2017 Mercedes AMG C43 Coupe Media Test Drive & Walkaround – Video

While the new Mercedes-AMG C43 coupe shares all but one digit in its name, it’s really a completely different animal, one considerably lower on the food chain. For this more accessible AMG variant, the V-8 is thrown out in favor of a twin-turbo V-6, while standard 4MATIC all-wheel drive means that you won’t be able to drift around quite so easily. The exterior look is restrained, too, with the same bodywork as the C300 coupe, undersize 18- or just-right 19-inch wheels, and subtler aesthetic addenda, such as a small lip spoiler on the rear deck and a diamond-look grille.

While the new Mercedes-AMG C43 coupe shares all but one digit in its name, it’s really a completely different animal, one considerably lower on the food chain. For this more accessible AMG variant, the V-8 is thrown out in favor of a twin-turbo V-6, while standard 4MATIC all-wheel drive means that you won’t be able to drift around quite so easily. The exterior look is restrained, too, with the same bodywork as the C300 coupe, undersize 18- or just-right 19-inch wheels, and subtler aesthetic addenda, such as a small lip spoiler on the rear deck and a diamond-look grille.

And yet, some AMG drama remains. The 362-hp 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6, modified for performance duty with different turbochargers and AMG-specific tuning—compared with the same engine in applications such as the E400—moves the coupe with authority, delivering strong midrange torque and free-spirited revving to its 6550-rpm redline. An optional $700 sport exhaust makes for a fun soundtrack, cracking and popping on the overrun in Sport and Sport Plus modes. Of course, it doesn’t produce a rumble as distinctive as the C63’s V-8, but not every performance car needs to scare away small children and wake the neighbors.

 

 

BASE PRICE:
$56,425

ENGINE TYPE:
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection

Displacement:
183 cu in, 2996 cc
Power: 362 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 384 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm

TRANSMISSION:
9-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:

Wheelbase: 111.8 in
Length: 184.9 in
Width: 71.3 in Height: 55.3 in
Passenger volume: 86 cu ft
Cargo volume: 11 cu ft
Curb weight (C/D est): 3950 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):

Zero to 60 mph: 4.6 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 11.3 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.2 sec
Top speed (governor limited): 130 mph

FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):

EPA city/highway driving: 21/28 mpg