The Star: May 09, 2019

Barking exhaust
defines cabriolet
I’M accelerating hard up
a quiet piece of country
road – first gear, second,
third and fourth, using the
paddle shifters to extract
maximum speed through
the gears.
I have the convertible
roof down, and my son’s
long hair is blowing freely
in the breeze, we are both
enjoying the sound of a
wailing V6 engine up front
and loud exhaust bark out
the rear as the gears shift.
The next thing I hear is
a siren-like sound and I
see flashing lights in my
rear view mirror. No, I
haven’t been caught by the
law for speeding, instead
I’ve activated an alarm
on a stationary car we
just passed, quite clearly
its motion sensors were
disturbed by the backfire
from the evaluation
car’s exhaust as the gears
changed.
The car I was driving
was Mercedes-Benz’s C43
AMG cabriolet, a car which
has definite sound and
robust performance. As
mentioned it has a 3-litre
V6 engine which has
healthy acceleration thanks
to the boost from twin
turbochargers.
Maximum power is
rated at a feisty 287kW
with a fabulous 520Nm
of torque, such are the
outputs there is a constantly
vibrant feel from beneath
the accelerator, it is strong
and wilful and, of course,
there are many drive modes
available at the push of a
button. You can dial in the
type of drive you would like
to experience – feisty or
frugal.
Each set-up is conclusive,
there is a definite structure
from within each mode,
and they can also be tailormade
to suit any driving
preference. I particularly like
the first sport setting, the
engine is not overly frenetic,
but it is a compromise
between the more gentle
comfort mode and the fullon
Sport plus setting.
With all of these options
there’s little denying
that the C43 has strong
performance potential.
Mercedes-Benz claims a
standstill to 100km/h time
of 4.8sec, and when the
engine is working hard it is
enjoying its work, while it
Motoring
Ross Kiddie
is raucous it’s not a strained
sound, I simply love it,
especially the bark on up
and downshifts.
During my time in
the evaluation car I was
constantly blipping the
throttle just to hear the
engine, that being the case
it wouldn’t be fair to publish
my fuel usage figures.
However, Mercedes-Benz
claims a 10-litre per 100km
(28mpg) combined cycle
rating that I would suggest
is easily possible given
the fuel usage meter was
listing a 7l/100km (40mpg)
instantaneous figure sitting at
a steady 100km/h, the engine
turning over at just 1500rpm.
The C43 cabriolet is
very much a driver’s car, it
is biased towards sporty,
and it makes no excuse for
that. Alongside the engine
management protocols, the
driver can also manipulate
suspension alterations
from within the cabin, the
spring and damper rates
can be firmed considerably
to enhance cornering
33
MERCEDES-BENZ C43 CABRIOLET: Tempting to
drive quickly.
• Price – Mercedes-
Benz C43 cabriolet,
$141,400
• Dimensions –
Length, 4686mm;
width, 1810mm;
height, 1409mm
• Configuration – V6,
four-wheel-drive,
2996cc, 287kW,
520Nm, nine-speed
automatic.
• Performance –
0-100km/h, 4.8sec
• Fuel usage –
10l/100km
OPEN-AIR:
The
convertible
process
takes
around
15sec.
performance.
Twisty, open roads
are not easy to come
by in Canterbury, but
I discovered some new
corners just west of Darfield
that I hadn’t previously
used. The C43 has a low
centre of gravity, and in
sport suspension mode it
simply powers through the
corners flat and controlled.
There is strong steering
feel thanks to beautiful
sport specification, 19in
Dunlop tyres, turn-in is
direct and accuracy never
threatened.
Of course, the C43 with
4Matic drives through
a nine-speed automatic
gearbox to all wheels,
and that promotes a safe,
decisive handling balance.
While there are two
rear seats, effectively the
C-Class cabriolet is just a
2+2, unless you are childsize
you aren’t going to be
comfortable in the rear.
While in that regard it is a
selfish car, those upfront
have wonderful comfort and
can benefit from the high
degree of specification and
the amazing way Mercedes-
Benz creates the ergonomics
that feel just so right.
I guess at $141,400 the
company would need to get
that right. In my opinion,
that is certainly the case.
It’s fair to say I’m not a big
convertible fan, but the
C43 won me over with
its build quality, level of
specification, along with its
substantial performance.
There’s no secret
that Mercedes-Benz
is re-engineering the
configuration of its sixcylinder
line-up, and as
time goes by I’m sure that
all of its six-potters will
eventually be an inline
configuration, my only
hope is that new straight
engines are as involving as
the C43 is today, and have
that amazing sound.
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