2023 Mercedes-AMG C43 review

The newest German weapon headed to Australia will deliver amazing performance that just a few years ago was unheard of.

There’s an awesome four under the bonnet of the new Mercedes-AMG C43. Thanks to Formula 1-derived electric turbo tech, this potent medium-size sedan drives like nothing else with a 2.0-litre engine.

Back in the noughties, power and torque outputs of 300kW and 500Nm were the kind of numbers that made the 6.0-litre V8 of a HSV Commodore Clubsport exciting.

They’re also exactly what the Mercedes-AMG C43 delivers.

Mercedes-AMG makes the only other 2.0-litre turbo four that can best, only just, the engine in the C43. It’s found in the hyper-hot A45 S small hatchback.

The Mercedes-AMG C43’s little four-cylinder engine produces as much power as an old 6.0-litre V8.

The two are closely related, unsurprisingly, but their characters are different.

The sedan’s engine is designed to be mounted lengthways, not sideways as in the hatchback.

But it’s the C43’s big turbocharger that’s the important change. On the shaft between its hot turbine and cooler compressor is a tiny but powerful (6kW) electric motor. It’s powered by the 48-volt battery of the car’s belt-drive mild-hybrid system.

Mercedes-AMG began thinking about an electric turbo 2.0-litre four for the C43 six years ago, says development engineer Jan Habermann. The big question was whether it would have enough muscle to replace the twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 of the then-current version of the C43.

It also has mild hybrid power.

The answer came from Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains. They design and make the hybrid power units for its Formula 1 race cars. These have an electric turbo.

HPP was given a target, including maximum power, to aim for. The Brit-based boffins calculated it would work. In theory, at least.

According to Habermann, then Mercedes-AMG boss Tobias Moers told the project team they could have €1 million (about $1.5 million) to do further development but he wanted a car to test drive for the money.

The interior is packed full of hi-tech features.

So Habermann and his crew found an old first-generation A45 and installed a carefully built prototype engine in it. They added a switch inside the car so testers, including Moers, could switch power to the electric turbo off and on.

An electric-boosted turbo eradicates the lag between pressing the accelerator and feeling power that plagues engines with big turbochargers.

Switching off the electric assist must have made a massive difference to the way the prototype drove. The contrast between off and on convinced Mercedes-AMG management to give the turbo 2.0-litre C43 the go-ahead.

It is due in Australia early next year.

The production version, scheduled to arrive in Australia in about March or April next year, wearing a price tag close to $130,000, has lots of Mercedes-AMG polish to go with its promptly punchy acceleration.

Its standard all-wheel-drive system ensures nothing the engine produces is wasted through wheel spin, even though two-thirds of the power is sent to the rear axle.

Very effective adaptive shock absorbers and an unintrusive rear-wheel steer system are also standard. These give the C43 a sportily firm ride feel even in Comfort mode (Sport and Sport+ stiffen things up even more) and cornering agility.

The exterior features AMG’s distinctive front end, including the so-called Panamera grille, a very discreet bootlid spoiler, plus a new 20-inch wheel designed to minimise aero drag. There will also be 18- and 19-inch wheels.

The engine is the star of the show, delivering effortless performance.

Inside the beautifully furnished cabin are a pair of good-looking and supportive sports front seats. As well as the AMG-specific steering wheel there are AMG-only options on the instrument display and infotainment screen menus. It’s also promised that Australia-market models will come with a full driver-assist package, in part explaining the price rise over the outgoing C43.

The car’s only obvious flaw is its nine-speed automatic transmission. The test cars at

the international launch in France suffered from horribly jerky shifting at low speeds and light throttle openings. Mercedes-AMG engineers say they’re already working on control software updates to fix the problem.

The engine, though, is a star. From its slightly gravelly idle the sound is unmistakably four, especially the raw roar as it nears its 7000rpm red-line. But the performance always feels like something with more than four cylinders.

The electric turbo gives the C43 engine a snappiness and sharpness that makes a very convincing case for this Formula 1-inspired tech.

MERCEDES-AMG C43 4MATIC

PRICE $130,000 (est)

SAFETY 5 stars

ENGINE 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo 48-volt mild hybrid; 300kW/500Nm

TRANSMISSION 9-speed auto

THIRST TBA

Originally published as 2023 Mercedes-AMG C43 review