sleek and stealthy
Stuttgart’s two-door coupes are famed for their exclusivity compared to their four-door counterparts, and the Mercedes-AMG C 43 Coupe (RM548,888) is no exception. To make it even more prepossessing, this particular unit is finished in Selenite Grey Magno, a separate colour option that ditches the metallic lacquer for a sexier veneer of matte.
In return, its lines appear more pronounced under any lighting condition. Its strong shoulder contours, muscular arches and steeply-raked silhouette strikes a captivating pose. At the back, it gains a pair of slender tail lamps, a design touch unique only to the firm’s gamut of coupes. Final touches include a set of 19-inch two tone AMG alloys, AMG-badged diamond grille, gloss black front splitters and a rear boot lid spoiler.
Hiding under its sleek front bonnet is a character-matching 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 producing 362bhp and 520Nm — figures that enable it to clock 4.7 seconds in a century sprint. Paired to an all-wheel drive powertrain with Sport+ in check, it enables one to joyfully gun on a serpentine road in stratospheric dynamism. Its sharp steering feedback corresponds well with its sleek-shifting nine-speed autobox, tout chassis and adaptive suspension setup.
The C 43 Coupe’s sporting ethos also stretches inside the cabin with the use of red seatbelts, red stitchings on leathered trims and piano black deco for the centre stack. Trading the Sport+ mode and sputtering exhaust note for Comfort setting reveals its surprisingly relaxed nature — a sensation that brings you back to the brand’s roots of luxury motoring. The calmed motor now churns along buttery smooth, while its suspension eases up to absorb surface imperfections.
The standard Burmester sound system is guaranteed to entertain one with a penchant for high-fidelity acoustics. Its interior ergonomics, too, are well thought out. Also, thanks to the supple driver’s seat, driving on a country mile road to any desired destination has never been such a mesmerising occasion.
Though it appears somewhat aggressive in a shade that Mr. Hyde himself would approve, the C 43 Coupe still behaves like any Mercedes-Benz would — refined, stylish and a bliss to be in. But now with AMG playing second fiddle in its tuning, it’s far from demure on a spirited drive. Its balanced attribute will leave many aflutter, be it for those wanting top-notch performance or swagger on the go.
