The AMG C43 is a great choice for anyone looking to get into the Affalterbach lifestyle without the usual auctioning off of vital organs. Now, there’s a new model dropping in Switzerland, and it looks to be a classic Mercedes refresh.

Continue reading for the full story.

The Full Story

Keeping an older model feeling as fresh as possible without putting a ton of work into it is a special art. Some brands are better at it than others, and Mercedes is arguably one of the best.

Let’s take a look at the 2019 AMG C43 as an example. At a little over $50,000, this pumped-up C-Class is definitely desirable and sporty, but it isn’t quite as insane as some of the other AMG models. Rather, this is a model that must exhibit all the usual AMG characteristics (aggressive styling, luxurious yet performance-capable interior, and a solid wallop under the hood), but without going so far off into the deep end as to make it unobtainable to average folks. Think of it as entry-level AMG lifestyle stuff.

To that end, the AMG C43 once again comes equipped with a 3.0-liter V-6 stuffed by two turbochargers. This time around though, the tune was tweaked to yield a maximum of 385 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque. While the latter figure is unchanged compared to the outgoing model, the power increase represents an extra 23 horses compared to the old C43’s 362 horsepower.

And that’s perfect for a refresh like this - enough to grab some headlines, but definitely still within the realm of a simple engine tune. The engineers probably knocked it out in a few weekends.

Once again, the 2019 AMG C43 connects the six-cylinder with a nine-speed automatic transmission and 4Matic AWD system with rear-biased torque distribution. The 0-to-60 mph run is done in 4.6 seconds, while 130 mph is achieved in the top end. Still impressive, but nothing that breaks from the outgoing model.

Note: 2018 Mercedes-AMG C43 pictured on the left, 2019 Mercedes-AMG C43 pictured on the right.

The same can be said of the exterior. The look is technically new, but not terribly different in any one way. For example, the grille gets double divider lines finished in silver, while the wheel designs (sizing ranges between 18 and 19 inches in diameter) are fresh as well. Further sub-divisions can be found in the corner intakes. LED lighting is standard, while circular exhaust tips replace the outgoing model’s squared pipes.

Moving inside, we find Merc is offering the right gear to entice customers. There are optional digital gauges, a first for the model, with a 12.3-inch screen behind the steering wheel plucked from higher in the model lineup. Nappa leather once again covers the flat-bottom steering wheel, but the wheel now gets touch-sensitive inputs. Carbon fiber remains the material of choice for the center console. An AMG Dynamic Select module is used for all the different driving modes, with the latest model year adding a “Slippery” driving mode to the usual “Comfort,” “Sport,” etc.

The latest AMG C43 will debuts in Geneva alongside the rest of the C-Class lineup. Look for even more information as the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show gets rolling this week.

References

Mercedes C-Class

Read our full review on the 2018 Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

Read more Mercedes-Benz news.

Read more Geneva Motor Show news.