BMW M340i and Mercedes-AMG C 43 Have Exhaust Battle, Germany Wins

There's an age gap between these two, as the M340i Touring is fresh off the production line while the C 43 T-Model will probably be discontinued next year. Mercedes is making a new C-Class and doesn't seem interested in offering a V6 turbo version.

It's a real shame, as we've always thought the C 43 represented an interesting sweet spot. The powertrain consists of a "simple" V6, which means it's lighter than those hybrid "53" models and we think it sounds better too. While this AWD wagon accelerates like it's on rails, the more powerful C 63 has RWD and just destroys its tires every chance it gets.

The BMW M340i Touring does similar things. After years of selling the 335i, the automaker finally gave us an M Performance model, fitted as standard with xDrive, and all the power a single-turbo inline-6 can muster. But which is faster between the two? Official numbers side with the Bimmer, but this comparison video from AutoTopNL suggests they're evenly matched.

While the C 43 makes more power, it's said to be slower to 62 mph (100 km/h) at 4.8 seconds. However, the Autobahn reveals wagons that sprint all the way to 250 km/h (155 mph) with just a second between them. Yeah, the Bimmer is faster, but not by a large margin.

Picking a winner comes down to brand loyalty. But we feel that the C 43 comes with a huge sense of occasion, while the M340i doesn't make a big enough step above the average 3 Series. In addition, you'll be able to buy an M3 Touring pretty soon.