Mercedes-AMG has a new BMW M4 challenger
The stylish car continues the perpetual blood feud among Teutonic automotive titans.
With the new generation 2017 C-Class Coupe set to hit showrooms this spring, Mercedes now has a rival for the BMW M4 and Audi S5.
"The extension of the C-Class family to include the new C43 Coupe is another component in our growth strategy," Mercedes-AMG Chairman Tobias Moers said in a statement. "It not only enriches the wide line-up of the C-Class family, but also starts the introduction of a whole series of new '43' models this year."
Mercedes-AMG is the high-performance division of Mercedes-Benz.
The C43 Coupe is powered by 3.0-liter biturbo V6 engine that pumps out 362 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque. The biturbo engine is paired with Mercedes' fast-shifting 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic transmission.
According to Mercedes-AMG, this helps the coupe reach a 0-60 mph time of 4.6 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.
The C43 matches up well with the Audi S5 333's horsepower and claimed 4.9-second 0-60 time. Audi no longer sells its high-power 450-horsepower Audi RS5 in the US.
But the C43 falls slightly short of the current generation BMW M4's 425 horsepower and claimed 4.1-second 0-60 time.
The C43 Coupe is expected to replace the outgoing C63 AMG Coupe and joins the C300 coupe in Mercedes' lineup. But it is possible that the C43 Coupe could get future reinforcements. Mercedes-AMG currently offers the C-Class sedan in a C63 S AMG sedan with a 501-horsepower, 4.0-liter, biturbo V8 engine. It would not be a stretch for the AMG to drop in the V8 bruiser into the coupe body.
Mercedes-AMG has not revealed official pricing and when the C43 Coupe will hit US showrooms.
