In the hardly changed body of the C-Class, the combustion engine once again shows the full extent of the technology that is possible with such a concept in the face of a possible end. This includes the engine, which has been downsized from eight to four cylinders. Despite halving the displacement and the number of cylinders, it delivers almost 80 kW more performance and around 100 Nm more torque.

Together with the boost from the belt drive starter generator, it even achieves the performance of the A45, which is said to have the largest cubic capacity of a series engine. In addition, the C43 even makes do with a mono instead of a twin scroll turbocharger. The geometric compression ratio of 10.0 : 1 compared to 8.6 on the A45 even indicates a lower boost pressure, which is given as 2.2 bar.

Much more important, however, are the only four centimeters between the compressor and turbine wheel, in which a 6kW electric motor drives the connecting shaft when required. One might have expected the first electric serial turbocharger in a diesel engine, but now it ensures a noticeable avoidance of turbo lag, perhaps a little more in the upper rpm range than in the lower one. And it doesn't generate electricity at all.

The sporty chassis seems to harmonize better with steel springs, but remains unmistakable even when the 'Comfort' mode is selected, especially with the optional 20-inch wheels. Interestingly enough, the rear-axle steering only switches to the opposite direction to the front axle at speeds above 100 km/h. Overall, the values are so low that there is still a turning circle of 12 meters left.

Anyone who finds the C43 quite sporty even as a station wagon and less suitable for the family and more for amateur visits to racetracks will be confirmed by the addition of AMG Dynamic Select and a data logger to the MBUX infotainment. It will be difficult to distance purely electric vehicles just as far from the normal series in a technically sensible manner.