MotorWeek Says C450 AMG Is More Than Just Marketing

By Tony Markovich - May 31, 2016

motorweek_c450

Today’s auto market is quite dense. Automakers are trying to appeal to as many people as possible and are doing so by making more and more varieties of models, and then variations of those models with different features, and then taking those features and putting them on other model variations. It can get quite confusing and overwhelming, especially with cars that use alphanumeric nomenclatures like Mercedes-Benz. The 2016 Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG 4matic is a perfect example.

The way the Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG lineups are set up leaves a gap. There is the $40,000 241-horsepower C300 4matic with a turbo inline-4, and there is the $65,000 469-horsepower C63 AMG with a biturbo V8 (ignoring the C350e hybrid). That’s a big difference. So Mercedes-Benz created a “sport” division to provide an in-between option. That option is the $50,000 C450 AMG, which uses a 362-horsepower biturbo V6.

It’s supposed to be the compromise between all-out luxury and all-out sport. Just don’t get too used to this exact model or name. It’s going to be switched out for the C43 AMG in the near future. MotorWeek took one out on the streets and a track to see if the car is the right compromise for both the Benz and the AMG labels. Get into the details below, then let us know what you think.