Mercedes-AMG C 43: The perfect everyday performance sedan?

For the longest time, there was nothing plugging the gap between the C 250 d and the C 63 S. If you liked the way the C-Class looks and want it with some sort of performance cred, you had no option but to go for the C 63 S. If you found the C 63 to aggressive for your liking, there was no alternative. However, the C 43 is trying to do just that — give you a more accessible, more usable AMG C-Class.

How does it look?
Even before you sit in the new Mercedes-AMG C 43, you know it isn’t as out there as the C 63. The styling is toned down by more than a couple of levels. Out go all the aggressive stuff — the wider wheel arches, bumpers, the power bulges on the bonnet, the red brake callipers, the quad tailpipes. The C 43 looks more like the run-off-the-mill C-Class than something with an AMG badge on it would. But saying that you can’t distinguish a C 220 d from the C 43 would be nothing short of unfair. The C 43 has its own way of separating itself from the chaff. Headlining that list of differentiators is the prominent diamond grille. The front and rear bumpers are slightly flared up as well, but aren’t as wild as the bigger AMGs’. It gets 18-inch wheels (the C 63 gets 19s) and silver brake callipers. It also gets twin tail-pipes and a faux diffuser at the rear. The rear boot lid spoiler from the C 63 does make an appearance on the C 43.

Smaller wheels and higher profile tyres than the C 63 S

On the inside, the moderation continues. You get plenty of sporty touches — the seats, leather wrapped steering wheel and even the floor mats get red stitching on them. The instrument dials get a chequered finish and the unmistakable red AMG-spec seat belts are very much present. However, the Alcantara bits and carbonfibre finish on the C 63 don’t trickle down to this car. So at first glance itself, you can tell that the C 43 is trying to plug the hole between the entry level C-Class and the C63.

Interiors have a smidge of sportiness in the stitching and dials

What’s under the hood?
We’ve seen the ’43’ moniker before — on the GLE 43 Coupe and the SLC 43 coupe. The C 43 shares the same engine with these cars — a 3-litre twin-turbo V6 and is mated to Mercedes-Benz’s 9-speed torque converter gearbox. The engine is in the same state of tune as well, it makes 362bhp and 520Nm of torque. That’s a lot, but nowhere close to a C 63 S’s 503bhp/ 700Nm. So in terms of sheer numbers, it is tamer.

V6 engine is an AMG, but not hand-built like the V8s

But does it feel tamer?
The C 43 has another trick up its sleeve — it has got Mercedes-Benz’s 4Matic all-wheel drive system and that completely changes the way the car behaves. For starters, you can forget about showing off how well you can hold a slide or how quickly you can turn tyres into smoke. The all-wheel drive plays spoiltsport there, but it makes the C 43 a more precise instrument. We tested the car at the Buddh International Circuit, and the first thing you notice about it is how effortlessly it puts the power down. Stamp on the throttle and there is no tail-wagging, all four wheels claw in to the tarmac and hurl you towards the horizon with manic intent. The car isn’t slow by any measure, it will hit 100kmph in 4.7 seconds and the speedo will keep climbing to a limited 250kmph.

This is the third car in the country with the 43 badge, after the GLE 43 Coupe and the SLC 43

The C 43 AMG can hold its own around bends as well. Turn the wheel and the nose follows almost instantly, the front end grip is really good and it gives you tremendous confidence flinging it in to corners. What is really surprising is how impudent you can be with your throttle inputs on the exit. Courtesy the AWD system, you can throttle out while the steering is still turned and the rear won’t whip out and try to kill you. It does have a little bit of play — the all-wheel drive system is rear biased with 69 per cent of torque being sent to the rear axle — but it is extremely controllable and you never feel like you’ve lost it, unlike in the C 63 that has enough power to bite you hard if you aren’t on the ball. The C 43 is a car that eggs you on, and makes you feel like a much better driver than you actually are. Even aurally, the C 43 doesn’t have the same drama as the full fat AMG does. Being a V6, it is inherently more unobtrusive and doesn’t sound as loud. The car does get a sports exhaust which is fairly audible and cracks and pops in all the right ways. The rumble of the V8 is missing, however.

4Matic badging on the flanks to remind you of its AWD capabilities

We’ve only driven the car around the Buddh so far, and the track is far from ideal to test ride quality. However, the C 43 does have dynamic dampers that can stiffen or slacken depending on which driving mode you pick. The car gets five driving modes in all — Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual. Apart from the dampers, these modes affect the throttle sensitivity and how quickly the gearbox shifts. Individual mode allows you to play around and match the different engine, gearbox and suspension settings.

The C 43 is a more friendly, more accessible machine than the C 63 S

Verdict
The C 43 then is a C-Class which gives you the performance an enthusiast craves, but dials it down enough to make it perfectly accessible. It gets less power and all-wheel drive, and this should translate to a very usable car on the road. It will not try to kill you every time you power out of a corner, and you wont have to think twice about taking it out on a rainy morning.