Drag and rolling races are not completely indicative of a car’s performance, but they sure are fun to watch. It’s especially true if you line up to exciting cars such as the BMW M340i and Mercedes-AMG C43. Mind you, the two sports sedans are not stock as both have been tuned to deliver significantly more punch.
On paper, the cars are evenly matched. In one corner, the M Performance 3 Series packs an estimated 400 horsepower at the wheels. Coincidentally, the AMG Lite version of the C-Class Sedan also has about 400 WHP. Both are all-wheel drive with automatic transmissions, but the M340i is a negligible 90 pounds (41 kilograms) heavier.
It’s a battle between the BMW’s inline-six and the AMG’s V6, but to our surprise, there’s one clear winner. Simply put, the C43 didn’t stand a chance, making us wonder whether the M340i really made “only” 400 hp at the wheels. Some would argue the Mercedes’ nine-speed transmission is its Achilles’ heel as the BMW’s eight-speed shift quicker.
The M340i Was Substantially Faster In The Roll Races As Well
It was more of the same in the roll races from 31 mph (50 km/h) as the M340i was unquestionably faster than the AMG C43. It should be noted this is the previous-generation C-Class as Mercedes has yet to reveal the new AMG variants of the W206 model. The next C43 is expected to pack an entirely different powertrain by downsizing to an electrified 2.0-liter unit with more power.
Just about everyone knows the B58 is a force to be reckoned with as BMW typically underrates the 3.0-liter engine. There’s also the matter of torque as we don’t know the figures for either car. In the M340i, the straight-six pushes out 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) at the crank whereas the AMG C43’s V6 has 384 lb-ft (520 Nm). Since both cars have been tuned, it would be relevant to know how much extra torque the engines are making.
Source: Sam CarLegion / YouTube
