When 300 hp was still an announcement
02/25/2025
When I bought a Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG T in 1999, there were hardly any sedans or station wagons with an engine output of over 300 hp; the V8 C-Class was an exception. By way of comparison, the Porsche 996 was sold with exactly 300 hp at that time. And this was, after all, one of the faster sports cars of the time. What will soon be the rule today was the exception back then, an engine output of over 300 hp.
My 306 hp C43 AMG estate wasn't brand new when I bought it. Nor was it the first C-Class from the W 202 series that I had owned.
I had already owned a C280 Sport with AMG refinement (looks like C36) for two years before that, another C280 had even been my first everyday Mercedes over 30 years ago, and I later also owned a C250 TD T, but not for long, as I wasn't so happy with the five-cylinder diesel.
The in-line six of the C280 suited me much better and the C43 was of course the superior C-Class, which was brute and loud. Somehow the AMG V8 version was even a little too extraverted for me at the time, at least in the city, if you really stepped on the gas. Which, of course, you didn't have to do, but you were happy to do ...
The acceleration was impressive (even without all-wheel drive) and at the same time the five-door version was by no means lacking in everyday practicality. After 12,036 km, however, I handed the station wagon back in, as every kilometer up to that point had cost me CHF 1.25 in depreciation. There were no repairs, but the fuel consumption was not insignificant. The successor was a BMW, which was much more discreet to drive, but again had a straight-six under the hood.
P.S. Memories of my own C43 AMG came flooding back when we were working on the current report on the C43 saloon .
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