C43 Gets High Praise From MotorTrend
06-26-2023, 02:57 AM
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C43 Gets High Praise From MotorTrend
Very interesting First Test on the new C43. Overall the review is mostly positive, they mention a jerky transmission in slow daily use but say it’s quick and snappy when driven hard. They also mention the abundance of hard plastic, which is a shame considering all these new areas of hard plastic were soft touch on the w205.
They enjoyed the way the engine behaves, mentioning that it feels very “boosty” when compared to other modern turbos. They also thought it sounded pretty good, not as amazing as the old car but still very enjoyable. But what was shocking was the horrible acceleration times they got. Something doesn’t seem right. 4.5 to 60, 13.0 in the quarter (quarter second behind the old C43) but a higher trap speed than the old car. We know that this car is much quicker than those numbers suggest. Even the first reviews in Europe got faster times. I remember when a guy on YouTube got like 4.2 in the wet testing it himself. Plenty of other videos have shown it accelerate a lot quicker too.
Braking has improved by an impressive 8 feet and they note a well tuned brake pedal. They also loved the car’s dynamics from “commendable steering, which is nicely weighted and very precise” working in combination with the RWS to lovely chassis dynamics and a nicely tuned 4Matic system. They found it to be a very impressive handler, calling it a “confident and poised handler that rewards driving enthusiasts with wieldy nimbleness.” These remarks are a complete opposite of what they were saying about the new M340i just recently. They called the BMW a muscle car for the autobahn. From their remarks we can see that the AMG is the more dynamic machine, and that is to be expected with the extra amount of work that AMG put into chassis tuning, from chassis bracing and stiffening to complete suspension overhaul. It seems like the M340i is a lot more like a 330i with a I6 shoehorned into it, and the AMG is well—more AMG than C300. Its very evident when despite weighing 100 lbs more than the BMW (and 200 more the W205 C43) and being slower, it bested the M340i by and impressive quarter second in the figure 8.
Their verdict for the 2023 AMG C43 was overwhelmingly positive:
Compare that to their not-so-great verdit of the 2023 M340i:
I’ve attached a link to both reviews for you guys to enjoy:
AMG First Test
BMW M340i
They enjoyed the way the engine behaves, mentioning that it feels very “boosty” when compared to other modern turbos. They also thought it sounded pretty good, not as amazing as the old car but still very enjoyable. But what was shocking was the horrible acceleration times they got. Something doesn’t seem right. 4.5 to 60, 13.0 in the quarter (quarter second behind the old C43) but a higher trap speed than the old car. We know that this car is much quicker than those numbers suggest. Even the first reviews in Europe got faster times. I remember when a guy on YouTube got like 4.2 in the wet testing it himself. Plenty of other videos have shown it accelerate a lot quicker too.
Braking has improved by an impressive 8 feet and they note a well tuned brake pedal. They also loved the car’s dynamics from “commendable steering, which is nicely weighted and very precise” working in combination with the RWS to lovely chassis dynamics and a nicely tuned 4Matic system. They found it to be a very impressive handler, calling it a “confident and poised handler that rewards driving enthusiasts with wieldy nimbleness.” These remarks are a complete opposite of what they were saying about the new M340i just recently. They called the BMW a muscle car for the autobahn. From their remarks we can see that the AMG is the more dynamic machine, and that is to be expected with the extra amount of work that AMG put into chassis tuning, from chassis bracing and stiffening to complete suspension overhaul. It seems like the M340i is a lot more like a 330i with a I6 shoehorned into it, and the AMG is well—more AMG than C300. Its very evident when despite weighing 100 lbs more than the BMW (and 200 more the W205 C43) and being slower, it bested the M340i by and impressive quarter second in the figure 8.
Their verdict for the 2023 AMG C43 was overwhelmingly positive:
The 2023 Mercedes-AMG C43 is expensive, but it drives like a truly special car. Our handful of complaints are overshadowed by genuinely thrilling dynamics and enough high-tech bells and whistles to keep us entertained for the long run. Of all of the midlevel sport sedans, the C43 is one of the most engaging.
Mercedes hasn't completely replaced displacement with its new drivetrain, but the C43 manages to deliver the hands-on driving enjoyment car enthusiasts love. This sport sedan is so full of character that we found ourselves popping out for errands and drives at every possible opportunity during our two weeks behind the wheel. Indeed, although the C43 sits in the middle of the C-Class lineup, it stands out as a car that genuinely deserves its AMG badging.
Mercedes hasn't completely replaced displacement with its new drivetrain, but the C43 manages to deliver the hands-on driving enjoyment car enthusiasts love. This sport sedan is so full of character that we found ourselves popping out for errands and drives at every possible opportunity during our two weeks behind the wheel. Indeed, although the C43 sits in the middle of the C-Class lineup, it stands out as a car that genuinely deserves its AMG badging.
Buying the 3 Series with the bigger engine used to be the ticket to sport-sedan nirvana. In the $59,395 BMW M340i xDrive, though, the sense of sportiness stems from the hard-charging 382-hp inline-six and the quick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission, rather than the steering and body control. That's been true for almost a decade now, and yet we can't shake the memories of the cars that built the 3 Series brand.Without the spectacular chassis dynamics, the M340i isn't the unique proposition it once was. It's a powerful, comfortable, and luxurious sedan, but those attributes aren't exactly rare among sedans costing as much as our $70,020 test car. Where the 3 Series once represented a one-of-a-kind car, it's now one among many.
AMG First Test
BMW M340i
06-26-2023, 01:05 PM
#2
Test results summarized:
2023 m340:
Figure 8: 25s
0-60: 3.8s
1/4: 12.3s
60-0: 104 ft
2023 C43 AMG
Figure 8: 24.8s
0-60: 4.5s
1/4: 13.0s
60-0: 103 ft
2019 C43 AMG
Figure 8: 24.7s
0-60: 4.2s
1/4: 12.8s
60-0: 111 ft
From the seat of my pants: The W206 doesn't feel any slower to 60 using race start than the w205. The w206 does feel much stronger above 80mph than the w205.
2023 m340:
Figure 8: 25s
0-60: 3.8s
1/4: 12.3s
60-0: 104 ft
2023 C43 AMG
Figure 8: 24.8s
0-60: 4.5s
1/4: 13.0s
60-0: 103 ft
2019 C43 AMG
Figure 8: 24.7s
0-60: 4.2s
1/4: 12.8s
60-0: 111 ft
From the seat of my pants: The W206 doesn't feel any slower to 60 using race start than the w205. The w206 does feel much stronger above 80mph than the w205.
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Mayur999 (06-26-2023)
06-26-2023, 03:16 PM
#4
Motor Trend uses a roll out and AFAIK they use/only have access to 91 octane. It's very possible that the W206 C43 is more sensitive to specific octane due to its over 2 bar of boost it produces.
Testing has been all over the place. Some outlets saying the w206 is faster than the w205, some showing a dead even race between the m340 and w206 and some showing the w206 c43 as quick as 4.1s to 60.
3.8s for the m340 seems insanely fast and a low 12 second pass for the quarter would put it in a different league if you solely looked at these two tests against each other.
This is also an odd remark, I really did not notice a difference but maybe those with the metal weave can comment:
Testing has been all over the place. Some outlets saying the w206 is faster than the w205, some showing a dead even race between the m340 and w206 and some showing the w206 c43 as quick as 4.1s to 60.
3.8s for the m340 seems insanely fast and a low 12 second pass for the quarter would put it in a different league if you solely looked at these two tests against each other.
This is also an odd remark, I really did not notice a difference but maybe those with the metal weave can comment:
Although our test car was equipped with stylish metallic fiber-weave trim, which is applied to the panels on the dashboard and looks spectacular as it glitters in the sun, Mercedes opts for a copycat version of the material for the center console that is decidedly a cheaper-feeling plastic made to look like the real deal.
06-26-2023, 03:22 PM
#5
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Yeah something with the W206 seems to be rather finicky as times have been all over the place. The guys on YouTube who take these to their limits on their autobahn have gotten times just barely quicker than the old car. I guess if all out acceleration is the goal then the BMW is the way to go, but there are also other cars for 70k that would wipe the floor with the M340i in a straight line. The AMG is definitely the better overall sport sedan though. Could be gas, launch control, etc messing up these times but who knows. It’s really interesting that despite the slower times, it has a higher trap speed.
06-26-2023, 03:34 PM
#6
Senior Member
0 to 60 seems accurate to me. We all knew and were told it would be slower than the w205. So 4.5 is exactly what I thought.
There are many w206 c43 owners but none have proven the 0 to 60 being better than 4.5. No videos with dragy unit, or anything.
I trust these numbers by this magazine they are always rather on target.
There are many w206 c43 owners but none have proven the 0 to 60 being better than 4.5. No videos with dragy unit, or anything.
I trust these numbers by this magazine they are always rather on target.
06-29-2023, 05:53 PM
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Very interesting First Test on the new C43. Overall the review is mostly positive, they mention a jerky transmission in slow daily use but say it’s quick and snappy when driven hard. They also mention the abundance of hard plastic, which is a shame considering all these new areas of hard plastic were soft touch on the w205.
They enjoyed the way the engine behaves, mentioning that it feels very “boosty” when compared to other modern turbos. They also thought it sounded pretty good, not as amazing as the old car but still very enjoyable. But what was shocking was the horrible acceleration times they got. Something doesn’t seem right. 4.5 to 60, 13.0 in the quarter (quarter second behind the old C43) but a higher trap speed than the old car. We know that this car is much quicker than those numbers suggest. Even the first reviews in Europe got faster times. I remember when a guy on YouTube got like 4.2 in the wet testing it himself. Plenty of other videos have shown it accelerate a lot quicker too.
Braking has improved by an impressive 8 feet and they note a well tuned brake pedal. They also loved the car’s dynamics from “commendable steering, which is nicely weighted and very precise” working in combination with the RWS to lovely chassis dynamics and a nicely tuned 4Matic system. They found it to be a very impressive handler, calling it a “confident and poised handler that rewards driving enthusiasts with wieldy nimbleness.” These remarks are a complete opposite of what they were saying about the new M340i just recently. They called the BMW a muscle car for the autobahn. From their remarks we can see that the AMG is the more dynamic machine, and that is to be expected with the extra amount of work that AMG put into chassis tuning, from chassis bracing and stiffening to complete suspension overhaul. It seems like the M340i is a lot more like a 330i with a I6 shoehorned into it, and the AMG is well—more AMG than C300. Its very evident when despite weighing 100 lbs more than the BMW (and 200 more the W205 C43) and being slower, it bested the M340i by and impressive quarter second in the figure 8.
Their verdict for the 2023 AMG C43 was overwhelmingly positive:
The 2023 Mercedes-AMG C43 is expensive, but it drives like a truly special car. Our handful of complaints are overshadowed by genuinely thrilling dynamics and enough high-tech bells and whistles to keep us entertained for the long run. Of all of the midlevel sport sedans, the C43 is one of the most engaging.
Mercedes hasn't completely replaced displacement with its new drivetrain, but the C43 manages to deliver the hands-on driving enjoyment car enthusiasts love. This sport sedan is so full of character that we found ourselves popping out for errands and drives at every possible opportunity during our two weeks behind the wheel. Indeed, although the C43 sits in the middle of the C-Class lineup, it stands out as a car that genuinely deserves its AMG badging.
Compare that to their not-so-great verdit of the 2023 M340i:
Buying the 3 Series with the bigger engine used to be the ticket to sport-sedan nirvana. In the $59,395 BMW M340i xDrive, though, the sense of sportiness stems from the hard-charging 382-hp inline-six and the quick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission, rather than the steering and body control. That's been true for almost a decade now, and yet we can't shake the memories of the cars that built the 3 Series brand.Without the spectacular chassis dynamics, the M340i isn't the unique proposition it once was. It's a powerful, comfortable, and luxurious sedan, but those attributes aren't exactly rare among sedans costing as much as our $70,020 test car. Where the 3 Series once represented a one-of-a-kind car, it's now one among many.
I’ve attached a link to both reviews for you guys to enjoy:
AMG First Test
BMW M340i
They enjoyed the way the engine behaves, mentioning that it feels very “boosty” when compared to other modern turbos. They also thought it sounded pretty good, not as amazing as the old car but still very enjoyable. But what was shocking was the horrible acceleration times they got. Something doesn’t seem right. 4.5 to 60, 13.0 in the quarter (quarter second behind the old C43) but a higher trap speed than the old car. We know that this car is much quicker than those numbers suggest. Even the first reviews in Europe got faster times. I remember when a guy on YouTube got like 4.2 in the wet testing it himself. Plenty of other videos have shown it accelerate a lot quicker too.
Braking has improved by an impressive 8 feet and they note a well tuned brake pedal. They also loved the car’s dynamics from “commendable steering, which is nicely weighted and very precise” working in combination with the RWS to lovely chassis dynamics and a nicely tuned 4Matic system. They found it to be a very impressive handler, calling it a “confident and poised handler that rewards driving enthusiasts with wieldy nimbleness.” These remarks are a complete opposite of what they were saying about the new M340i just recently. They called the BMW a muscle car for the autobahn. From their remarks we can see that the AMG is the more dynamic machine, and that is to be expected with the extra amount of work that AMG put into chassis tuning, from chassis bracing and stiffening to complete suspension overhaul. It seems like the M340i is a lot more like a 330i with a I6 shoehorned into it, and the AMG is well—more AMG than C300. Its very evident when despite weighing 100 lbs more than the BMW (and 200 more the W205 C43) and being slower, it bested the M340i by and impressive quarter second in the figure 8.
Their verdict for the 2023 AMG C43 was overwhelmingly positive:
The 2023 Mercedes-AMG C43 is expensive, but it drives like a truly special car. Our handful of complaints are overshadowed by genuinely thrilling dynamics and enough high-tech bells and whistles to keep us entertained for the long run. Of all of the midlevel sport sedans, the C43 is one of the most engaging.
Mercedes hasn't completely replaced displacement with its new drivetrain, but the C43 manages to deliver the hands-on driving enjoyment car enthusiasts love. This sport sedan is so full of character that we found ourselves popping out for errands and drives at every possible opportunity during our two weeks behind the wheel. Indeed, although the C43 sits in the middle of the C-Class lineup, it stands out as a car that genuinely deserves its AMG badging.
Compare that to their not-so-great verdit of the 2023 M340i:
Buying the 3 Series with the bigger engine used to be the ticket to sport-sedan nirvana. In the $59,395 BMW M340i xDrive, though, the sense of sportiness stems from the hard-charging 382-hp inline-six and the quick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission, rather than the steering and body control. That's been true for almost a decade now, and yet we can't shake the memories of the cars that built the 3 Series brand.Without the spectacular chassis dynamics, the M340i isn't the unique proposition it once was. It's a powerful, comfortable, and luxurious sedan, but those attributes aren't exactly rare among sedans costing as much as our $70,020 test car. Where the 3 Series once represented a one-of-a-kind car, it's now one among many.
I’ve attached a link to both reviews for you guys to enjoy:
AMG First Test
BMW M340i
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08-04-2023, 04:00 AM
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kia Roy
I would have thought the fixed price thing would be illegal in Australia. Sure the manufacturer can fix the price to the dealer (and probably should to be fair) but competition between dealers has been curtailed with this policy, and that is certainly illegal.
snaptube vidmate
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Last edited by sikodk; 08-05-2023 at 12:46 PM.
08-10-2023, 08:11 PM
#9
Page 153 of the C-Class user manual states that to do a race start, after selecting Sport+ you need to deactivate ESP as well. I haven't seen people doing this in the videos that they post, so I suspect the ESP is slowing down their launches.
08-10-2023, 08:16 PM
#10
Senior Member
Most videos I've seen of 0 - 60 runs, the tester is simply selecting Sport+, holding down the brake, pinning the throttle and then releasing the brake.
Page 153 of the C-Class user manual states that to do a race start, after selecting Sport+ you need to deactivate ESP as well. I haven't seen people doing this in the videos that they post, so I suspect the ESP is slowing down their launches.
Page 153 of the C-Class user manual states that to do a race start, after selecting Sport+ you need to deactivate ESP as well. I haven't seen people doing this in the videos that they post, so I suspect the ESP is slowing down their launches.
08-10-2023, 08:22 PM
#11
If you try the launch sequence before you reach the 1000 mile break-in period, you get a warning pop-up on the screen saying something like "Race start not available" and the car won't bring the revs up above idle.
08-10-2023, 08:26 PM
#12
Senior Member
08-10-2023, 08:29 PM
#13
Super Member
Per AMG manual:
RACE START ▌Information about RACE START RACE START enables optimal vehicle acceleration from a standstill. A suitably high-grip road surface is required for this, and the tires and vehicle must also be in good condition. % Use RACE START only after the vehicle has been run in. % RACE START must not be used in normal road operation. RACE START may be activated and used only on dedicated race circuits, not on public roads. Read the safety notes and information on ESP® (/ page 15). & WARNING Risk of skidding and having an accident from wheels spinning If you use RACE START, depending on the ESP® mode selected, there is an increased risk of skidding and having an accident. # Make sure that no persons or obstacles are in the close vicinity of your vehicle. ▌Activating RACE START Requirements: R The vehicle is switched on and the transmission and the engine are at normal operating temperature. R The driver's door is closed. R The front wheels are in a straight-ahead position. R The vehicle is on level ground. R The vehicle is stationary, the brake pedal is depressed (left foot) and the parking brake is released. R The transmission is in position h. 18 Driving and parking
R One of drive programs C, B or I is selected (/ page 10). # Rapidly depress the accelerator pedal fully. The engine speed will increase. % If the activation conditions are not fulfilled, RACE START cannot be used. The RACE START Not Possible See Operator's Manual message appears in the driver's display. # The RACE START Release Brake to Start message appears in the driver's display. % In this phase, you can adjust RACE START depending on the road conditions: you can vary the engine speed by pulling on one of the steering wheel paddle shifters. The segments in the driver's display flicker rapidly. % If the brake pedal is not released after a short while, RACE START will be canceled. The RACE START Canceled message appears in the driver's display. # Take your foot off the brake, but keep the accelerator pedal depressed. The vehicle will pull away at maximum acceleration. The RACE START Active message appears in the driver's display. RACE START will be deactivated immediately if you release the accelerator pedal during RACE START or if any of the activation conditions are no longer fulfilled. The RACE START Canceled message appears in the driver's display. % After using it several times in quick succession, RACE START will be unavailable until a certain distance has been driven.
RACE START ▌Information about RACE START RACE START enables optimal vehicle acceleration from a standstill. A suitably high-grip road surface is required for this, and the tires and vehicle must also be in good condition. % Use RACE START only after the vehicle has been run in. % RACE START must not be used in normal road operation. RACE START may be activated and used only on dedicated race circuits, not on public roads. Read the safety notes and information on ESP® (/ page 15). & WARNING Risk of skidding and having an accident from wheels spinning If you use RACE START, depending on the ESP® mode selected, there is an increased risk of skidding and having an accident. # Make sure that no persons or obstacles are in the close vicinity of your vehicle. ▌Activating RACE START Requirements: R The vehicle is switched on and the transmission and the engine are at normal operating temperature. R The driver's door is closed. R The front wheels are in a straight-ahead position. R The vehicle is on level ground. R The vehicle is stationary, the brake pedal is depressed (left foot) and the parking brake is released. R The transmission is in position h. 18 Driving and parking
R One of drive programs C, B or I is selected (/ page 10). # Rapidly depress the accelerator pedal fully. The engine speed will increase. % If the activation conditions are not fulfilled, RACE START cannot be used. The RACE START Not Possible See Operator's Manual message appears in the driver's display. # The RACE START Release Brake to Start message appears in the driver's display. % In this phase, you can adjust RACE START depending on the road conditions: you can vary the engine speed by pulling on one of the steering wheel paddle shifters. The segments in the driver's display flicker rapidly. % If the brake pedal is not released after a short while, RACE START will be canceled. The RACE START Canceled message appears in the driver's display. # Take your foot off the brake, but keep the accelerator pedal depressed. The vehicle will pull away at maximum acceleration. The RACE START Active message appears in the driver's display. RACE START will be deactivated immediately if you release the accelerator pedal during RACE START or if any of the activation conditions are no longer fulfilled. The RACE START Canceled message appears in the driver's display. % After using it several times in quick succession, RACE START will be unavailable until a certain distance has been driven.
08-10-2023, 08:42 PM
#14
In addition to the AMG specific info that Dima posted, the standard manual states:
- Engage the D drive position (page 166).
- Move the steering wheel to the straight-ahead position.
- Select the sportiest available drive program S or S+ (page 163).
- Deactivate ESP® (page 183).
- Depress and hold the brake pedal firmly with your left foot.
- With your right foot, fully depress the accelerator pedal.
- After no more than five seconds, take your left foot quickly off the brake, but keep the accelerator pedal depressed. The vehicle will pull away at maximum acceleration.
- Switch on ESP® once the acceleration procedure is complete.
08-10-2023, 08:54 PM
#15
Super Member
Sounds good.
My guess though is that AMG manual supersedes the C one as C doesn't have S+ mode so the ESP could be already less engaged in that mode on C43. Also, the other paraments could be configured differently.
I doubt they meant for us to combine the instructions. Hope you have Track Pace to measure it.
My guess though is that AMG manual supersedes the C one as C doesn't have S+ mode so the ESP could be already less engaged in that mode on C43. Also, the other paraments could be configured differently.
I doubt they meant for us to combine the instructions. Hope you have Track Pace to measure it.
08-10-2023, 09:06 PM
#16
Yep, have Track Pace so will be able to get the data directly from the car.
My previous car (2019 CLA45) launched noticeably harder with ESP in Sport mode or off, so interested to see if it's the same with the new C43.
My previous car (2019 CLA45) launched noticeably harder with ESP in Sport mode or off, so interested to see if it's the same with the new C43.
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places (08-24-2023)
08-24-2023, 11:59 AM
#18
Super Member
Oh poor guy, the seatbelt pinched her breast and now she's pissed at the car. Probably going to have a sex change operation after the review. Is Canadian socialist medical insurance paying for those things.
I thought the Canadians are more rugged than that.
I thought the Canadians are more rugged than that.
08-24-2023, 12:35 PM
#19
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08-24-2023, 01:44 PM
#20
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I was surprised to see it able to drift/ do donuts at the end of the video so easily. I thought the C43 didn’t have drift mode. Is it really that easy to slide? If so that’s pretty impressive if it doesn’t have a full RWD mode.
08-24-2023, 04:14 PM
#21
Seems marginally faster in the 1/4 than the w205, which makes sense with more horsepower.
They are daily drivers, you shouldn't be buying one over the other because you have a car length in the quarter mile on the competition lol (unless you have different aspirations for the car).
08-25-2023, 01:08 PM
#24
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