New C 43 gets a new 408hp four-cylinder mild-hybrid powertrain.
Mercedes-Benz India has launched the all-new C 43 4MATIC at Rs 98 lakh. With the introduction of the Mercedes-AMG C 43, the German luxury marque now has nine models in its AMG portfolio in the country. The brand has also taken the opportunity to bring the GLE facelift to India at the same occasion.
- Mercedes-AMG C 43 gets new 408hp mild-hybrid powertrain
- Sports several AMG-specific changes over the standard C-Class
- Rivals the BMW M340i and Audi S5 Sportback
Mercedes-AMG C 43: powertrain and dynamics
While it comes with a raft of changes over the model that was previously on sale in India, the most significant difference is its powertrain. Gone is the 362hp, 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engine, and now, there’s a new 2.0-litre, four-cylinder unit with an electric turbocharger. The new engine produces 408hp and 500Nm of torque, with an additional 14hp coming from the 48V mild-hybrid system. A nine-speed automatic gearbox, with ‘Race Start’ functionality, sends power to all four wheels via Merc-AMG’s 4MATIC drive system. However, the system is rear-wheel biased with 31 percent of the output sent to the front axle and 69 percent to the rear axle. A 0-100kph time of 4.6 seconds is claimed.
Mercedes-AMG says it has heavily reworked the chassis, added a revised front axle, along with AMG Ride Control suspension with double wishbones at the front, and adaptive dampers and multi-links at the rear. One of the mechanical highlights is the addition of rear-wheel steer. Braking performance is also claimed to have been improved thanks to the new 370mm steel discs with four-piston calipers up front and 320mm steel discs with single-piston floating calipers at the rear. The C 43 also gets a modified exhaust so that it sounds like an AMG should.
Mercedes-AMG C 43: exterior and interior
Typical of the AMG breed, the C 43 sports a number of changes over the standard C-Class sedan, the most obvious of which is the Panamericana grille with vertical slats. The grille was only available with AMG’s 63 series earlier, but can now be seen on various 43 models. Other changes include adaptive LED headlights with a single DRL, large air intakes on the front bumper with black accents and gloss-black wing mirrors.
The side profile remains more or less similar, apart from the new ‘Turbo Electrified’ badges, thicker side sills, and standard 18-inch alloy wheels. At the rear, the AMG C 43 gets quad tailpipes and a rear bumper with a diffuser for improved aerodynamics. There are seven meltallic paint options to choose from, and three options from Merc’s Manufktur customisation arm.
In terms of their respective cabins, there isn’t much to differentiate the C 43 from the standard C-Class besides the AMG-specific digital graphics for the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and the 11.9-inch touchscreen system, and the AMG-themed leather-wrapped flat-bottom steering wheel, sports seats, pedals and red seat belts. Some feature highlights include Merc’s intelligent auto headlights (called Digital Light), and a 710W, 15-speaker Burmester system.
Mercedes-AMG C 43: rivals
Considering its Rs 98 lakh price tag, the Mercedes-AMG C 43 4MATIC is priced quite a bit higher when compared to its primary opponents, the BMW M340i (Rs 71.5 lakh) and the Audi S5 Sportback (Rs 75.74 lakh).
All prices, ex-showroom, India
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