Mercedes-AMG C43 4Matic: First Drive Review

By Deepankar Sadekar • 8 years ago

Dec
2016

We were given a couple of laps of track time each to get a feel of the AMG C43 . Driving on a track is pretty much enough to get a summary of what the car drives like. After a worry about the fog playing spoilt sport ringing in my head, it was heartening to be welcome by sunny and clear skies at the Buddh Circuit. First things first, the 3.0 litre V6 bi-turbo engine is simply brilliant. Tuned to develop 367 horsepower and 520 Nm of torque, the C43 does the 0 to 100 sprint in just 4.7 seconds going on to a top speed of 250 kph. These figures are enough to give you your daily dose of thrills. The 9G Tronic gearbox has super smooth shifts and you get 5 drive modes to choose from: ECO, COMFORT, SPORT, SPORT + and INDIVIDUAL. Each mode makes adjustments to the engine, transmission, suspension and the steering. One thing that I have to admit is that the C43 is quick and how. It may not be brutal like the C63 S which was our pace car, but rest assured it will bring a grin to you face. I used COMFORT and SPORT + modes during my stint on the BIC and it is easy to gauge what a difference in car setup the two modes make. While the shifts happen sooner in COMFORT, SPORT + takes the revs all the way to the redline. And just hear that noise from the sports exhaust system when the flaps open. The burbles, crackles and pops that happen when you down shift or brake can get additive. The 4Matic all wheel drive system along with the standard sports suspension means that you are not short of grip at any given point of time. The 31:69 torque split works like a charm The C43 felt completely planted and loved being thrown into the corners. The steering is sharp, precise and offers great feedback as well. The C43 comes with larger brakes too. Braking power is just fantastic and you feel extremely confident while late braking before hitting a corner. To cut things short, I did not feel jealous of the instructor piloting the C63 S, thats how good this C43 is. To report on what the C43 feels like to drive every day in the city, we shall bring you a detailed review of the car soon. The Mercedes-AMG C43 4Matic comes loaded with safety features that include 7 airbags, ABS, ESP, BAS, Attention Assist, Active Park Assist etc. It has received 5 stars in the EURO NCAP safety tests.

The C43 is the third model with the 43 moniker to come to India along with the SLC43 and GLE 43 Coupe (previously badged GLE 450). Launched at Rs. 74.35 lakh ex showroom Delhi, it costs much lesser than its more powerful sibling the C63 S. For the price, you do get a lot of kit and that amazing V6 engine that sounds like a million bucks when combined with the sports exhaust. So to sum it up, the Mercedes-AMG C43 4Matic is a great way to join the AMG club. Does it make you go ‘Ah My God’? It certainly does.