New generation Mercedes-AMG C43 4Matic – a simpler alternative to the C63 – will make its Australian premiere at this weekend’s Bathurst 12 Hour race.
The all-new model goes on sale in February, and given Australia’s penchant for performance variants will be an important member of the C-Class range, which currently consists of the C200 and C300.
Just like the new AMG C63 E Performance, the completely redesigned AMG C43 uses a downsized and electric drivetrain, leaving behind the old car’s 287kW and 520Nm V6.
Instead it uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with an electrically assisted exhaust gas turbocharger. 300kW and 500Nmpaired with a nine-speed transmission and AMG performance AWD.
The 48V belt-driven starter generator offers an additional short-term boost of 10kW under heavy throttle. Mercedes-AMG says the 0-100km/h time of 4.7 seconds is a tenth quicker than the V6.
In this application, the M139 four-cylinder petrol engine was mounted longitudinally instead of transversely as in the smaller AMG models.
In its default setting, the all-wheel drive system sends 69 percent of the engine’s torque to the rear axle for a more natural rear-wheel drive feel.
The C43 features rear-wheel steering as standard. The system turns the rear wheel in the opposite direction to the front to tighten the turning circle and sharpen turn-in, and directs it in the same direction at higher speeds to make the car feel more stable.
Adaptive dampers are also standard, with three modes from Comfort to Sport Plus.
Once it hits the road here, the new C43 AMG will compete with the Audi S4 and BMW M340i xDrive, both of which also use AWD but run larger-displacement six-cylinder engines.
The outgoing AMG C43 Sedan costs a little over $113,000 plus on-road costs, and like the non-AMG range we expect the new model to be more expensive than before – expect a starting point around $120,000.
REVIEW: 2022 Mercedes-AMG C43 review
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