The new-generation Mercedes-AMG C43 4Matic – a more accessible 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 love of performance variants will become a crucial member of the C-Class range, currently comprising the C200 and C300.
As with the new AMG C63 E Performance, the completely redesigned AMG C43 runs a downsized and electrified drivetrain, ditching the old car’s 287kW and 520Nm V6.
Instead it uses a 2.0-litre four-cylinder with an electrically assisted exhaust gas turbocharger making 300kW and 500Nm, mated to a nine-speed transmission and AMG performance AWD.
A 48V belt-driven starter generator offers an additional short-term boost of 10kW under heavy throttle. Mercedes-AMG says the 4.7-second 0-100km/h time is one-tenth quicker than the V6 was.
In this application, the M139 four-cylinder petrol engine has been mounted longitudinally rather than transversely as in smaller AMG models.
In its default setting, the all-wheel drive system sends 69 per cent of the engine’s torque to the rear axle for a more natural rear-wheel drive feeling.
The C43 features rear-wheel steering as standard. The system turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the fronts to tighten the turning circle and sharpen up turn-in, and steers them in the same direction at higher speeds to make the car feel more stable.
Adaptive dampers are also standard, with three modes ranging from Comfort to Sport Plus.
Once it lobs here, the new C43 AMG will line up against 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 was priced for a little over $113,000 plus on-road costs, and like the non-AMG range we expect the new model to be dearer than before – expect a starting point of around $120,000.
REVIEW: 2022 Mercedes-AMG C43 review
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Keyword: 2023 Mercedes-AMG C43 to premiere at Bathurst 12 Hour