Fresh Air Included

What we like:

For what it is

still and entertaining drive

good handling

What we dislike:

Ergonomics could be a little better

Pop the shift-lever behind the wheel to ‘Drive’ and first impressions are promising. Steering response is good, and the C43 provides a decent turn circle of 11.7 meters, just a more than the C200. The while the car might have the benefit of AMG engineering in some areas, you will not get that hand-built magic which the V8 63 engines get, and that all important plaque with signature. The 43 range is built as a more reachable car, intent for a larger market, similar to the Audi “S” range of cars.

But having said all that, one cannot deny that the lesser AMG engine does deliver an impressive 500Nm of torque, but at a slightly loftier 2,000rpm. The Audi 3.0 V6 engine in an “S” model car delivers the same 500Nm just above 1,300rpm. Meaning off-the-line, an Audi with that engine would be the faster car.

Back in the Merc… depending on drive mode, one moment a plush and quiet cruiser, the next a sharp-enough pocket rocket. The exhaust note does sound a little artificial in Sports+, but other than that, the short wheelbase on the cabriolet, together with the stiffened suspension gets the C43 turning on a dime. The 9-speed automatic in this mode does have a preference to stay on the lower gears, and dropping downhill prompts it to drop a gear for more control.

With the rear wheels nearer your behind, there is more feel, as you flick the little Merc over a series of bends. Little undulations on the road gets the car to hop and skip a little, but the suspension is just soft enough to keep the car generally composed, and the four-wheel drive system ensures that it really is harder to get into trouble.

Any convertible car in Singapore satisfies a niche market. The mild AMG-engined one here has brought a few good things together, a sporty drive, with top-down motoring fun, with a car that is more reachable to the buyer.

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