AMG’s Splendid, Downscaled C 43 is a Car of Contrasts
Not every performance junkie likes what’s happening in the car market right now. A world that’s used to brawny engines delivering feisty performance, is struggling to come to terms with carmakers reeling against ever more draconian emissions levels. And delivering cars like this.
But hang on a second, is it all bad? Well, on the face of it, ripping AMG’s entry-level 295 kW 520 Nm biturbo V6, out of the previous C 43 to deliver this new one’s 300 kW 500 Nm four-cylinder may seem like sacrilege at first sight. But is it?
Well, not really. Built right here on the banks of the Buffalo River in East London, the new four-pot C 43 at least gives you a real combustion performance car. Sure, a scrawny 2-litre in place of a biturbo V6, or even better, a V8, may seem like a terrible sacrifice. But it really isn’t that bad. Especially considering your next option is probably an EV.
C 43 Positives Will Balance Your Point Of View.
There are many positives to balance your point of view. This new one is for instance the world’s first ever electric exhaust gas turbocharged production car. Its four-cylinder engine also benefits brief additional 10 kW boost from its belt-driven starter-generator, it is permanent all-wheel driven, and it even has rear-axle steering.
AMG spun the M139l four-pot you may know from the A45 ninety degrees to mount it longitudinally in the C43. It has a lightweight closed-deck engine design to allow up to 160 bar combustion pressures, and also features 200 bar two-stage piezo petrol injection.
Built to AMG’s famous One Man, One Engine philosophy, the new downsized C43 lump has Nanoslide low friction cylinder bore coatings and a sophisticated variable cooling system. That conspires to run the engine’s cylinder head and crankcase at different temperatures. This mighty powerful 2-litre’s biggest trick is however its turbocharging.
Electric Motor Between Turbine & Compressor
Mercedes promises spontaneous throttle response. To help achieve that, AMG installed a 48-volt electric motor directly between the turbocharger’s turbine and compressor. This motor pre-spins the turbo wheel up to 175,000 rpm. Which in turn boosts up the inlet plenum to help eliminate lag. For that spontaneous response across the rev range…
C 43 also has rear-biased 4Matic permanent all-wheel drive via AMG’s Speedshift MCT 9G transmission. The gearbox has a wet start-off clutch, brings short shift times and fast multiple downshifts. Sport and Sport+ driving modes further add to an emotional gearshift experience. Comfort mode activates Eco start-stop and a C 43 even brings a Glide function.
The 4Matic all-wheel drive gets AMG-specific 31 to 69 torque distribution front to rear. AMG Ride Control steel-spring suspension gains adaptive damping in Comfort, Sport and Sport+ modes. AMG Dynamic Select additionally includes Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport + and Individual drive modes for versatile vehicle characteristics, at Basic, Advanced, and Pro levels.
C 43 Has Standard Rear-Axle Steering
C 43 also features three-stage AMG steering and standard rear-axle steering up to 2.5 degrees. The rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the front wheels to enhance slow speed manoeuvrability at speeds up to 100 km/h. The rear wheels however turn in the same direction as the fronts to deliver enhanced driver feel at higher speeds and when in the Sport settings
AMG sports braking is courtesy of 370 x 36 mm rotors clamped by 4-piston fixed callipers up front, and 320 x 24 mm single-piston floating callipers at the rear. An AMG exhaust system of course equips the C43 with that sporty engine sound and the appropriate acoustic drama.
A chrome-strutted radiator grille and all the AMG addenda sets the C 43 apart. That includes a front apron with flics, air ducts and chrome trim up front. Add bold sill panels, a rear diffuser, and double twin-tailpipes. The AMG effect on ours was rounded off by a cool set of shiny multi-spoke 20-inch alloys in ultra-low profile rubber.
A Delectable, Distinctively Upholstered Cabin
The C-Class’ already delectable cabin gains distinctively upholstered red-trimmed black man-made Artico leather and Microcut fibre clad AMG seats. The nappa clad flat bottom AMG Performance paddle shifter multifunction steering wheel comes complete with additional dynamic selectors and looks fantastic.
We are however not at all fans of Merc’s latest touchpad technology. In short, it’s a failure. And a significant step back from the previous simpler if uglier multifunction steering wheel solution that a regular human being could at least still operate. Carmakers are fleeing away from this ridiculous ‘technology’. Come on Mercedes, join the rush!
Same goes for the over-simplified touch only MBUX screen. It looks fantastic but it is so difficult to operate. Rather just try shout Hey Mercedes and try order the car to solve your secondary control dilemmas. MBUX infotainment includes special AMG displays and functions. Good luck trying to find them on a bumpy road!
The Industry Ran Down A Car Interface Hole
The car industry in general has run itself down a rather desperate human to car interface hole. The sooner the carmakers collectively dig themselves out if it, and return to systems that actually work, the better…
Fire the C45 4Matic up and you’re blessed with the regular, dramatic Mercedes-AMG start-up fanfare. It soon settles down to a quiet, sensible tone. Plush and surprisingly smooth, prod it and the drama rapidly returns. For all that steering tech, the tiller is surprisingly stodgy. Lacks the feel of daintier-steering rivals. This 43 also suffers that spongy C-Class brake feel.
Producing 300 kW at a lofty 6750 rpm for a turbocharged engine and 500 Nm torque up to 5000 rpm, the AMG four-pot is surprisingly free revving. To be honest, however, for all that song and throttle response dance, immediate reaction to your right foot is not quite as sharp as one would expect.
AMG C 43 Delivers What it Promises On Paper.
Sure, it’s not bad, but it’s nowhere near the sort of normally aspirated perfection the bumf may have you believe. In fact, we’d have not made a fuss about it at all, if it wasn’t so over stressed in the product literature. That said the Mercedes-AMG C 43 delivers what it promises on paper.
A Race Start function ensures optimal acceleration. Mercedes claims AMG C 43 will rush to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds and on to 250 km/h. Ours had the optional 265 kay an hour AMG Driver's Package. And as one expects from Benz, ours also came to within three hundredths of a second of that acceleration claim in our tests.
Quicker, of course, but not quite as quick as its principal rival from Munich. Still mighty impressive in its own right. Our petrol consumption also matched AMG’s claims, burning just under nine litres of premium unleaded per hundred kilometres. C 43 also sounds good considering it’s just a four cylinder, especially aggressive under launch control, to help make up for that engine downgrade.
Splendid C 43 a Car Of Contrasts.
As you may have gathered by now, the Mercedes-AMG C 43 is a car of contrasts. Yes, sure, it tosses a brawny V6 for a just as powerful, but far more economical and efficient fancy four cylinder. But this car will still likely find broad favour.
See, this C 43 still looks the part, goes the part, and screams AMG. And at a significant discount to its full-blooded imminent C 63 rival. OK, 4.5 seconds to 100 is a fair whack off the pace of its 63 kin. But then it’s also a whole lot cheaper at it.
For the rest, this fully-specced medium-hot sedan has it all and then some. It has good balance of driveability, comfort, and performance to better satisfy a broader audience every day. Rest assured, AMG still has it all covered. 2-litre four-pot or not. - Michele Lupini
Images & Test Data: Giordano Lupini
ROAD TESTED: Mercedes-AMG C43 4Matic Engine: 300 kW 500Nm 2-litre turbo petrol I4 Drive: 9-speed automatic AWD TESTED: 0-60 km/h: 2.20 sec 0-100 km/h: 4.59 sec 0-120 km/h: 5.99 sec 0-160 km/h: 9.84 sec 400m: 12.6 sec @ 181 km/h 80-120 km/h: 2.72 sec 120-160 km/h: 3.85 sec CLAIMED: VMax: 265 km/h Fuel: 9.8 l/100km CO2: 199 g/km Range: 650 km LIST PRICE: R1.669M RATED: 8
