When a Mercedes prototype hits the road looking production-ready, you know a debut is imminent
by Robert Moore, onThe Mercedes-AMG C43 – the entry-level AMG C-class – has been spotted yet again on public roads, but this time, it has shed almost all of its camo. This time around, only the front and rear fascia have been covered, but even with that, you can make out just about everything since all of the preliminary and concealing camo is gone. With so little camo, we can say with almost no doubt that Mercedes will be revealing it soon, maybe even before the end of 2021.
First off, let me point out that we know this is the AMG C43 based on the lower ride height and the larger yet fake air vents. That lower ride height comes courtesy of an even stiffer suspension, and there are true quad exhaust outlet sin the rear to go with the larger brakes and the lip spoiler on the rear decklid.
The real kicker here is that the C-Class lineup is ditching all large engines, with a turbocharged and hybridized four-cylinder being the only offering. In this case, the entry-level AMG will be losing the twin-turbo 3.0-liter engine and gaining a 2.0-liter. It’s the same M139 four-banger that’s found in the AMG A45 S, and in that model it’s good for 416 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque – an improvement of 31 horsepower over the outgoing model with a V-6 but a bit down on torque. This power output could change for the C43 (or perhaps C53 if a certain rumor is correct).
The good news is that we won’t have to wait for long as a debut could happen very soon with March of 2022 being the latest we’ll see it.
Source: Picture credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
