Amit Saraswat 
Mercedes-Benz India kickstarted the year 2023 with the launch of the E53 AMG cabriolet. At the launch, the German carmaker committed 10 new car launches to the Indian market and the new C43 AMG concludes the series of launches that took place over the year. The new Mercedes-AMG C 43 comes with a more practical and spacious sedan body style, ditching the sportier 2-door coupe.
Over the regular C-Class, the C 43 AMG carries a couple of sporty additions. These changes include the AMG Panamerican grille, AMG-line front and rear bumpers, AMG multi-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels, ventilated front disc brakes, faux rear diffuser and quad exhaust pipes. On the inside, the C43 AMG offers sports seats with an Alcantara leatherette finish, an AMG steering wheel with rotary customisable controls and faux carbon inlays.
Remember we touched upon engine downsizing at the beginning of the story, that’s the biggest change in the new C43 AMG. Out goes the earlier 3.0L V6 turbo petrol and incomes the 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The same engine also powers the GLA AMG and A 45 S. In the C43 AMG, it produces 408PS of power and 500Nm of torque. The engine also gets hybrid assistance, which delivers 15PS of power and 200Nm of torque as and when needed.
The engine channels power to all four wheels via a 9-speed mult-clutch transmission (MCT). As a result, the C 43 AMG can do a 0-100kmph sprint in a claimed 4.6 seconds. Mercedes-Benz has also added rear-wheel steering to further improve the agility of the C43 AMG. The system turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front below 60kmph and in the same direction as the front at a speed upwards of 60kmph.
On the features front, the C 43 AMG offers digital LED headlights, an AMG exhaust system, adaptive dampers, keyless entry with push-button start/stop, a 15-speaker 3D sound system and AMG Track Pace, which works as a personal race assistant. Buyers can spec the C 43 AMG in 7 standard and 3 MANUFAKTUR colour options.
