Along with the GLE facelift, Mercedes-Benz India has also launched the all-new C 43 sedan in India. It is the ninth model in Mercedes’ AMG portfolio for our country, and the new-gen C 43 sedan is priced at Rs 98 lakh (ex-showroom).
Also Read: 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE Facelift Launched In India; Prices Start At Rs. 96.40 Lakh
Gets sportier kit such as the rear diffuser, quad exhausts, 18-inch alloys and more compared to the standard C-Class
Compared to the standard C-Class, the C 43 looks decidedly sportier thanks to AMG-specific elements. The first is the signature Panamericana grille with vertical slats. Other changes include adaptive LED headlights, larger intakes with black accents and gloss-black mirror casings. Moreover, the front fender sports a ‘Turbo Electrified’ badge to denote the presence of a mild-hybrid system; the sports sedan sits on 18-inch alloy wheels, and at the rear, the bumper design and diffuser are tweaked slightly for better aerodynamics. One definitive way to tell the C 43 from the standard car is the quad tailpipes on the former.
This 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol motor produces 408 bhp
The most significant change with the all-new C 43 is with its powertrain. Instead of the 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 found previously, it is now powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol with an electric turbocharger. This new engine produces 408 bhp at 6,750 rpm and 500 Nm at 5,500rpm. It also benefits from an additional 14 bhp that comes from the 48-volt mild-hybrid system. Power is sent to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission. However, the system is rear-wheel biased, with 31 per cent of the output sent to the front axle and 69 per cent to the rear axle. It can do the 0 to 100 kmph sprint in a time of 4.6 seconds (claimed).
The interiors are nearly identical apart from the AMG-inspired flat-bottom steering and carbon-fibre elements
Mercedes-AMG has heavily reworked the chassis to make the C 43 handle better. Along with a revised front axle, the C 43 also gets AMG Ride Control Suspension with double wishbones at the front, active suspension dampers and multi-links. Moreover, to aid in manoeuvrability and handling, rear-axle steering – which can angle the rear wheels in either direction by up to 2.5 degrees – is also on offer. In terms of braking, the car gets 370mm steel discs with four-piston calipers at the front and 320 mm steel discs with a single-piston caliper at the rear.
With regards to its competition, the Mercedes-AMG C 43 4MATIC faces direct competition from the BMW M340i and the Audi S5 Sportback. Interestingly, compared to the Rs 98 lakh price tag the C 43 carries, the M340i is nearly Rs 26 lakh cheaper, carrying a price tag of Rs 71.5 lakh. The S5 Sportback is almost Rs 22 lakh cheaper than the C 43 and is priced at Rs 75.74 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom).
