- This Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG features a 302-hp 4.3-liter V-8 under its hood.
- Silver paint and a black interior emphasize this eight-cylinder C-class’s sleeper status.
- Bidding closes on Monday, May 1, 2023.
For the 2024 model year, the Mercedes-AMG C63 loses its predecessor’s V-8 engine in favor of a complex turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain. On the plus side, the new C63 still accelerates like a rocket. Alas, it comes at the expense of a hefty curb weight. Today’s pick from the auction site Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is a part of the Hearst Autos group—hearkens back to a simpler time at the three-pointed star. This 1999 C43 AMG marked the first time Mercedes fit a big V-8 into the small C-class sedan.
Today, AMG slots neatly into Mercedes’s corporate structure, a neatly polished cog in a vast machine. In late 1997, when the C43 was first shown to the world, AMG Motorenbau und Entwicklungshesellschaft mbH was still its own entity (Mercedes would take a controlling interest in the tuning shop in 1999). Having previously built the six-cylinder C36 to compete with the BMW M3, the company now returned to its favorite activity: stuffing big V-8s in small cars.
In the case of the C43, AMG plucked the 4.3-liter V-8 from the Mercedes-Benz E430 mid-size sedan and fit it under the compact C-class’s hood. The folks at AMG hand-assembled each engine (one technician per V-8). Thanks to improvements to the big engine’s oil cooling and intakes, the C43 rolled off the line with a stable of 302 horses—27 more than an E430.
The C43 may have lacked the handling grace of an M3. But what it fell short of in lateral dynamics, the little AMG-tuned C-class made up for with its V-8 engine’s melodious soundtrack and plentiful torque.
This particular C43 being auctioned off is a 1999 model painted in silver and fitted with a black interior, and it is the epitome of “speak softly and carry a big stick.” The C43 is all about subtlety, but those in the know won’t miss its big—for the era—17-inch monoblock wheels and moderately massaged fascias
This example is particularly attractive due to its relatively low miles (a few ticks over 41,000 miles), all of which were put on during the car’s tenure with its original owner. The car also benefits from a clean CarFax report and a well-documented service history.
Fewer than 1500 C43s were produced for the United States over the course of three model years, which makes these AMGs relatively rare finds. In spite of this, these V-8 sedans still trade for relatively reasonable sums, with the most expensive C43 on Bring a Trailer (as of this writing) selling for $33,500. We figure it’s only a matter of time until the prices of W202 C43s rise as more collectors come to appreciate this German muscle car.
Contributing Editor
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.
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