Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.The Madness of Old-School AMGSave for the current and soon-to-be-axed generation, there's a reason why many hold the Mercedes-Benz (and later, Mercedes-AMG) C63 in high regard. There's just something so right about putting in an inappropriately sized engine in a relatively compact sedan that drives just as wild as the idea suggests. It's rowdy, old-school fun that we probably won't see ever again but hope will somehow return someday.AMG is no stranger to sticking in engines where they shouldn't belong, and we love them for that. This is the same company that stuck in a 5.5-liter V8 in a B-Class subcompact MPV as an experiment, and actually sold a 6.2-liter V8 minivan in the form of the pointlessly awesome R63. Stick a V12 in a G-Class? Why the heck not?Mercedes-BenzWhere it All BeganBefore Mercedes-Benz and AMG got together in 1990 and the latter became a wholly owned subsidiary of the German automaker, AMG already had a pretty colorful history. There was the 300 SEL 6.8 'Red Pig', the 300E 'Hammer', and loads more cars in between. But the first product of the official collaboration was the C36 AMG. It was a W202 (or S202 wagon) C280 with its engine enlarged to 3.6 liters, putting out 276 hp. Launched in 1993, it was Sindelfingen's response to the E36 M3.AdvertisementAdvertisementIt was, at the time, a pretty crazy idea as the first-generation C-Class was a properly compact car. Back in those days, anything more than 3.5 liters belonged in a mid-size vehicle at the very least, not in something even shorter than a Chevy Cavalier. But this is AMG we're talking about, and when BMW increased the engine capacity for the E36 M3, the company responded in the best way possible: "Let's stick a Mercedes V8 in it."Mercedes-BenzThe Original V8 C-ClassWhen the first-gen C-Class was given an update in '97, it was inevitable that AMG would get its hands on it as well. The result was the C43, the first V8 Mercedes in compact form, and its timing couldn't have been any better. At the time, Mercedes had also just rolled out the M113 V8 engine for the E430. AMG then fettled with said 4.3-liter engine, bumping power up from 275 hp and 295 lb-ft to 302 hp and 302 lb-ft. Oh yes, indeed, and C43 AMG 0-60 mph times were under 6 seconds – fast for its era.Granted, it still made less power than the Euro-spec M3 (316 hp), but it had more punch than the U.S. version that 'only' had 241 hp. However, the C43 was only equipped with a power-sapping five-speed automatic, so the smaller and lighter M3 was still the quicker car. But the C43 wasn't supposed to be a motorsport-derived special. It was a compact luxury bruiser with an accompanying V8 soundtrack and a polar opposite of the contemporary high-revving M3.Dean_Laumbach/Bring a TrailerThe GoodiesThe massaged V8 is the main highlight, but AMG did a lot more than cram a big engine in it. As the 202 platform was never meant to have anything more than six cylinders in it, modifications were made to the front of the car to make it fit. That also meant it needed a different suspension arrangement that then benefitted from a sportier tune. Ride height was lowered, gas-filled dampers were fitted, and thicker anti-roll bars were installed in the C43.AdvertisementAdvertisementOther things you can only get in the C43? There are the brakes that were far larger than what you would see in a C280 or C230 Kompressor and would later be used in the first-generation E55 AMG. As for the transmission, yes, it's a five-speed automatic, sourced directly from an R129 SL500, and was specifically calibrated for this model. Oh, there was a wagon version that North America (unsurprisingly) missed out.Mercedes-BenzWhat Reviewers SaidAs far as we can tell, only Car and Driver has archives of the C43's in-period reviews. At the time, the publication lauded its roadholding, along with its great seats, subtle and tasteful styling, performance, and of course, that V8 soundtrack. It wasn't perfect, though, as the automatic didn't exactly unleash the engine's full potential. The ride was also described as a bit on the lumpy side, although it's probably soft by today's standards.But what Car and Driver moaned about the most was the price. 1998, the original AMG C43 carried a price tag of $54,559 and, for reference, the M3 sedan from the same year was a hair under $40,000. Based on inflation calculators, the M3 costs the equivalent of about $80,000, so it's about par for the course. However, the C43 would be nearly $112,000 in today's money. It finished dead last in a comparison test against the said M3, the B5 Audi S4, and Saab 9-3 Viggen. But while it lost that comparison, the verdict was "AMG rediscovers the 1960s Detroit muscle car."Dean_Laumbach/Bring a TrailerLasting LegacyStill, it's a great car that paved the way for future AMG models and started the theme of putting in oversized engines in Mercedes-Benz models. It also laid down the framework for C-Class-based AMGs. Sure, it was succeeded by the C32 with a supercharged V6, but AMG brought back V8 power with the C55, gave it that legendary 6.2-liter in the first C63 AMG V8, and swapped displacement for boost in the Mercedes C63 AMG V8 biturbo.AdvertisementAdvertisementToday, it's a solid practical classic, and despite its rarity, it's not too surprising to see these still racking up miles. Just 3,857 of these were ever made, 1,500 of which made it to the U.S, and 772 were wagons. The original C43 is the very reason why we love and expect V8s in AMG C-Classes. It's also one of the several factors why the backlash towards the plug-in hybrid C63 and the four-cylinder-only Mercedes-AMG C43 was too loud to ignore. The message has been made loud and clear: We want our AMG C-Class cars with big engines, just like it always has been.Mercedes-BenzMercedes-BenzView the 10 images of this gallery on the original articleThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Aug 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.