Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) has confirmed that the high-performance C43 4Matic will go on sale in the country in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Only the four-door sedan will reach our showrooms whereas the estate is “not [launching] at the moment,” MBSA told TopAuto.
Until the C63 arrives, the C43 will be the flagship of the new C-Class range. Although there’s no local pricing as yet, it’s expected to cost more than the previous generation which is currently still selling for R1,280,582 in coupe form.
C43 specifications
The heart of the new Mercedes-AMG C43 is a 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol engine with mild-hybrid technologies in the form of an electric exhaust-gas turbocharger powered by a 48-volt system.
“The internally-named M139l engine (l for longitudinal installation) is the world’s first series-production engine to be turbocharged with an electric exhaust gas turbocharger,” said Mercedes-Benz.
This system is derived from the company’s Formula 1 expertise and sees an electric motor roughly 4cm thin integrated directly onto the turbocharger shaft, between the turbine and compressor wheels.
This drives the shaft of the turbocharger directly and accelerates the compressor wheel before the exhaust gas flow takes over the drive, thereby improving response time and efficiency.
The technology is also able to maintain boost pressure at all times, which only enhances these positive effects, said the manufacturer.
Paired to the aforementioned petrol motor – itself featuring two-stage injection and “Nanoslide” friction-reducing coatings – the powertrain delivers a maximum of 300kW and 500Nm.
With the help of an onboard starter-generator, an additional 10kW of boost is also available for a short period of time, allowing the sedan to reach 100km/h from standstill in 4.6 seconds.
Top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h while the optional AMG Driver’s pack can take this up to 265km/h, and combined fuel consumption sits between 8.7-9.1l/100km.
Taking care of power delivery is then a nine-speed, multi-clutch, automatic gearbox with five drive modes, connected to the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system with 31%/69% torque distribution to the front and rear axles, respectively.
Apart from the advanced powertrain, the new C43 is further equipped with an array of performance-enhancing components.
Standard fitment for the sportscar includes AMG Ride Control steel-spring suspension with adaptive damping, which provides both sporty driving characteristics as well as long-distance comfort, said Mercedes.
“The Adaptive Damping System continuously adapts the damping at each individual wheel to the current demand – always taking into account the preselected suspension level, the driving style, and the condition of the road surface,” said the manufacturer.
“In addition to an improvement in ride quality and comfort, this leads, above all, to an increase in driving safety.”
Alongside this, the new sedan also gets rear-axle steering. At speeds under 100km/h, this system lets the rear wheels turn up to a maximum of 2.5 degrees in the opposite direction of the wheels at the front to virtually shorten the wheelbase and make the car more agile.
Over 100km/h, on the other hand, the rear wheels turn with those at the front at angles of up to 0.7 degrees to enhance high-speed stability.
To top it all off, this Mercedes comes with the AMG sports braking system for excellent braking performance, as well as the AMG exhaust for an exciting engine sound.
AMG styling
The new C43 is the entry-level variant in the AMG family and gains characteristically sporty design elements as a result.
Around the exterior, this model builds on the stylish look of the standard C-Class with an AMG-specific grille with vertical chrome struts, the AMG front apron, sculpted air intakes with matching side sills, chrome highlights, a “diffuser-look” rear bumper, two twin-tailpipe exhaust outlets, and 18-inch alloys.
The interior amplifies the exclusivity by offering man-made Artico leather/microfibre upholstery, red contrast stitching, the AMG Performance steering wheel, aluminium paddle shifters, and AMG-specific sports pedals, floor mats, and illuminated door sill trims.
The MBUX infotainment system gets AMG-specific features, too, such as a data logger for race track use that records “more than 80 vehicle-specific data such as speed, acceleration, steering angle, and brake pedal actuation ten times per second while the car is being driven around a race track.”
Optionally, buyers of the new C43 can install a heads-up display, full leather seats, and 19 or 20-inch wheels.
The official South African pricing and specifications for the new Mercedes-AMG C43 4Matic Sedan will be made available closer to its launch date, said MBSA.
Mercedes-AMG C43 4Matic Sedan
Mercedes-AMG C43 4Matic Estate
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