Mercedes-AMG C 43 pricing announced

Mercedes-Benz Australia has announced a $101,900 (plus on-road costs) starting price for its new AMG-badged C-Class range, first local deliveries of which will begin in October.

While the sub-$102K opening price applies to the Mercedes-AMG C 43 sedan, the C 43 Estate will cost $104,400 and the C 43 Coupe is pegged at $105,615 (both plus ORCs).

That makes the C 43 sedan and wagon about $4000 cheaper than their closest rivals – Audi's S4 sedan and Avant – while the C 43 Coupe is almost $14,000 more affordable than Audi's S5 Coupe ($119,510).

Mercedes' new C-Class Cabriolet range – including the AMG C 43 to rival Audi's S5 Cabriolet – arrives here in November.

The new C 43 models slot between regular C-Class cars (priced from $60,000) and the top-shelf twin-turbo V8-powered C 63 S sedan, coupe and wagon range, which is priced from just under $155,000.

Likely to signal the end of the German car-maker's 'AMG Sport' sub-brand, the Mercedes-AMG C 43 sedan is effectively an upgraded replacement for the C-Class AMG 450 4MATIC in Europe and the US.

All four new C 43 models come with an AMG-exclusive 270kW/520Nm 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 matched with a 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission, AMG Performance 4MATIC all-wheel drive with 69 per cent rear torque split and model-specific chassis components including 360mm front and 320mm rear brake discs.

The engine is the same as that seen in the C 450 overseas, but comes with a nine-speed rather than seven-speed automatic, lowering the 0-100km/h sprint in the coupe by two-tenths to 4.7 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h.

Standard features across the range include Head-up display, AMG Night Package, AMG 19-inch wheels, AMG RIDE-CONTROL five-mode sports suspension, Sports exhaust system, LED Intelligent Light System, Panoramic glass sliding sunroof, Burmester surround sound and COMAND Online Navigation and Infotainment.

In addition, the Mercedes-AMG C 43 Coupe also comes with heated front seats, while standard range-wide safety features include nine airbags, COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS with semi-autonomous braking, Driver Assistance Package PLUS, Active Lane Keeping, Blindspot Assist, PRE-SAFE, ATTENTION ASSIST, an Active Bonnet, a 360-degree camera, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System and three-stage electronic stability control.

Wrapped in slightly bolder body work than the regular C-Class sedan, coupe and wagon, the C 43s feature bolder front and rear bumpers and a slim bootlid spoiler, while on the inside there are several sporty cosmetic upgrades including a flat-bottom steering wheel and sports seats with red stitching.

Mercedes-AMG C 43 pricing (plus ORCs):
Sedan — $101,900
Estate — $104,400
Coupe — $105,615