The 2017 Mercedes-AMG E43 4MATIC Makes Luxe Sedan A Monster
With Mercedes-Benz so proud of its new E-Class, it was only a matter of time before arch tuners Mercedes-AMG pushed out a high-performance version of the luxe sedan. Witness, therefore, the 2017 Mercedes-AMG E 43 4MATIC, a 401 horsepower super-sedan capable of taking five from 0-62 mph in just 4.6 seconds.
Surprisingly, there's no meaty V8 giving all that grunt. Instead, Mercedes-AMG has taken the 3.0 liter V6 biturbo into its garage and given it a thorough working-over, dropping in two new, larger turbos and reprogramming the software.
The result is 34 horsepower more than the regular engine would make, 384 lb-ft. of torque from 2,500 rpm, and a top speed of 155 mph – electronically limited, naturally.
It's mated to a 9-speed, 9G-TRONIC transmission with faster shift-times and a double-declutching feature in the "Sport" and "Sport Plus" modes. Alternatively there are paddle-shifters, and interestingly in that mode the E 43 4MATIC won't automatically upshift when you hit the limiter.
Even if you're not overtaking them, other traffic should be able to spot that the E 43 4MATIC is something out of the ordinary. The front apron gets three, vast air intakes, while the grille gets a diamond pattern with chromed pins.
19-inch AMG five-spoke light-alloy wheels are finished in high-gloss black, while at the rear the two quad-flow tailpipes are chrome-plated. That matches the rear apron trim on the diffusor, which gets lashings of silver chrome, and there's a body-color-matching spoiler lip as standard-fit.
Inside, sports seats in Artico man-made leather and Dinamica microfiber are standard, with nappa leather an option, complete with red top-stitching and matching trim on the doors and dashboard. The seatbelts are red, too, while the pedals are exclusive to the car.
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A flat-bottom sports steering wheel comes in black nappa leather with red stitching as standard, while the dashboard has AMG instruments and a 4.5-inch display embedded. That's on top of the E-Class' already excellent infotainment system.
As for the brakes, up front there are perforated discs with 4-piston fixed calipers and AMG lettering, and at the back 1-piston fixed calipers.
No word on how much Mercedes-AMG will be asking for the E 43 4MATIC, but we should find out more come the New York Auto Show 2016 where the car will make its official debut, ahead of sales starting on June 20.
