It wasn’t too long ago that I found myself behind the wheel of the Mercedes-AMG C43 coupe. It looked like it had been chiselled by the wind, left plenty of flashing cameras in its wake and seemed like just the sort of sports coupe you’d want in the city, with a bi-turbo V6 that made a stonking 385 bhp and a kerb weight of 1,575 kg.
Now, I’m not sure what it’s like to own a pet mountain lion, but I have a feeling it’s similar to owning a C43. As friendly as it seemed, the C43 was a temperamental predator—lithe, gorgeous to behold and utterly impractical. It sat too low, the front splitter loved kissing the tarmac, it was fairly stiff, and its existence was a binary one as it divided its time between being inanimate and leapfrogging towards the horizon.
The Mercedes-AMG GLC43 Coupe is more suited to the Indian terrain. For starters, it is the first-ever India assembled AMG (Mercedes-AMG is a unit of the German carmaker) to hit the road, and for that alone, it has secured a place for itself in the history books. Mercedes-Benz India’s penchant for being first-movers has seen them flex some major Teutonic muscle, with local assembly bringing AMG performance from the unattainable to theoretically attainable, and the GLC43 Coupe is the first taste of home-made AMG curry to whet our appetites with.
“Up For Anything”
The reasons are clear for all to see – the GLC43 is as practical as it is fast. It prompts just as much rubber-necking (a record number of phones were taken out of pockets in the time it spent with me) as any of Merc’s two-doored AMG frat members, it’s enthusiastic in a way only AMG’s can be, it has a sense of humour and yet, it has an innate understanding of the terrain that many AMGs don’t.
Don’t get me wrong, the “up for anything” attitude of AMGs is exactly what endears them to me. Want to take that curve flat-out? Sure. Squeeze into that slot ahead of the car in the neighboring lane? Easy-peasy.
AMGs have a child-like enthusiasm that gives them their soul. They’re like the friend who shows up at a paintball range, dressed in military fatigues. So for the home-grown GLC43 to pass the true AMG litmus test, it must be up for a laugh. Is it?
Fire it up and that familiar b-turbo, three litre, V6 instantly makes everyone in a thirty metre radius aware of its AMG underpinnings. There’s trademark AMG drama accompanying it, along with a heady 386 bhp (390PS) of power.
Compared to the previous iterations of the “43” badged AMGs, the GLC43’s ride quality is less extreme. Its eagerness has been diluted just enough to make it more manageable but this is still a car that’s far more comfortable sprinting maniacally towards the horizon than quietly trundling along on city roads, even when in “Comfort” mode.
Let’s Talk Performance
Switch to “dynamic” and the stable doors are vociferously slammed open, with an intoxicating injection of torque. In city limits, it takes a moment or two to recalibrate oneself to the GLC43’s “blink-and-you’re-there” response times. However, despite the readiness of its 9-speed gearbox, you do find yourself reflexively reaching for the paddles which allow for its power and torque to be utilised more effectively. Given the near supercar levels of power we’re dealing with (certainly a supercar from the late 90s) the mild transmission lag can feel a bit irksome. When the cogs do fall in place, the GLC43 is a truly glorious thing to helm.
This facelifted GLC43 looks the business. Normally coupe-styled SUVs furrow my brow, but this looks like an apocalypse-ready C43 AMG, and the added dose of ruggedness does much to enhance its appeal. The appeal extends its way inside as well, with the MBUX system playing a big role in heightening the appeal of its Rs 81.52 lakh ex-showroom price tag. The faux wood trim on the dash however, can look better, but the red seat belts, body hugging seats and chunky steering are gratifyingly track-car inspired.
With the impending arrival of the A35 AMG, the GLC43 is soon likely to be usurped as the most affordable AMG in the country. However, the A35 will be powered by a 2.0-litre bi-turbo-petrol, making less power than the GLC. And while it will be undoubtedly quick, it would be impossible to match the GLC43’s bare knuckle fury.
More than just a car, the locally-built GLC43 AMG is a testament to India’s growth story. It is the lantern-jawed poster boy of the Indian automotive industry’s economic resurgence, at a time when global markets continue to remain in freefall.
Given its mix of practicality, poise, muscle and rage, it’s clear why the GLC43 4Matic Coupè is India’s largest selling AMG model (even before localisation). And while we’re likely to see an influx of performance-oriented variants of luxury cars, the GLC43 will be hard to replace. A sub-400bhp Mercedes-Benz with a sub Rs 1 crore price tag? Not exactly cheap. But it is cheaper, and for now, that will have to do.
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