The Mercedes-AMG C43 Coupe Is Like A C63 With The Volume Turned Down

As explained recently, the Mercedes-AMG C63 is a smashing thing. It’s not exactly a car for shrinking violets though, given that it has up to 503bhp on tap and brings with it the potential for many shredded sets of rear tyres - so what if you want that AMG goodness in a package that’s a little less loco? Step forward the new C43 coupe.

Of course, C43 was the designation for the top-of-the-line, full-fat V8 AMG version of the old W202, but the car the badge has been resurrected for is more of a semi-AMG. It’s pretty much a coupe version of the C450 AMG Sport, but following Mercedes’ decision to kill off the AMG Sport sub-brand it introduced only recently, the C43 is badged up as a proper Affalterbach machine.

As with the C450 (soon to be named as a ‘C43’ also, we suspect), the C43 coupe packs a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6, good for 362bhp and 382lb ft. This makes 0-62mph possible in 4.7 seconds, while the top speed is the usual 155mph electronically-limited affair. Power is sent to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic gearbox, with 69 per cent of torque sent to the rear boots.

While it may be a lot less pokey than the C63, the C43 does benefit from a few tasty hand-me-downs from its big brother. The C43’s three-way adjustable electronic dampers have been “adopted” from the C63, as well as elements of the front-suspension set-up, which is drastically different to the regular C-Class coupe’s thanks to newly developed steering knuckles and load-bearing joints. It should stop well too, with 360mm discs up front and 320mm at the rear.

Want one? No prices have been revealed just yet, but in the UK we can expect a five-figure number starting with a four. It’ll make its public debut at the Geneva motor show next week.