The C-class sedan from Mercedes-Benz just having gotten a refresh, the Mercedes-AMG C43 follows suit with its own upgrade, as unveiled today at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show. An exterior facelift touches on the front grille and louvers, both new for the 2019 model-year, along with a rear diffuser and rear spoiler, and high-gloss chrome trim elements on the dual exhaust pipes.
Propelling that refreshed outer shell is a 3.0L, twin-turbo V6 generating 385 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. It works with a 9-speed automatic transmission and the 4Matic all-wheel drive to provide exceptional acceleration abilities, to the tune of 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 4.6 seconds.
The interior of the 2019 Mercedes-AMG C43 has gotten an upgrade as well, starting with the leather-wrapped, speed-sensitive, variable-ratio AMG steering wheel, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, aluminum and Dinamica microfiber trim and Artico leather with red top-stitching on the seats. Drivers can choose between five drive modes – Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Individual and the new, self-explanatory Slippery. Buyers can also add optional fully digital cockpit and heated and ventilated AMG Performance seats with increased lateral support.
"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…. 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."
- Tobias Moers, Chairman of Mercedes-AMG GmbH
The 2019 Mercedes-AMG C43 is scheduled to be available to Canadian consumers by the end of 2018. Pricing, not yet announced, should be known closer to launch date.
Plug-in diesel hybrids on way
The Geneva Motor Show will also see the debut of two new Mercedes-Benz pre-production models that, for the first time, combine newest-generation diesel technology with the 9G-TRONIC 9-speed hybrid transmission. A third-generation hybrid system will be incorporated in C-Class and E-Class models form the German automaker; a new on-board charge will double charging capacity, meaning a full charge could be achieved in a regular outlet in around seven hours. The development process is still ongoing, but the hope is that production models will be ready by late-summer 2018.