- Farewell to the V configuration
- Mercedes-AMG C43 4MATIC
- Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance
- Locally produced
- The takeaway
Mercedes-Benz South Africa pulls the wraps off of the next-generation Mercedes-AMG C43 4MATIC and Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance, models that feature the controversial 4-cylinder engine and are locally built for an international audience.
Can we all just ignore whatever audio format replaces digital, please? I’m rather fed up of having to rebuild my music collection for the fourth time. First, it was vinyl, then cassettes, it moved onto CDs and finally digital. This is the way the world works though; technology improves and the packaging gets smaller in most cases. This means that you’re able to cram more information into a smaller footprint. You get more features and it takes up less space. It’s also easier to use and manage. The latest spill of Mercedes-AMG C-Class offerings are no different.
Humans are romantic by nature and we fawn over the most illogical things sometimes; the warmth of vinyl records, the rumble of a V8. The fact is that high-quality FLAC audio files contain far more information and detail than vinyl and provide a far better listening experience. They’re easier to manage and considerably more robust, lasting longer and delivering repeatable performance time after time.
Farewell to the V configuration
The new Mercedes-AMG C 43 and C 63 models are doing away with the sonorous Bi-turbo M177 4.0-litre V8 and replacing them with the equally impressive M139L engine. I can hear you groan as you read that but sadly, that’s the way it is. The W206 C-Class AMG offerings in both C 43 and C 63 produce more power than their predecessors and present more engaging and thrilling packages despite switching to smaller power units.
We got our first taste of this engine in the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S and it blew our minds. This unit produces 310 kW from its compact 2.0-litre displacement and then was still covered by a warranty. An impressive feat in anyone’s books. This unit is now being used in the latest C 43, tuned to 300 kW and will be used in the C 63 S as well (South Africa will only see the high-performance S variants of the C 63) where it produces 350 kW. Before you curse that number, I implore you to continue reading.
Mercedes-AMG C43 4MATIC
I’ve long been a fan of the ‘baby’ AMG models, finding them to be more complain and manageable on a daily basis. Sure, you don’t have the ultimate show-stopper, but sensible money will gravitate towards the C 43 and revel in how good an all-rounder it truly is. The W206 version builds on this and appears, for all intent and purpose, to be an even better proposition.
While unable to drive the test mules that were waiting for us, we were able to ride alongside some of the technicians and engineers that worked on developing the new C 43 4MATIC as they put them through their paces. Aurally, you will miss the V6 engine note, even if a lot of it was artificially enhanced but you will enjoy the 300 kW and 500 Nm powertrain that sends its power to all four wheels in a constantly variable fashion with up to 69% able to be transferred to the rear wheels.
The power delivery is complemented by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that employs a belt-driven starter-generator to help spool the turbo in what Mercedes-Benz calls an electric exhaust gas turbocharger. This is technology lifted from their Formula 1 efforts where electric assistance is used to ensure that the turbocharger performs at its peak and is always available to provide boost pressure with the high-speed electric motor spooling the turbo up before the exhaust gasses take over.
Paired with the 4MATIC drivetrain and AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 9G gearbox with wet clutches, the C 43 4MATIC will sprint to 100 km/h from a standstill in only 4.6-seconds and go on to an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h unless specified with the optional AMG Driver’s Package which will see this raised to 265 km/h.
Rear-wheel steering allows for improved body control. At speeds up to 100 km/h, the rear wheels can countersteer up to 2.5-degrees, allowing the C 43 to change direction quickly and precisely as if it was a shorter wheelbase. At higher speeds, the rear wheels will steer up to 0.7-degrees in the same direction as the fronts, aiding in high-speed stability.
Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance
Announced only two weeks ago, we were fortunate enough to get to see the new Mercedes-AMG C63 S E Performance in the metal, up close and personal. This wider, more aggressive-looking machine has certainly been a hot topic of discussion in the past few months primarily for the fact that it too will now use the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder M139L engine. Earlier I listed the engine’s output as being that of 350 kW. This is true but the new W206 C 63 S utilizes electrification to boost the final power output to 500 kW and 1020 Nm. Considerably more power than its predecessor.
I’m not one to scoff at hybrids, they do offer some saving grace but I’m also a fan of the big displacement, shouty V8. This certainly leaves me conflicted, at best, so I can only imagine the gut punch that this revelation is to the die-hard Mercedes fanatic.
The electric motor is located on the rear axle along with a 2-speed transmission and electronically controlled limited-slip differential. The battery pack is also positioned above the rear axle for better weight distribution. Combined with the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 9G gearbox and 4MATIC+ drivetrain, the C 63 S is said to have impeccable composure. Drivers will be able to choose from no less than 8 different driving modes, including a drift mode that prioritizes drive to the rear wheels.
The 6.1 kWh battery pack will allow for up to 30 km of full electric range and can be recharged either through an external power source (AC only as the battery size negates the need for DC charging capabilities) or by using one of the four regeneration modes available. These borrow heavily from the Formula 1 KERS energy recuperation concept as does the electric exhaust gas turbocharger. Combined, the electric motor and electric assistance given to the turbocharger more than compensate for the lack of displacement.
As a result, the new Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance will do 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4-seconds and has a top speed of 250 km/h with a 280 km/h de-restriction available as an optional extra.
Locally produced
It wasn’t only the vehicles that we were shown, we were also able to tour the state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in East London that produces C-Class Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG products for 80 countries worldwide. The well-documented R13-billion investment can be seen as the units go through the various cells in the production line, undergoing high-tech wet painting, assembly, calibration and inspection.
The AMG units received pre-assembled engines from the AMG plant in Affalterbach, remaining true to the One Man, One Engine philosophy. The East London plant produces both the C43 and C 63 in both left- and right-hand drive configurations.
The Mercedes-AMG C 43 4MATIC sedan will be officially launched locally in Q1 of 2023 with the local launch of the C 63 S E Performance expected in Q4 of 2023. No pricing is available on either model yet.
The takeaway
Mixed emotions are the order of the day. On the one hand, I will miss the theatrics of the V engine in both 6- and 8-cylinder format. There was an initial kickback from the fan club when the engine was downsized and turbochargers were added, with concerns over the drivability and loss of the naturally aspirated throttle response. In all fairness, the same happened with the transition to fly-by-wire throttle control. Are you seeing the trend here?
We’re romanticising the models before, basking in the warmth of the vinyl when in actual fact, we know that the digital audio file is far superior. There’s more technology, it’s refined and does the job of recreating the sound of each and every in crystal detail. There’s less waste and more to enjoy. The new C-Class AMG range is going to be the same. It’s just the way forward.
On my other hand, I will lament the demise of the V8, the same way that I yearn for a more tactile steering feel, progressive brake pedal feel, and aural indications that there are thousands of tiny explosions happening in that hunking great lump of metal under the bonnet. There’s an animalistic character that will inevitably be lost as the automotive landscape transitions into a greener, friendlier solution to mobility. I have great respect and admiration for the advances we’re making in automotive engineering, it’s an exciting time to be alive, but this all comes at a cost.
There are scalpels but I miss the sledgehammer. There’s EDM but I want the rock band.
Chad LückhoffWith over 18 years of motorsport commentary and a passion for 90s Japanese Sports Cars, Chad Lückhoff is happiest when surrounded by drift cars and smoking tyres. His experience as the Technical Editor of the country’s top tuning magazine means that it’s the nuts and bolts of motoring that tickles his fancy. As comfortable in front of the camera as he is behind it, he’ll take you behind the wheel with his video reviews, written recounts, and invoking photography. One of the first to join the AutoTrader fray, Chad has been living his passion at AutoTrader for over 7-years.View News & Reviews
Keyword: Mercedes-Benz South Africa unveils the locally-built Mercedes-AMG C 43 and C 63 S E-Performance