Saturday 23rd April 2016

Mercedes-AMG C43 saloon and estate confirmed

Hardly a surprise move, but the news of another fast saloon and estate sounds good to us!

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While it can be a little difficult to keep track of the various fast Mercedes products at the moment, some are certainly more interesting than others. The AMG-C43 ranks as one of the more interesting ones, particularly with the addition now of saloon and estate models.

Take a little bit of this...

Unsurprisingly the spec follows the coupe and the numerous other '43' models, with a 367hp twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 and a nine-speed automatic gearbox. For the saloon Mercedes claims a 0-62mph time of 4.7 seconds and 4.9 seconds for the estate.

Black 18-inch wheels are standard, with red contrast stitching on the Artico leather and microfibre seats. The latter can be upgraded to AMG Performance Seats for £1,405, with a Performance Exhaust also on the options list for £1,000.

Prices start at £44,460 for the saloon and £45,660 for the estate. There's also a C43 'Premium' available for a £1,695, er, premium that adds a panoramic roof, memory seats, keyless go and a powered boot amongst other little convenience features. At the top of the C43 range is the Premium Plus, costing £47,455 as a four-door and £48,655 in wagon form with the addition of Comand Online and a Burmester stereo on top of the Premium.

... with most of this for the C43 saloon

At the price the most obvious rival appears to be the BMW 340i, offered as an M Sport saloon for £38,815 or £41,635 as the equivalent Touring. Cheaper than the Mercedes, yes, but it's also less powerful and not a dedicated performance variant in the same way the C43 is. There's the new Audi S4 to consider soon also, plus the Jaguar XE S at £44,995. Oh yes, and the new V60 Polestar.

Lower down the C-Class range, all-wheel drive has also been announced for the C200, C220d and C250d. Just in case anything up to 204hp is frequently too much for the rear wheels. Drive story on the '43 just as soon as we can get one!

[anonymous-user]

[redacted]

[George111]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

They've done this for a while, they're just playing down to the fleet market but there's no excuse to carry it over into what ought to be higher spec models. BMW also have their seriously cheap "leatherette" seats in the 5 series SEs, I'm not sure if it's real leather or not but feels like something from a 90's wipe clean nightclub seat.

[SFO]

Artico only on dash and door tops; it's leather on the seats

[Clivey]

I'm assuming these are AWD only?

...you know, because they had to find some way to prevent any fun.

[godskitchen]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Yep, he is correct!

Of course you are all aware that Mercedes have recently changed their leather supplier and are now using the same cuts and hides as McDonalds, yes as in the fast food chain.

[Leins]

A new AMG / "AMG", and all it inspires is leather talk...

[DoctorX]

Leins said:

A new AMG / "AMG", and all it inspires is leather talk...

Read into that what you will!

I'm astonished at the vinyl seats. Presumably many owners won't care as long as it looks like leather.

[George111]

Leins said:

A new AMG / "AMG", and all it inspires is leather talk...

It's not really a proper AMG is it . . . more a puffed up C class. Nice though, but the fact it doesn't have leather is telling.

[ZX10R NIN]

Is it still 4WD only?

[David87]

Sounds good to me. I'd have one over its German rivals.

[buckline]

Going to talk to a dealer about one tomorrow. I like the middle of the road pitch as the C63 as desirable as it is is just a stretch to far.

[Cabsi]

DoctorX said:

Read into that what you will!

I'm astonished at the vinyl seats. Presumably many owners won't care as long as it looks like leather.

Modern car leather is pretty vinyl like unless you upgrade to nappa or aniline. Just take a look at BMW Dakota.

[Fast Bug]

Clivey said:

I'm assuming these are AWD only?

...you know, because they had to find some way to prevent any fun.

Bias towards the rear wheels, and you can get the back end to play if you try

[gizlaroc]

Hardly news, it has been on the configurator for a while now.

Good marketing move imho.

C450 would hemorrhage money, they would then sell fk all and we would be back to just 2 litre diesels, a detuned 2 litre petrol or the jump to the C63 again.

At least this may get people to actually order.

[DexB15]

sort of cool concept, but it doesn't deserve an AMG badge unless it has a v8 of some description....

[MikeTFSI]

Meh, another automatic Mercedes. Why no manual box for the C43? Could have been a more nimble, lighter and more focused version of the C63. Instead its just another fast über rep-mobile, in my humble opinion.

[gizlaroc]

DexB15 said:

sort of cool concept, but it doesn't deserve an AMG badge unless it has a v8 of some description....

Strange thing to say?


We have had the C32 before, still regarded as one of the best AMGs by many. Plus the C30 with an inline 5 diesel engine.

Before that was the C36.


Now, not being hand built I understand, or that it has not been through AMG, but because it hasn't got a V8 just sounds strange.

It is like all those that say an M car should be an M without a V8, forgetting where they started and what they were about.

[gizlaroc]

MikeTFSI said:

Meh, another automatic Mercedes. Why no manual box for the C43?

Because no one wants them, and those that do will only buy it when it is onto the 2nd or 3rd owner.

And it is sort of missing the point of an AMG imho too.

[ajmcampbell]

Sod this, where are the fast AWD V6 diesels Merc?

[MikeTFSI]

gizlaroc said:

MikeTFSI said:

Meh, another automatic Mercedes. Why no manual box for the C43?

Because no one wants them, and those that do will only buy it when it is onto the 2nd or 3rd owner.

And it is sort of missing the point of an AMG imho too.

What is the point of AMG though? Almost every Mercedes-Benz A class is dolled up as an AMG. The brand is diluted now, like BMW M products.

I get the point of the auto v8 models, but the sub models could have diversified somewhat into something a little more interesting.