The list price for the Mercedes C43 station wagon (in Germany) begins at EUR61,850, and with its features and performance, the number is well worth it.

Nearly all automakers have sporty vehicles in their range of offerings. With Mercedes, the letters AMG denote the sporty, aggressive models that boast of a higher level of performance within that particular class of vehicles.

Here's a look at the car's drive by German test driver, Ronny Levstek.

Under the hood

The C43 may be termed as the little brother of the AMG C63, which costs about EUR17,000 more.

The biggest difference between the C43 and AMG C63 is in the engineering: the C63 comes with a rear-wheel drive, and has 4.0 litre V8 Biturbo engine with 70 kilowatts more power and a fuller sound.

On the other hand, the C43 comes with a 3.0 litre V6 Biturbo engine which is powerful nonetheless, and an all-wheel drive.

Even if the C43 loses a few points in comparison to the C63, its status as the strongest C-class with all-wheel drive is uncontested.

Its turbo engine accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.8 seconds, and boasts a maximum speed of 250 km/h.

The C43 has adopted much of its suspension technology from the C63. Large brakes are further indication of the car’s high performance.

Fuel consumption

Fuel consumption of the car varies depending on the size of the wheels. The test car uses an average of 8.1 litres per 100 kms, making the smaller AMG theoretically more fuel efficient than the larger model by 0.3 litres.

Design

A diamond patterned grill and the AMG front apron with its distinctive air intakes are design elements that lend the exterior an even more dynamic character.

The rear has an understated spoiler and a sport exhaust system with twin tail pipes that not only add to the impressive sound, but also help set aesthetic accents.

The interior is decked out in black leather and microfiber with red stitching and accents. The centre console boasts shiny design elements made of carbon fiber.

Additionally, the optional performance front seats offer optimal lateral support.

The C43 AMG is a good choice if you want a C-class as an AMG but at a lower price than the other offerings. It doesn’t have the C63’s V8 biturbo engine, but this V6 is just as powerful and much more fuel efficient.

This content has been published in partnership with Deutsche Welle (DW).