Final Verdict: Mercedes-AMG C43 Convertible
Underdog with an entraining bark
We're stepping beyond our current offer of reviews by adding the 'final verdict' category to the flavours. We often end up in cars for a few days, only to feel pretty damn confused afterwards. Almost feeling like reviewing the one-night stand the day after, while still drunk. It's all because of the fact that some products the automotive industry produces, actually take time to sink into one's brain correctly. Not every car we'll drive will get an article in this fashion, but the Mercedes-AMG C43 Convertible does ask for a final verdict.
It wearing a sub-AMG label is frankly the real reason for me to write about this car again, it confused the hell out of me the first days. "How should look at it? How should it make me feel?" I wasn't the only person having trouble placing the C43 correctly, Mercedes-AMG's struggle to name this car being a testimony to that. Renaming their baby-AMG lineup quickly after the launch.
Read our C43 Versus Mustang article here!
Staring at the C43 Convertible on an empty parking lot during a quiet evening, it finally hit me: don't pay too much attention to the freaking label! Once you get over the AMG badge and just look at the C43 for what it is, you'll see the impressive bit of German engineering that is. Presumably the last V6 from Mercedes hides under the bonnet, a highly refined one that is. Even managing a fuel economy better than that of an MPV, while being driven fairly hard, and while being strapped to a Mercedes-AMG 4Matic system. One that manages to launch to car to a hundred in 4.5 seconds when I tested it with everything off, quicker than specified by the brand.
AMGs are slowly becoming more and more friendly with AWD systems, this C43 being one of them. Where most of us associated AMG with rear-wheel pleasure, this car doesn't make you miss that one bit. Not in terms of the way it drives, nor in the way of efficiency. Bashing through corners on a wet day is as easily done as during a dry day, and depending on the ESP setting, you can easily generate a bit over oversteer. Fear for understeer in an AWD car is always present, but the C43 manages to hide it well. In fact, it even hides its near 1800 kilograms of weight properly.
Offering grip whenever, a safety-net for idiots, and very little understeer, the car is a perfect candidate for a daily driver. But should an AMG offer that? Wrong question! You should be wondering if a certain car offers that, not an entire label. And for this car it does offer that, if you don't need massive luggage space that is. Everything else you need is in this car. It really is.
It gets the acceleration job done in about any weather, handles docile enough so it doesn't tempt you into deadly maneuvers, and its exhaust sounds better than then car noises your making in your head right now. So yes, the final verdict is a good one, very good. Just don't look at that AMG badge too much, it's what underneath the shiny skin that counts.
