The Telegraph verdict
It may be olive oil, then, but this olive oil is cold-pressed, unfiltered, the sort you have to buy directly from a bloke who makes it from his own olive groves half-way up an Umbrian hillside; the preserve of the moneyed elite.
Trouble is, the flavour of such an oil may well be an acquired taste. Its unrefined nature makes it poorly suited to everyday use, too. Both of those caveats can be applied to the C43.
Had Mercedes spent just a little longer finessing that powertrain, and rounding off the edges of the ride, the C43 would be an admirable companion to the C63: softer, more usable, and yet still immensely capable.
As it is, you get the capability, but you have to live with quite a few compromises day-to-day – compromises the M340i does without, and all while delivering a similarly slick driving experience. Given the BMW is also much cheaper, it’s certainly where my money would go.
The facts
On test: Mercedes-AMG C43 4Matic Premium
Body style: Four-door saloon (also available as a five-door estate)
On sale: now
How much? £67,255 on the road (AMG range from £67,255)
How fast? 155mph, 0-62mph in 4.6sec
How economical? 31.8mpg (WLTP Combined)
Engine & gearbox: 1,991cc four-cylinder petrol engine, nine-speed multi-clutch automatic gearbox, four-wheel drive
Electric powertrain: 48-volt starter/generator with dedicated battery
Electric range: 0 miles
Maximum power/torque: 416bhp/369lb ft
CO2 emissions: 196g/km (tailpipe)
VED: £1,565 first year, £560 next five years, then £170
Warranty: 3 years / 60,000 miles
Spare wheel as standard: No (not available)
The rivals
BMW M340i
369bhp, 34.9mpg, £58,925 on the road
Mercedes-AMG C43 review: low-fat, fast Merc feels underbaked - The Telegraph
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