It’s always nice to see new products challenge older, more established ones. Which is what the new Mercedes-AMG C 43 does. It sits below the C 63 S AMG saloon, makes fewer horses, but as far as being a fast everyday car goes, it promises to trump every other car in the segment above and below it. We’ll get to other details later, but first, the price: Rs 74.35 lakh, ex-showroom.
The SLC 43 AMG has successfully shown that you don’t have to break the Rs 1 crore barrier (and your bank) to add a fast, well handling, pretty looking AMG to your garage. And the C 43 AMG just reinstates all that. It’s powered by a 3-litre biturbo V6 that makes 362 bhp, and unlike its full-fat sibling, gets all-wheel drive standard. While our first drive report will soon tell you if it’s helpful on the track, it surely promises to be a great inclusion (and safety net) for everyday motoring — dusty highways and wet twisties will not scare you now! And reaching 100 kph from a standstill in just 4.7 seconds is of course a bonus.
It also gets a 9-speed automatic gearbox, which other models miss out on. On the outside, apart from the slightly different badging, you get bits of the AMG goodness: quad exhausts, 18-inch AMG wheels, etc. The interior is more sporting than on the regular C-Class, too.
And did we tell you that the V6 engine makes 53 kgm! The standard sports exhaust makes moving away from the V8 less of a pain, while the drive modes and sport suspension ensures that the car is versatile for both regular and spirited driving. Talking of the latter, should you find yourself pushing the car to its (and your) limits, there are AMG sports seats with extra bolstering to hold you in place.
Doesn’t all that make it a complete dream sports saloon? Not to forget, it shares its name with this:
