India’s biggest luxury carmaker, Mercedes-Benz, has launched two new cars in the Indian market just before Diwali. These are the 2023 facelift of the GLE SUV and the AMG C 43 4MATIC performance sedan. While the former has been launched at a price that ranges between Rs. 96.40 lakh and Rs. 1.15 crore, ex-showroom, the AMG C 43 has been priced at Rs. 98 lakh.
2023 Mercedes-Benz GLE
The higher variants of the SUV, the GLE 450 d and GLE 450, come with AMG body styling which brings the vehicle visually close to the models from Mercedes-AMG. The SUV gets four and six-cylinder engines with ISG technology while 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission has come as standard. It also gets the new second generation of the MBUX infotainment system, something that was missing on the pre-facelift car. You also have a new steering wheel with capacitive buttons borrowed from the bigger GLS SUV. Inside, you get a Burmester surround sound system with 13 speakers and a system output of 590 watts. Apart from this, the SUV comes with 4-zone climate control, panoramic sunroof, wireless charger, and heating and ventilation functions on the front row.
You get both Diesel and Petrol engine options on the SUV. The GLE 450 d gets an engine upgrade from the previous GLE 400 d. This upgrade gives additional power of 27 kW, which takes the total output to 270 kW. The torque is also upped to 750 Nm from the previous 700 Nm. The GLE 450d and 450 are also equipped with AIRMATIC suspension. In the AIRMATIC Package, an adaptive damping system meets an air suspension which results in an intelligent comfort suspension that can adjust automatically to the driving conditions, speed, and load. This allows you to benefit from counterbalancing driving stability with first-class comfort. In all, there are 7 metallic paint options and 3 MANUFAKTUR paint options on the SUV.
Mercedes AMG C 43 4MATIC
At the heart of the new Mercedes-AMG C 43 4MATIC is the AMG 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. The internally named M139 engine is the world’s first series-production engine to be turbocharged with an electric exhaust gas turbocharger. The system is a direct derivative of the technology that the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team has been using in motorsport for many years. The car is also powered by the 48-volt onboard electrical system, and the electric exhaust gas turbocharger operates at speeds of up to 175,000 rpm, which enables a very high airflow rate. This significantly improves the response directly from idle speed and across the entire rev range. The C 43 4MATIC accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds.
The 2.0 Petrol engine here makes 408 hp at 6750 rpm. Depending on the situation, the system also briefly provides an additional boost of 14 hp through the belt-driven starter generator. Due to this, the car gets a fuel efficiency of 9.1-8.7 litres/100 km. The steering layout of the C 43 4MATIC contributes to the improvement in both dynamics and comfort, according to the brand. At high speeds, the steering power assistance decreases while at low speeds, it is steadily increased. The car also gets rear-axle steering which operates with a maximum steering angle of 2.5 degrees. The rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the front wheels at speeds of up to 60 km/h, leading to a virtual shortening of the wheelbase, which in turn results in significantly more agile turn-in, less steering effort, and improved maneuverability.
Mercedes says the AMG ride control steel-spring suspension with Adaptive Damping System combines decidedly sporty driving dynamics with long-distance comfort. The basis for this is provided by the front axle, with specially developed steering knuckles and suspension joints on the spring control arm. Additionally, the Adaptive Damping System continuously adapts the damping at each individual wheel to the current demand – always taking into account the preselected suspension level, the driving style, and the condition of the road surface. Apart from an improvement in ride quality and comfort, these also lead to an increase in driving safety.
The author is a Senior Editor at carandbike.com