What is it?
Let’s wander back in time. Not far, just to, say, 1998. In the US, Bill Clinton says he didn't have sexual relations with Monika Lewinsky. Over here, Tony Blair has just delivered peace to Northern Ireland and is, apparently, the new messiah. To celebrate all that’s good in the world, you’ve just splashed out on the recently introduced Mercedes C 43 AMG, with a stonking 306bhp. That’s plenty, you think.
Fast forward 20 years and things have changed. It turns out Bill told a porky, half the world is now at war, and unless you have a C 63 with up to 503bhp, you’re nobody. Or are you? You see, the Mercedes-AMG C 43 is back, but is ‘just’ 362bhp now enough to tickle your fancy?
That number comes from a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6, plugged into a conventional nine-speed automatic rather than the C 63’s seven-speed MCT unit. It has 4Matic all-wheel drive as standard - there’s no rear-wheel drive option - but it's biased to send 69% of the torque rearwards.
Although the C 43 might be considered an AMG-lite by some, Affalterbach hasn’t merely added power and said: 'That’ll do.' There are steering knuckles from the C 63 and more negative camber dialled into the front and rear geometry to allow the tyres more cornering bite. The menacing, wider track and flared arches of the C 63 are, sadly, off the menu, though.
Join the debate
Add your comment
Putting the boot in
Just as an example I highlighted a few days ago that the Leon, fitted with an entry-level one litre engine is equally powerful and only a second and a half slower to sixty than a Golf GTI MkII. And the truth is that if one drives an average 85 bhp supermini at eight-tenths of flat out one would be overtaking almost everything else on the road, so all the power that people are paying for isn't necessary in the everyday family car. The majority of drivers aren't seeking a trackday special.
4.7 0-62
OK The C63 is more exciting, but for only the 6 second or so bursts you can use it on any road. There is a lot to be said for the brz/ mx5 approach where enjoyment is at a level where a prison sentence does not beckon and letters do not have to be written to the daily mail. Maybe we should focus on enjoyment in the real world in these reviews. Boy am I boring these days, but having driven some of these cars, I lust for something really useable and fun.
There is however a lot to the said for the latent excitement of driving a truly powerful car even without unleashing hell.
How many poor men do you know