What's all this about?
With the 'W205' Mercedes-Benz C-Class Saloon and Estate variants confirmed for a freshen-up, here's Mercedes-AMG confirming that one of its performance-car tiers is going through the same life-cycle change: it's the C 43, updated for 2018 and beyond.
Do these changes apply to all four body styles?
No, as with the regular Benzes, only the Saloon and Estate models are getting the AMG updates... for now. And the biggest alteration is even more power.
Really?
Yes indeed. Comes to something when a 390hp C-Class is nowhere near the top of the performance tree, but that's the situation we now find ourselves in. The C 43 continues with the 3.0-litre biturbo V6 petrol engine, mated to an AMG Speedshift TCT 9G automatic transmission and 31:69 front-to-rear biased 4Matic all-wheel drive, but while torque remains the same as before at 520Nm (albeit, it's delivered over a 2,500rpm band now, instead of 2,200rpm before - the 2018MY C 43 delivering maximum twist from 2,500- to 5,000rpm), there's another 23hp to play with, resulting in that 390hp peak output. The performance data for the facelifted models' 0-62mph capability looks no different on paper, with the Saloon managing a 4.7-second sprint and the Estate a tenth behind at 4.8 seconds, but there's little doubt that the extra horsepower will start to have a marginal yet beneficial effect on acceleration at Autobahn speeds. Both C 43s, by the way, are - as ever - limited to 155mph.
Is that it for the new C 43, then?
Oh, no, not at all. The Saloon and Estate AMGs gain all the visual amendments of the regular cars - new lights, bumpers and so on - plus a few changes that are AMG-specific. Like a twin-louvre radiator grille in the nose, lower front air intakes with double strakes highlighted in silver-chrome, a set of round quad exhausts instead of trapezoidal items at the back, a new diffuser to go with them and some aerodynamically optimised 18- and 19-inch alloy wheel designs. Inside, there are new trim finishes and upholstery colours, but the big change is the steering wheel. It's the new Mercedes-AMG design, flat-bottomed and clad in Nappa leather with perforations at the grip areas, plus galvanised metal paddle shifts and the appearance of cruise control/Touch Control haptic buttons - as seen on the E-Class - on the wheel's spokes.
Anything else to add on the mechanicals or visuals?
AMG Dynamic Select gains an extra mode, 'Slippery', which is denoted by a snowflake (no, not a Millennial who's tremendously easily offended, but rather a pictogram of a snowflake) and official figures are 31mpg and 209g/km CO2 from the C 43 Saloon, while the heavier Estate turns in bests of 30.1mpg and 214g/km.
What does Tobias Moers have to say about all this?
The chairman of Mercedes-AMG said: "As the most successful model series for Mercedes-AMG, the C-Class family in all its facets has made a major contribution to our corporate success. One major component in this success story was the implementation of the 43-series models, which have thrilled our customers worldwide since the market launch in 2015. The high demand and positive feedback have encouraged us to sharpen up not only the appearance of the facelift, but also its performance, efficiency and dynamism in true AMG style."
Matt Robinson - 5 Mar 2018
