The spectrum of coupe personalities ranges from touring to beastly, and the best often sit somewhere in the middle, blending an engaging driving experience with relative comfort. In theory, then, the Mercedes-AMG C43 should be the gold standard. The 362-hp two-door straddles the line between the mad-dog, 469-hp Mercedes-AMG C63 and the more mundane 241-hp Mercedes-Benz C300 coupe. In practice, though, the Mercedes-AMG C43 is more like the silver standard: It’s quick and enthralling to pilot on twisty tarmac, but its firm suspension makes for an uncomfortable ride on all but the smoothest surfaces.
AMG OMG
The C43 coupe is not slow. The AMG’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 pushes the 3908-pound two-door from zero to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 12.8 at 109 mph, besting the 467-hp Lexus RC F to 60 mph by 0.2 second (thank you, all-wheel drive) and matching its quarter-mile time. The C43’s passing acceleration was similarly impressive, with the coupe accelerating from 30 to 50 mph in 3.0 seconds and from 50 to 70 mph in 3.4, figures that again put the 105-hp-stronger RC F in its crosshairs.
Credit the C43’s forced-induction V-6 and its quick-shifting nine-speed automatic transmission, which features a pair of paddles mounted on the steering wheel. The powertrain combo isn’t just quick, it’s commendably fuel efficient. We averaged 22 mpg, nearly matching the EPA’s 23-mpg combined rating. We also saw 29 mpg during our steady-state 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, beating the EPA’s 28-mpg highway figure.
Rough Rider
On broken pavement, our test car’s optional (no-cost) Pirelli P Zero run-flat summer tires’ thin and stiff sidewalls exacerbated the C43’s punishing ride quality. While three damper settings are available, none adequately masks road irregularities. In Comfort mode, the coupe’s ride is brittle even while the body is allowed to move around some; Sport mode eliminates the body motions without adding any noticeable harshness to the ride; Sport+ mode is all harshness all the time.
We chose to leave the suspension in Sport mode during most of our time with the car, feeling it was the best of three suboptimal choices. We’d recommend forgoing our test car’s optional ($850) 19-inch wheels and tires and instead making do with the standard 18-inch setup, as its taller sidewalls should offer some relief from the rigid ride.
Although the AMG’s suspension offers little forgiveness on rough roads, it shines during dynamic driving. Body roll is kept to a minimum and grip is plentiful, as evidenced by the C43’s 0.95-g skidpad performance. The car’s standard all-wheel-drive system sends 69 percent of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels and 31 percent to the front wheels, which allows for just enough rear-end slip to keep things exciting. The C43’s braking performance also was noteworthy, as the firm pedal brought the coupe to a halt from 70 mph in just 158 feet—five feet shorter than the 42-pound-lighter Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400.
AMG Appearance
With a base price of $56,425, the Mercedes-AMG C43 coupe costs $12,850 more than the entry-level, rear-wheel-drive Mercedes-Benz C300 coupe. That extra coin not only nets the C43’s additional performance and standard all-wheel drive, it also adds aggressive front and rear fascias, black mirror caps, and black window trim. Our test car also sported the $200 Night package that added more black highlights at the front and rear, as well as a $1515 coat of Designo Diamond White paint.
Inside, our test car’s black MB-Tex faux-leather upholstery featured contrasting red stitching on the amply bolstered seats, steering wheel, door panels, and center armrest. An extra $500 brought the flat-bottomed AMG Performance steering wheel, which features chunky shift paddles and microsuede inserts along the sides.
The C43 coupe comes standard with LED head- and taillights, a proximity key with push-button start, heated power front seats, a Burmester audio system, and a massive sunroof. To that, our test car also added the $2650 Premium 2 package, which includes a power-operated trunklid, power-folding mirrors, and an 8.4-inch central infotainment screen with navigation. As on almost all Mercedes products, the C43’s infotainment is operated via the brand’s COMAND controller on the center console. Opting for the Premium 2 package, though, also adds a finicky touchpad to the multimedia mix. Not featured on our test car was the $5550 Premium 3 package, which includes active-safety features such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high-beam headlights—items we’d expect to find in a car with an as-tested price of $62,140.
The 2017 Mercedes-AMG C43 coupe is blessed with a potent powertrain and a fetching form. It also has an unyielding suspension setup that makes the tempting two-door uncomfortable over the scabrous surfaces we regularly encounter in Michigan. On the coupe spectrum, the C43 provides plenty of sport but not quite enough touring.
