3->ke2366, M5->ke2922, and M6->ke208. Each one of those cars are a thrill to take for a drive and they have the ability to make the most dull daily commute exciting.

Now, the M-Division is at it again with the 1-Series->ke313. We have never been huge fans of the 1-Series, as it has never looked that great to us and it's very cramped inside. Not to mention the car is pretty pricey. Yet, slap an M badge on it and it doesn't matter how ugly it is, it's going to be a great little vehicle.

The same can be said with the Audi->ke14 A3. It's better looking than the 1-Series, but it's still not a car that we would recommend. That being said, the RS3 is something that we would go out and buy tomorrow.

Nether one of these has been released to the public yet, but that won't stop us from doing a small comparison test now will it.

Hit the jump to read one.

We're not really sure if the M1 will be called the M1, but we do know that some sort of fast 1-Series is on the way. We have seen this vehicle testing on the road and at the track and we were honestly disappointed.

Take a look at the renderings of the car and then look at the spy shots. A bit sad isn’t it? We loved the look of the M1->ke2536 renderings, but what BMW did was take the normal 1-Series and add some fender flares and M badges.

We know that the point of the M car is that it looks the same as the normal model, but come on BMW, the 1-Series didn’t look that good to begin with and now it just looks a bit gaudy.

The front end of the BMW will get a trapezoid grille, flanked by two intakes that will help cool the brakes. The larger front grille will allow air to flow into the high-performance intercooler. The headlights will get that typical M look to try and beat home the point that this car is far more powerful.

Around back, the rear valance/diffuser will look a bit like the one on the 135i, but with open ducks for aero purposes. The M1 will get the typical M quad exhausts and the roof will be carbon fiber.

The Audi->ke14 is the same way, but it does look better at least. From the spy photographs, the RS3 doesn’t look that much different than the normal A3. There are the usual RS badges on the grille and bigger fender flares, but that’s about it. It actually doesn’t look too bad.

The RS3 will have a winden body, which the current S3->ke1303 doesn’t offer. The air intakes will be huge and there will be oval exhaust pipes that will highlight the RS3’s exterior. Inside, the RS3 will get the flat-bottomed steering wheel and racing seats.

Under the hood of the RS3 there is rumored to be a 340 horsepower turbocharged five-cylinder. On top of all that power, the RS3’s motor cranks out 332 pound-feet of torque. Needless to say, this thing is going to be a rocket. We can estimate that this car will hit 60 miles per hour in 4.6 seconds.

One of the bonuses of using a five-cylinder motor is the unique sound. While the new motor will not share any of the design with the old Audi five-cylinder motors, the noise will remain, giving the Audi a leg up on the BMW.

The M1 will pack a bit more power, but that is the way with these things work in the German power war. The M1 is rumored to have a N55 twin-scroll turbocharged six-cylinder motor that will produce around 345 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque.

The Audi’s higher torque number should give it the edge off the line, but the BMW’s superior horsepower output will help it gain back some of the ground it lost as the drag race nears the end.

We’re still a bit in the dark about suspension and weight, but as soon as we hear something we will be sure to let you know. Both cars will most likely get independent front and multilink rear suspension with a harder setup than the current S3 and the 1-Series.

It seems the RS3 takes this early comparison test, but BMW does have trick up its sleeve, a topless version of the M1, as you see below. Now this is really a big rumor, but if BMW does make it and it’s as fun to drive as the coupe version, BMW will put a dent in Audi’s sales.