AMG C43 Coupe

Segment
Coupe

The 2016 Geneva Motor Show is almost here but, like many automakers, Mercedes-Benz just can't wait. It has pulled the covers off of the new AMG C43 Coupe. You'll remember that this used to be the C450 before Mercedes decided to change its naming scheme yet again. The new coupe is here to compete BMW and Audi's sport trims. That being said it's just a bit too small to fight the M4 and RS5. The AMG C43 packs a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 good for 362 horsepower and 384 lb-ft of torque.

Mercedes 4Matic all-wheel drive sends power to the front and rear wheels in a 31:69 split. All that power is controlled by a nine-speed auto, the aptly named 9G-Tronic. A run from 0 to 60 mph happens in 4.6 seconds and the new AMG C43 Coupe has an electronically limited top speed of 362 horsepower. The sporty new two-door boasts large brakes to stop all that power, with internally ventilated compound brake discs, perforated at the front and checking in at 14.2" for the front wheels and 12.6" for the back. There's also an AMG Ride Control sport suspension featuring adaptive variable damping with three modes as well as five driving modes. The interior is a combination of leather and aluminum with red stitching that looks especially good.

It might be a bit more cramped compared to the Mercedes-AMG C63 Coupe but that's to be expected. Speaking of the C63, what's the allure of the AMG C43 over its V8-powered big brother? It'll obviously be cheaper, although pricing wasn't announced. Perhaps the edge comes in the form of offering a more powerful competitor to the Audi S5 and BMW 4 Series. Yeah, the AMG C43 won't be able to play with the big dogs but it easily edges out both of those aforementioned offerings in terms of power. We'll know more about the Mercedes-AMG C43 plans for world domination when it makes its official debut in Geneva next week.