The motoring world’s fraternity was shocked when Mercedes-AMG last year confirmed it would ditch the V8 and V6 engines in the new C63 and C43.
Watch how the AMG C43 performs
Both will now have a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, a number that won’t sit well with fans. But Affalterbach assured fans that the factory will be more powerful than the larger engine as it benefits from technology taken directly from Formula 1.
The new C43 4Matic, which is equipped with an electric turbocharger together with a 48V electric motor, produces 300 kW of power and 500 Nm of torque compared to the previous 287kW / 520Nm.
The new AMG C63 SE Performance 4Matic applies an electric motor and an electric turbocharger for a combined output of 500 kW and 1,020 Nm of torque. The top outgoing W205 model, the C63 S, has an output of 375kW/700Nm.
READ ALSO: WATCH: AMG C63 S exhaust note sparks even bigger controversy
Testing times
The impressive new numbers have not done away with criticism in the automotive world which has been a theme on social media since the announcement last year.
Going hand in hand with the gripe through the new engine is the enhanced soundtrack which is amplified through external speakers to compensate for the loss of the original AMG exhaust note.
There is only one way for Mercedes to set the record straight and that is through good performance. So when the W206 C43 came in Citizen Motoring This week, we took it to Gerotek directly to bike it against the clock.
The time to beat is 4.71 and 13.01 seconds, the W205 C43 achieved from 0 to 100 km / h and a quarter mile in the hands of Road Test Editor Mark Jones in November 2018.
If Affalterbach’s claim that the W206 AMG C43 can sprint completely in 4.6 seconds is anything to go by, it will make for a fascinating virtual drag race between the new and the old.
AMG number battle
So come Thursday, the weather is perfect, launch control is activated, you’re ready behind the camera and Mark is feeling chipper…only to be disappointed.
Come what may, running after the run, the best number VBOX Racelogic equipment can show for the sprint was 4.86 seconds, while the quarter mile also came up tenth of a second slower.
While there is really very little between the two C43s and W206 is still performed very credible taking into consideration the weight of 150 kg more than 1 690 kg W206, it is not enough significantly to make critics change their opinion.
All eyes will now be on the new Mercedes-AMG C63, which is expected this year, to make a statement for new technology.