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The engine has minimal turbo lag and good drivability
Performance – The Mercedes-AMG C43 is powered by a 3.0-litre, bi-turbo V6 engine which now outputs 23 more horses over its predecessor at 385 HP while torque output remains the same at 520 Nm which comes between 2500 to 5000 RPM. 0-100 km/hr comes up in a claimed 4.7 seconds and the motor is very refined at low engine speeds while howling in the mid-range and absolutely barking a sporty symphony near the 6500 RPM redline. The 9-speed AMG Speedshift gearbox is fast with shifts but isn’t very smooth at lower speeds. While the claimed mileage is close to 12 km/l, in the real world, the C43 AMG does around 5-6 km/l and has a 66-litre fuel tank.
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9-speed AMG gearbox is very quick but a bit jerky
The C43’s refined V6 motor has a stupendous mid-range and exhaust note
In spite of the twin turbos, low-end lag is well contained, the C43 feels drivable in the city while the mid-range has the punch and pushes you back in the seat and being an AMG, there is a top-end too, the engine does rev hard and fast, taking third gear to cross the ton. There are 5 drive modes on offer – Slippery, Individual, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ (thankfully no Eco mode as it would be out of place in such a car). Sport+ gives you the full bananas with alternations being made to the engine, gearbox, steering and ESP. There are two ESP modes – On and Sport or keep the button pressed and it turns off completely.
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4MATIC gives the C43 incredible high speed stability and traction
Driving Dynamics – The Mercedes-AMG C43 is a heavy car, weighing close to 1700 kgs, all thanks to the 4MATIC system which is 69% rear biased, that is the reason why in spite of being a 4-wheel drive vehicle, it has wider tyres at the rear. The wide rubber does help as there is barely any screeching from the tyres on full launch, even with the traction control off. Body roll is well contained and the steering although rich in feel, lacks the last bit of feedback, it’s quick to turn though.
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Body roll is minimal and the brakes have exceptional bite
Ride quality is stiff and one has to be careful around speedbreakers
The Mercedes C43 AMG is a stiff car, so stiff in fact that you can feel a lot of the road inside. Ride quality is just not up to scratch while the 112 mm ground clearance is also quite poor, one has to angle the car over speed-breakers else it just scrapes. Being an AMG, high-speed stability is a given and so is stopping power which is very surefooted with a positive feel on the pedal.
